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Apple confirmed in a footnote to its iPhone 18 Pro press release that it is once again extending free access to its satellite features, this time covering iPhone 14, 15, and 16 users for an additional year. The offer applies to devices activated in supported countries before midnight PT on September 9, and includes Emergency SOS, Find My, Roadside Assistance, and Messages via satellite.
The September 10, 2026 episode of 9to5Mac Daily covers two major Apple stories: the rollout of AirPods 5 and reports of upcoming iPhone price increases. The podcast, sponsored by Stuff and iMazing, is available across major podcast platforms and includes a paid tier with ad-free and bonus content.
Apple unveiled iPhone Handoff in iOS 27, letting users switch a single phone number between two iPhones instantly. While Apple didn't disclose pricing during its announcement, T-Mobile confirmed it will charge customers $5 per month to use the feature, according to a post by Stetson Doggett on X. Deutsche Telekom, the other launch carrier, bundles the feature into its existing MultiSIM add-on rather than charging separately for it.
A comparison of the flagship-sized iPhone 18 Pro Max and Galaxy S26 Ultra shows both share a 6.9-inch screen but differ in build: Apple mixes aluminum and glass while Samsung uses an all-glass back. Samsung's phone is lighter and thinner, has a marginally higher-resolution AMOLED display, and retains the S Pen stylus, while Apple's OLED screen edges ahead on peak brightness at 3,000 nits versus 2,600 nits.
Apple's new iPhone 18 Pro Max debuted at $1,299, a $100 jump from last year's model, putting its 256GB version near the price of Samsung's $1,300 Galaxy S26 Ultra. The two flagships now compete closely on battery life and cameras, despite differing designs: the 18 Pro Max uses an aluminum unibody with a 6.8-inch OLED screen, while the lighter S26 Ultra features a 6.9-inch AMOLED display with a unique Privacy Display mode.
WIRED's Uncanny Valley podcast examines a viral resignation from an Anthropic researcher who argued AI could plausibly cause human extinction within ten years. The episode also covers Apple's newly unveiled $2,000 foldable iPhone Duo, privacy concerns around 'always listening' Apple Watch features, and a WIRED investigation into flawed Census Bureau data cited by the Trump administration.
TrendForce projects Apple will ship 5 million units of its newly announced iPhone Duo foldable in 2026, giving it nearly a quarter of the global foldable smartphone market. That would help offset a broader slump in the category, with non-Apple Android foldable shipments expected to fall more than 20% year-over-year even as total foldable shipments edge up slightly to about 20.2 million units.
At Apple's 'Surprise and shine' event, new CEO John Ternus unveiled Audio Intelligence, an AI feature for recent Apple Watches and iPhones that transcribes and summarizes conversations, including a 'Live Rewind' that recalls the last 15 seconds of speech and a 'Siri Recap' that ambiently logs chats when enabled. Apple says the feature is encrypted and does not store raw audio, though it functions much like ambient-recording wearables from startups such as Plaud and Looki.
Apple released a condensed 95-second highlight video summarizing its 'Surprise and Shine' event, which ran nearly 80 minutes and introduced the foldable iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4, and AirPods 5 with Active Noise Cancellation. Alongside the short recap, Apple posted individual segment videos for each product announcement on its YouTube channel.
Apple introduced AppleCare One Family, a new device protection plan launching September 14 that covers unlimited Apple devices for up to six people under one household for a flat $50 monthly fee. The plan includes AppleCare Plus perks such as unlimited accidental damage repairs, 24/7 expert support, and up to two theft or loss claims annually for iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches. It covers nearly all Apple hardware, including Macs, AirPods, HomePod, Apple TV, and Vision Pro.
Apple's new foldable iPhone Duo features a 7.6-inch inner display and 5.4-inch outer display, priced at $1,999. CNET compares this to buying a separate iPhone and iPad, finding the combined cost of those devices can be close to or even exceed the Duo's price depending on the models chosen.
Apple unveiled the iPhone Duo, its first foldable phone, alongside new iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods models. The device features a 7.6-inch inner display and 5.4-inch outer display, dual 48-megapixel cameras with simultaneous front-and-rear capture, up to 24 hours of battery life, and Apple's A20 Pro chip, starting at roughly $2,000.