GoKawiil
Tech News
Apple unexpectedly updated its Mac Mini and Mac Studio desktops this week, timing the release alongside the teaser for its September 9 iPhone event themed 'Surprise and Shine.' The move deviates from Apple's usual September pattern, coinciding with John Ternus taking over as CEO. Separately, Walmart began accepting Apple Pay across US stores, marking another win for Apple this week.
Apple's Shortcuts app can be used to build a CarPlay automation that plays a custom audio clip whenever an iPhone connects to a vehicle's infotainment system. The feature works alongside, not in place of, a car's built-in startup chimes, and relies on a short audio file stored in the Files app.
Despite underwhelming sales, Apple's ultra-thin iPhone Air appears to have served as a testing ground for thinner designs and component choices that could enable a foldable iPhone. Analysts suggest Apple may debut a foldable device, speculatively called the iPhone Ultra, at its September event, with a second-generation Air possibly following in early 2027.
ZDNET is hosting a multi-round 'Big Guessing Game' where readers predict Apple's September 2026 announcements, such as a foldable iPhone or touchscreen MacBook, to win an Apple Watch. The contest's final round closes at 11:59 pm ET on September 1, with winners determined after Apple's event based on correct guesses. Early results show readers split, with 55% doubting a foldable iPhone and 28% expecting a touchscreen MacBook.
The Vergecast team discussed Apple's refreshed Mac Mini, Mac Studio, and new M6/M5 Ultra chips, questioning whether Apple's AI inference claims are more marketing than substance. They also previewed Apple's newly announced event, expecting no iPhone 18 but debating whether the foldable form factor is ready for an iPhone Fold, and examined Meta's settlement imposing new restrictions on teen accounts.
A hands-on video from reviewer Vincent Zhong shows Huawei's new wide-format Pura X View can detect whether it's held in the left or right hand and shift on-screen elements accordingly. The keyboard, call accept/reject buttons, and some music player controls all reposition to match the holding hand, and the power button appears usable to flip e-reader pages.
RhinoShield and Sent Into Space sent an iPhone 17 Pro fitted with RhinoShield's AirX case up on a high-altitude balloon from Kiruna, Sweden, then released it from over 30,600 meters. After a 25-minute fall through temperatures as low as minus 60 degrees Celsius, the phone landed intact in remote terrain and was later recovered, powered on, and used to make calls and take photos. Guinness World Records confirmed the feat as the highest drop of a phone in a case onto natural landforms.
Apple this week rolled out updated Mac mini and Mac Studio models and sent out official invitations for its September event, where the iPhone 18 Pro lineup is expected to debut. Reports also point to additional fall product announcements still to come, alongside a small round of layoffs affecting roughly 200 employees.
New renders published by Android Headlines give the first detailed look at Samsung's rumored Galaxy S27 Pro, showing a triple-camera island resembling Apple's iPhone 17 Pro design. The device appears to share most specs with the Galaxy S27 Ultra but comes in a smaller 6.6-inch size without an S Pen slot, and is rumored to pack a 5,200mAh battery.
Apple confirmed its annual iPhone launch will stream live on September 9 at 1 p.m. ET under the theme 'Surprise and shine.' Rumored announcements include the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, a first-ever foldable iPhone Ultra, updated Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4, new AirPods 5, and refreshed home devices like Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini.
Amazon is offering its Renewed Premium 17 Pro units, including 512GB and 1TB models, at their lowest tracked prices yet, backed by a 1-year guarantee and over 90% original battery health. The discounts arrive alongside other Apple accessory deals, including AirTag 2 from $20, a discounted AirPods Pro 3, and Anker MagSafe accessories.
A comparison of financing a 256GB iPhone 17 Pro shows Apple's own Upgrade lease program, paired with a low-cost carrier plan, totals about $1,819 over two years. Verizon's competing offer, which bundles the phone with its pricier Unlimited Ultimate plan over three years, adds up to roughly $3,520 for the same device.