GoKawiil
Tech News
A hands-on test shows Apple Intelligence inside the Shortcuts app can generate automations from plain-language prompts, such as switching a screen to grayscale when opening Instagram. However, the generated shortcuts frequently fail to fully match the request, requiring manual edits or splitting tasks into multiple shortcuts to work correctly.
A round of weekend discounts covers Apple's new HomeView on pre-order, the newly launched Apple TV 4K at $289, and an ongoing $50 cut on AirPods Pro 3. Other notable offers include the M6 Mac mini at up to $150 off, M5 Pro MacBook Pro models discounted by as much as $600, an all-time low on the 2026 M5 Max Mac Studio at $2,299, and a record-low price on AirTag 2.
A new guide highlights that many iPhone users skip regular backups, often because their data exceeds free iCloud storage limits or because they assume their data rarely changes. It argues that daily backups are important given how often phones are lost, stolen, or damaged, and outlines ways to do this without necessarily paying for more iCloud storage.
Verizon has confirmed it will charge customers $10 per month to use Apple's iPhone Handoff feature, which lets a single phone number be shared across two compatible iPhones running iOS 27. That's double the $5 monthly fee T-Mobile announced for the same feature, while Deutsche Telekom bundles it into its existing €6.95 MultiSIM service.
9to5Mac released its October 16, 2026 daily podcast episode, summarizing the day's top Apple stories including iPhone Duo pre-orders. The episode is distributed through iTunes, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play, and the show's RSS feed, and is sponsored by Backblaze.
Apple opened pre-orders for the iPhone Duo and saw shipping estimates quickly slide from late October to January, with some countries like Brazil pushed to early February. In a statement to CNBC, Apple called demand 'nothing short of extraordinary' and said it would keep accepting online orders while working to fulfill them faster.
Analysts Jeff Pu and Henry Huang of GF Securities forecast Apple will ship 257 million smartphones in 2026, a 4% increase, even as the overall market shrinks over 14% to 1.08 billion units. Apple's global market share would rise to 24%, ahead of Samsung's roughly flat 241 million units, while the note also flags weaker reception for the iPhone 18 Pro models and production constraints tied to hinge issues on the iPhone Duo.
The Information reports that Apple and the Justice Department are continuing settlement negotiations in the 2024 antitrust lawsuit, with discussions reportedly centered on iPhone interoperability requirements. PayPal and Epic Games are among the developers who have told DOJ officials they fear any resulting deal could impose only minimal restrictions on Apple's practices.
A comparison outlines expected differences between Apple's rumored foldable iPhone Duo and the iPhone 18 Pro/Pro Max lineup, covering dimensions, weight, displays and cameras. The Duo reportedly pairs a 5.4-inch outer screen with a 7.6-inch folding inner display featuring a nano-texture finish, while weighing slightly more than the Pro Max despite its slimmer profile when unfolded. The iPhone 18 Pro models are said to retain a clear camera advantage over the foldable.
Apple has launched its first foldable iPhone, the iPhone Duo, featuring a 5.4-inch outer display and a 7.6-inch inner display with a nano-texture finish and minimal crease. The device drops Face ID in favor of Touch ID on the power button, includes dual rear cameras, and runs a redesigned version of iOS 27 built around the folding form factor. Pricing starts at $1,999 for the base 256GB model.
Apple's first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, went up for preorder Friday starting at $1,999 and exceeding $3,000 for the 2TB model. Apple said demand was 'extraordinary,' with launch-day pickup inventory gone and some online delivery dates pushed into late January.
Apple's online store began showing a January 25 ship date for iPhone Duo preorders across all colors, storage sizes, and carriers within 30 minutes of orders opening, according to MacRumors. That three-month wait surpasses previous Apple records, including the iPhone X's five-to-six-week delay in 2017 and the iPhone 7 Plus's roughly two-month delay in 2016.