Apple is internally testing a smart home hub codenamed J490 that would rival Amazon's Echo Show and Google's Nest Hub, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The device would feature a camera, microphones, facial recognition to personalize content per user, and an interface blending iOS, tvOS and watchOS elements, all built around the newly launched Siri AI from iOS 27. Gurman also reported Apple scrapped a special Pencil designed for the dual-screen iPhone Duo due to technical issues, opting instead to support the existing iPad Apple Pencil.
engadget.com
· 2026-09-21
Xiaomi has detailed the Smart Privacy Display on its upcoming Xiaomi 18 Pro series, which alternates standard wide-angle pixels with narrow-angle pixels fitted with microscopic baffles in a 1:1 ratio. When privacy mode is switched on, the standard pixels turn off so only the baffled pixels emit light, cutting visible brightness to about 1% for viewers beyond 60 degrees. The feature can be activated through Quick Settings, the AI key, voice commands, app or page rules, location triggers, or automatic detection of someone looking over your shoulder via the front camera.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-09-21
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports Apple is testing a smart home display, internally coded J490/J491, in employee homes ahead of a possible launch as soon as next month. The device reportedly combines elements of iOS, tvOS, and watchOS, with its own home screen, widgets, and clock faces, and leans heavily on an upgraded Siri to handle tasks across apps like Notes and Reminders.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-09-21
Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station claims Apple is prototyping two new iPhone displays—6.41 inches and 6.96 inches—for what may become the iPhone 20 Pro and Pro Max. The panels reportedly feature a bezel-less design that curves on all four edges, paired with a new punch-hole camera cutout, though no actual images of the hardware have surfaced.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-09-21
iFixit's teardown of the iPhone 18 Pro examined the new variable aperture system, an under-display Face ID infrared camera, and a larger vapor chamber. During disassembly, a tiny aperture blade popped loose, suggesting that any malfunction in the mechanism would likely force a full replacement of the main camera assembly rather than a simple fix.
9to5mac.com
· 2026-09-20
E Ink tablets rely on reflective displays rather than backlit or emissive screens, making them easier on the eyes and far more readable outdoors than most iPads, aside from the high-brightness iPad Pro. Devices like the reMarkable Paper Pro also offer longer battery life and lighter builds because their screens only draw power when content changes, unlike an iPad's continuously lit display.
engadget.com
· 2026-09-20
A hobbyist repurposed an idle LILYGO T5 4.7-inch e-paper module, built around an ESP32 chip, to create a static home dashboard using Claude Code. The device displays local temperature and humidity readings, curated tech news pulled from sources like Hacker News, and astronomical event data such as occultations and eclipses relevant to telescope observation.
dexteroot.net
· 2026-09-19
Clicks announced that its BlackBerry-inspired Communicator smartphone will start shipping in December, almost a year after debuting at CES 2026. The final retail version boosts RAM from 8GB to 12GB and battery capacity from 4,000mAh to 4,350mAh, and it ships with Android 17 alongside a price increase set for October 1.
engadget.com
· 2026-09-18
In an interview with TechRadar, Apple's new VP of Hardware Engineering Tom Marieb described the design choices behind iPhone Duo's foldable hinge and display. He said the matte, nano-textured screen was chosen partly to disguise crease visibility over time, while the hinge's torque was carefully tuned to feel solid, like a high-end car door, even when held half-open.
9to5mac.com
· 2026-09-18
Ahead of the iPhone Duo's October launch, several early hands-on videos from creators like Flourish Planner, Rich DeMuro, and GadgetMatch have surfaced showing the foldable device's software features. These clips demonstrate one-handed typing on the exterior display, a split keyboard mode in horizontal orientation, iPad-like landscape layouts for multitasking, book-reading with page-flip animations, and camera capabilities.
9to5mac.com
· 2026-09-18
Samsung's new Galaxy S26 FE closely mirrors its predecessor, the S25 FE, with only minor design tweaks like a glossy back, a unified camera island, and slightly larger dimensions. The phone keeps the same 8GB RAM and 128GB base storage as last year's model but now costs $50 more, while switching to an Exynos 2500 chip.
engadget.com
· 2026-09-18
HUAWEI has introduced the MatePad Air, a slimmer and more affordable alternative to its MatePad Pro Max lineup, priced from €849 for the configuration with an 8GB RAM, 256GB storage, PaperMatte display and M-Pencil Pro support. Like other HUAWEI devices, the tablet remains unavailable for official purchase in the United States and continues to lack Google Mobile Services due to the ongoing US trade restrictions.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-09-18
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