GoKawiil
Tech News
Apple has re-entered TIME's World's Best Companies ranking at No. 3 with an overall score of 93.16, a year after being absent from the list entirely. The 2026 list is led by Nvidia at 97.51 and Cigna at 94.37, with scores based on employee satisfaction, three-year revenue growth, and sustainability transparency.
Apple introduced its first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, at a launch event where CEO John Ternus showed off the $2,000 passport-style device with dual 48-megapixel rear cameras. The phone opens for preorder Oct. 16 and hits stores Oct. 23, arriving years after competitors already established the foldable phone category. CNET staff writers offered varied reactions, from excitement about foldables regaining relevance to skepticism about buying the very first version.
Senator Ron Wyden and Congressman Warren Davidson sent a letter to Britain's Investigatory Powers Tribunal demanding it stop concealing details of Apple's dispute with the UK government over encrypted iCloud data. The case began when the Home Office ordered Apple to build backdoor access to encrypted backups worldwide, prompting Apple to pull its Advanced Data Protection feature for UK users; the tribunal later dismissed Apple's challenge after the UK narrowed its demand to British users only.
Counterpoint Research forecasts that Apple will secure a 27% share of foldable smartphone panel shipments in 2026, the year its iPhone Duo debuts, trailing Samsung's 33% but edging out Huawei's 25%. By 2030, Apple's shipments are projected to jump 167% from their partial-year 2026 base, pushing its share to 42% while Samsung and Huawei both lose ground.
Apple's marketing materials for the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 reveal that the small circular Heart Rate complication, previously just an app-launcher icon, will now display an actual live heart rate number. This upgrade is enabled by the new Health Sensing System, which measures heart rate every five seconds—60 times more often than earlier Apple Watch models. The feature does not appear on watchOS 27's release candidate for the older Series 11 and Ultra 3, suggesting it's tied to new hardware.
Apple confirmed that iOS 27, launching September 14, will ship without two previously demoed features: Messages suggestions that add items to Reminders, Notes, or Calendar, and an automatic password-fixing tool in the Passwords app. Apple updated its website this week to note both will arrive in a 'future software update' rather than at launch, with the change also affecting iPadOS 27 and macOS 27.
Apple has unveiled the Watch Series 12, updating the aluminum casing with a Dark Bronze finish and tougher Ceramic Shield 2 glass, while adding a new Ceramic case option in Pearl White and Night Blue. The device also gains a faster S11 chip, double the RAM at 4GB, and a redesigned 'Health Sensing System' with improved heart rate tracking through a second-generation electrical sensor and always-on optical sensor.
Apple's iPhone 18 Pro and Pixel 11 Pro both pack triple rear-camera systems with roughly 48-50MP sensors and telephoto lenses reaching high zoom levels, but their approaches differ sharply. Google leans on AI to automate exposure, night shots, and zoom via features like Instant Night Sight and Pro Zoom, while Apple adds a variable-aperture lens and manual controls for shutter speed and white balance alongside a new anti-fakery Reference Image tool.
Apple has begun selling accessories for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max in its stores, a week before the phones launch and a day before pre-orders open. The lineup includes a $49 Silicone Case, a redesigned Clear Case with MagSafe, a $59 TechWoven Case, updated FineWoven Wallets, and a new $29 Wrist Strap made from recycled polyester with embedded magnets.
Shelly has released the Flood S Gen4, a Matter-certified water leak sensor priced under $30 that works natively with Apple Home, Google Home, Alexa, SmartThings, and Home Assistant. The device uses three large stainless steel contact pads instead of small metal pins, allowing it to detect water faster and even sense low-conductivity liquids like AC condensate.
Apple will roll out iOS 27 to all users on September 15, with the first iOS 27.1 beta expected within about a week based on past release patterns. The company has confirmed iOS 27.1 will ship no later than October 23, timed to coincide with the launch of the new iPhone Duo, likely landing between October 19 and 21.
Apple has tucked a hidden reference to Clarus the Dogcow into the iOS 27 Settings app, discoverable in the Liquid Glass appearance slider under Appearance settings. Scrolling past the bottom of the preview panel reveals a figurine of Clarus near Apple Park's pond and rainbow text reading 'Moof!', and typing that word to Siri via Spotlight triggers the reply 'Nice dogcow.'