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NBC data analyst Steve Kornacki, known for his marathon election-night broadcasts and the viral 'Kornacki Cam' livestream that drew 42 million views during 2026 midterm primaries, discussed his personal tech setup in a new interview. He revealed he uses an iPhone 17 Pro that he says he breaks roughly once a year, and still works on an aging Dell computer running Windows 7 Pro at NBC's offices.
A tech reporter spent a five-day vacation testing Apple's new iPhone Duo, a $2,000 loaner device, alongside a familiar iPhone 17 Pro Max as backup. Despite early frustrations with broken apps, unfamiliar gestures like Touch ID, and camera issues, the reporter ended up favoring the Duo over the trip's course and chose not to revert to the older phone.
Designer Basic Apple Guy has released a recreation of the default wallpaper seen on Apple's new MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display, built from assets taken from Apple's 3D product model. The wallpaper has been upscaled and resized for both the Mac Studio Display and 16-inch MacBook Pro, and is available as a free download via his blog until Apple releases an official version.
A tech writer who has used the iPhone 18 Pro for a month reports strong satisfaction with three features: battery life that often leaves 60% charge at day's end, a variable-aperture Main camera that consistently produces sharp Auto-mode photos, and a new vapor chamber cooling system that keeps the phone responsive in hot, sunny conditions. The reviewer contrasts this year's Main camera upgrade with recent years, when Apple focused more on Telephoto, Ultra Wide, and Front camera improvements.
Apple's foldable iPhone Duo, priced at $1,999 outright, can be leased through the new Apple Upgrade program for as low as $9.24 a month on a 12-month term if a buyer trades in a recent device like an iPhone 17 Pro Max. Without a trade-in, a 24-month Apple Upgrade lease runs $57.99 a month, compared with $83 a month under standard 24-month financing.
Amazon is offering unlocked, Renewed Premium iPhone 17 Pro Max units starting at $1,385.78 for the 1TB model, over $500 less than Apple's 1TB iPhone 18 Pro Max. The retailer's early fall Prime Day event also includes a $500 cut on an M5 Pro MacBook Pro, ecobee HomeKit discounts up to $210 off, Apple Watch Solo Loop bands from $7, a $100 discount on Apple's Magic Keyboard Folio, and 40% off the MagSafe Battery Pack.
A hands-on test of the iPhone 18 Pro's 'ultra-stabilized video' feature during a Thames riverboat trip showed the phone keeping the horizon steady despite the boat rocking, producing footage as if shot from a fixed platform. The reviewer noted this outperformed a handheld tripod setup in that situation, continuing a trend of improvement seen since the iPhone 13 Pro in 2021.
Apple's overhauled Siri AI feature in iOS 27 works only on newer devices, including iPhone 15 Pro and later, iPad models with M1 chips or the A17 Pro, all Apple silicon Macs, Apple Watch Series 9 and later, and every Apple Vision Pro model. Apple says a more advanced version, with customizable voice pace and expressivity, requires even newer hardware such as iPhone 17 Pro models, M4 iPads with at least 12GB of memory, and M3 Macs with 12GB of memory or more.
A cost comparison examines whether leasing a new iPhone annually or buying and trading it in is cheaper for people who upgrade every year. Using Apple's current trade-in offers as a proxy for next year's values, buying and trading an iPhone 18 Pro would cost about $414 net versus $600 for a 12-month lease, saving roughly $186. The analysis also lists the trade-in value each model would need to hit for buying to beat leasing, based on today's Apple trade-in rates.
Apple's iPhone 18 Pro is expected to largely follow the design language used since the iPhone X in 2017, with incremental yearly changes. Reports suggest that next year's 20th-anniversary iPhone will introduce a significant redesign, potentially moving toward a single-slab-of-glass design, though it remains unclear whether this will be a standalone model or the next Pro flagship.
Apple's iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max introduce a variable-aperture 48-megapixel main camera that can switch between f/1.48, f/1.8, f/2.8 and f/4.0, unlike the fixed f/1.78 lens on last year's iPhone 17 Pro. The new models also add manual controls for shutter speed and white balance, an on-screen histogram, rear-camera Cinematic mode video up to 4K/60fps, and a feature called Apple Reference Image that stores sensor-signed RAW data alongside processed photos. Ultra Wide and Telephoto camera specs remain unchanged from the prior generation.
Apple's Always-On Display keeps a dimmed Lock Screen visible on supported Pro-model iPhones, but some users find it fully turns off instead of staying dimmed. The feature is limited to iPhone 14 Pro and later Pro models plus the iPhone Air, and can be toggled in Settings under Display & Brightness. Several common settings issues can cause it to malfunction, each with a simple fix.