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Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports that customers who buy the iPhone Duo at a US Apple Store will see a personalized greeting with their name when they first turn on the device. The feature, exclusive to the iPhone Duo, will support English and Spanish and launch alongside the device on October 23, with pre-orders starting October 16.
Nikkei Asia reports Apple has told suppliers to cut October component orders for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max by roughly 15-20% versus original requests, citing sources who say demand has softened since early September. Sources attribute part of the slowdown to $100 price increases on both models, with one supplier noting demand is weaker than in past years when Apple released its full lineup simultaneously. Apple hasn't confirmed further cuts beyond October, and the report suggests similar reductions could hit the upcoming iPhone Duo.
Tim Cook, speaking to The Independent during a visit to Apple's Battersea campus in London, discussed his first month as Apple's executive chairman after handing the CEO role to John Ternus. Cook said the leadership transition had been planned for years and that he now focuses on worldwide policy and government relations rather than day-to-day operations. He said he and Ternus maintain a relationship built on trust and frequent communication, and he told Ternus not to imitate his own leadership style.
This holiday season, Americans are spending less on tech products, with average expenditures dropping from $931 to $808 compared to last year. Despite the release of new devices like the iPhone Duo and Switch 2, higher living costs and minimal innovation have led consumers to be more cautious with their budgets. Many are questioning whether new tech is worth the expense given the current economic pressures.
Apple is beta testing iOS 27.2 well ahead of its usual schedule, with the update expected to launch during the week of October 26. The release will add Siri support for French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish, features Apple previously said would arrive the month after iOS 27's debut. iOS 27.1, by contrast, is reportedly limited to the new iPhone Duo launching October 23, with other iPhones skipping straight to 27.2.
Android Authority's battery benchmarks show the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra's new 5,000mAh silicon-carbon cell outperforms last year's 4,400mAh lithium-polymer battery in most tests, but the improvement is smaller than the raw capacity increase suggests. The report attributes this partly to the phone's new 200MP camera and faster processor offsetting battery gains, particularly in photo-shooting endurance.
iOS 27.2 beta 3 introduces several design changes to Apple's Books app, including new progress bars to track reading location and a redesigned bottom-right menu using Liquid Glass styling. The bookmark button has moved out of that menu into a standalone icon in the upper-right, while the 'X' button shifted to the upper-left and the 'Back' button moved to a larger position in the lower-left.
Apple has released the second public beta of iOS 27.2, bringing its redesigned Health app to iPhone users testing the preview. Other changes carried over from the first beta include dual capture for Group FaceTime, expanded Siri language support, Apple TV app profiles on iPhone, and renamed sections in Apple Podcasts. Apple is expected to release iOS 27.2 officially later this month.
A comparison outlines key differences between Apple's upcoming iPhone Duo foldable, shipping October 23, and Motorola's Razr Ultra, already on the market. The Duo opens into a passport-style 7.6-inch iPad-like display and uses Apple's A20 Pro chip, while the Razr Ultra opens into a standard 7-inch candybar layout and runs on a Snapdragon 8 Elite processor with 16GB of RAM. Both devices use dual rear cameras, with Apple rated at 48 megapixels and Motorola at 50, while Motorola's front camera outpaces the Duo's at 50 megapixels versus 12.
Apple has shared a preview of the iPhone Duo's enhanced PDF viewing capabilities, featuring a new two-page layout in its Quick Look feature. This update aims to improve the experience of reading PDFs on a smartphone, a task traditionally better suited to tablets like the iPad. The device is expected to launch in October, with additional features such as Apple Pencil support anticipated later this year.
Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 with 256GB storage has dropped to $1,549.99 at Amazon, down from $1,899.99, with Best Buy pricing it $100 higher. The Z Fold 8 Ultra now starts at $1,699.99, down from $2,099.99, marking $150 off its previous lowest price.
Apple has begun accepting app and game submissions tailored for the upcoming iPhone Duo, requiring developers to use Xcode 27.1. Starting April 2027, app listings must include iPhone Duo screenshots, and apps will display a badge indicating compatibility. The company also offers resources and workshops to assist developers in preparing their apps for the new device launch, which is scheduled for October 23.