GoKawiil
Tech News
Within an hour of preorders opening at 8AM ET on Friday, Apple's website showed delivery estimates for the iPhone Duo slipping into late January across all configurations. The foldable iPhone, Apple's first, starts at $1,999 for 256GB and launches in stores on October 23rd, with colors including star white and night sky.
IDC's preliminary Q3 2026 data shows global smartphone shipments fell 22% year-over-year, driven largely by a memory chip shortage that has pushed component costs up roughly 350% since last year. Samsung led with 57.8 million units shipped (22.6% share), just ahead of Apple's 57.3 million, as Apple's iPhone shipments fell only 4%—the smallest decline among top vendors—narrowing the gap to 500,000 units and 0.2 percentage points.
In a newly published YouTube interview, Apple's Rich Dinh and JP Guillou addressed claims that the iPhone Duo simply uses an off-the-shelf Samsung display. They said Apple defines the design goals and engineering challenges internally, then works with manufacturers like Samsung to develop components such as the display, hinge, enclosure and chip.
SK Hynix, Samsung and Micron shares fell sharply this week, with SK Hynix down 26%, Samsung 22% and Micron 11% over five days. The drop followed China's CXMT unveiling a new server memory architecture, plus a South Korean newspaper opinion piece urging Seoul to prepare for a potential slowdown in AI-driven memory demand and a possible oversupply by 2029.
Elon Musk criticized memory suppliers for 'extortionate' pricing during the ongoing DRAM and HBM shortage, without naming them directly, while praising Micron for taking a more 'reasonable' approach that he said builds long-term customer loyalty. Musk did not disclose specific pricing figures or contract terms for any supplier.
SK Hynix shares fell more than 10% and Samsung Electronics dropped 7.1% as an Asian tech sell-off spread Thursday, hitting LG Innotek, Seoul Semiconductor, Samsung SDI, SoftBank, Advantest, Tokyo Electron and Renesas. The rout followed a Wall Street decline after stronger-than-expected U.S. inflation data raised fears of further Federal Reserve rate hikes, with the Nasdaq down 1.88% and the S&P 500 down 1.11%.
Apple has published out-of-warranty repair pricing for its new foldable iPhone Duo, which starts at $1,999 for 256GB and reaches $3,199 for 2TB. Repairs range from $49 for cover layer damage to $999 for inner display replacement and $1,499 for unspecified 'other damage,' according to Apple's support documentation.
Microsoft has introduced the Xbox Nano Controller, a smaller version of its standard gamepad measuring just over five inches and weighing 3.5 ounces. It features a rechargeable battery, a programmable action button, and Bluetooth support for use with Xbox consoles, PCs, mobile devices, and smart TVs. Pre-orders are open now, with shipping in the US starting November 4 at $50, followed by availability in 35 more countries next month.
Samsung Health is updating its Sleep Coaching feature so users can begin the program after just three days of sleep data within a two-week period, down from a full consecutive week per month. The update applies to Galaxy Watch 4 and later, Galaxy Fit 3 and Galaxy Ring users, and combines a sleep habits survey with tracked data to assign a personalized 'Sleep Animal' and a four- to eight-week coaching plan. Samsung also updated its Running Coach app, expanding training tiers from 10 to 12 levels and adding social sharing features and a new fitness platform partnership.
A report from SammyGuru reveals design and spec details for Samsung's upcoming smart glasses, expected to launch next month possibly under the Galaxy Glasses name. The glasses will come in nine styles combining frames from Gentle Monster and Warby Parker, weigh 41 grams, and include a Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1 chip, 12MP camera, and battery life up to 9 hours (72 with the charging case). They'll be sold at Warby Parker, Gentle Monster, and Samsung Experience Stores, though pricing hasn't been disclosed.
Counterpoint Research reports smartphone shipments dropped 20% year-over-year in Q3, the weakest third quarter since 2012, as DRAM and NAND price surges pushed retail phone prices up 20% this year. Despite falling shipment volumes, Samsung and Apple both grew market share, with Samsung reaching 23% and Apple hitting 22%—its highest-ever Q3 share—even before releasing the base iPhone 18.
A new guide advises Galaxy Watch owners on when to charge their devices to preserve battery longevity, recommending users avoid letting the battery fully deplete or overcharging it. The piece notes that improper charging habits can degrade battery efficiency over time and eventually require a replacement.