GoKawiil
Tech News
Days after pushing watchOS 27, tvOS 27, and related updates to the public, Apple has begun testing the next round: developer beta 1 for watchOS 27.2, tvOS 27.2, visionOS 27.2, and other platforms. This move bypasses the widely anticipated 27.1 releases, which Apple had said would arrive in October alongside the iPhone Duo launch.
Apple has issued iPadOS 27.2 developer beta 1 just days after iPadOS 27's public launch, bypassing a 27.1 release entirely for testers. The move is unusual since iOS 27.1 is expected to focus on the upcoming iPhone Duo, suggesting Apple may be reserving that numbered update for iPhone-specific changes while iPad gets a separate track.
Apple has issued the first developer beta of iOS 27.2, a 22GB download, just days after iOS 27 rolled out to all users on September 14. Notably, Apple bypassed iOS 27.1—the version tailored for the upcoming iPhone Duo's dual display—choosing instead to jump straight to 27.2 for now.
Reviewers testing Apple's new iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are highlighting notably longer battery life and a more flexible camera system as the standout upgrades this generation. Specific technical details beyond these highlights were not disclosed in the available source material.
iOS 27 includes a new privacy feature called Impersonation Risk Detection, designed to flag social engineering scams where attackers pose as banks or trusted contacts to pressure victims into transferring money or changing account details. The feature is disabled by default and must be turned on manually through Settings > Privacy & Security > Impersonation Risk Detection. It works by analyzing device and Apple Account signals to generate a risk score that participating apps can use to add warnings, delays, or identity checks.
Apple has introduced an opt-in feature called Apple Reference Image on the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max that signs pixel data straight off the camera sensor before any software processing occurs, creating what Apple calls a 'secure digital negative.' To turn this file into a usable photo, the device sends it to Apple's Private Cloud Compute, which verifies sensor and Secure Enclave signatures and device identity before producing a JPEG with a composite RSA-3072 and post-quantum ML-DSA-87 signature.
Apple is reportedly shifting its iPhone camera strategy toward giving users more manual control over how photos are processed, rather than relying solely on automatic computational adjustments. The change is expected to arrive with the iPhone 18 Pro, allowing photographers greater flexibility in shaping the final look of their images.
After hands-on testing of the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, a ZDNET reviewer found the two models are nearly feature-identical this generation, aside from screen and battery size differences. Both share the same triple-camera system with variable aperture technology and matching durability, prompting a shift in buying advice toward the smaller Pro model.
Apple has released the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, which reviewers say deliver notable gains in battery life, processing performance, and camera quality over the prior generation. These improvements reportedly put the devices ahead of competing premium Android flagships in overall capability.
Apple's iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max bring a redesigned back where the glass camera cutout now matches the aluminum color, addressing criticism of last year's contrasting two-tone look. The phones also gain a variable aperture camera, faster performance, longer battery life, and added weight, and come in burgundy, glacier, silver, and black.
Apple's iPhone 18 Pro introduces a variable aperture camera with six blades controlled by a rotor, letting users choose between four settings from f/1.48 to f/4.0 directly in the Camera app. The update is paired with other imaging features including cinematic effects for standard video, Apple Reference Image, Photographic Styles 3, and an Audio Mix tool for music. According to early hands-on testing, the new aperture control produces more natural soft-focus effects than the phone's existing Portrait mode.
Apple has explained the technical workings of Reference Image mode, a new opt-in feature on the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max that cryptographically signs photos at the moment of capture. The camera sensor uses a unique private key generated during manufacturing to sign image data, which Apple's cloud service later verifies against a certified public key, while the phone's security processor also signs and cross-checks the sensor's identity.