GoKawiil
Tech News
Apple increased the out-of-warranty battery replacement cost for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max by $10, from $119 to $129, likely reflecting the larger battery capacities in the new models. Older iPhones, including the iPhone 6 and original SE, still qualify for the cheapest replacement at $69. Apple has not commented on the price change.
New Apple CEO John Ternus greeted customers in person at Apple's Fifth Avenue store in New York as the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max went on sale, taking selfies and signing boxes for fans who had preordered the devices. It marked his first public product launch appearance since succeeding Tim Cook, continuing Apple's tradition of CEO-attended store openings.
Apple did not ship the iPhone Duo's official wallpapers with iOS 27, but the artwork has now appeared inside the iPhone Simulator bundled with the newly released Xcode 27.1 beta. That means users can extract all four dune-and-mountain wallpapers—two light mode and two dark mode—designed for Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone.
Blinkit, Zepto, Instamart and BigBasket began selling Apple's iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max in India as soon as they launched, promising doorstep delivery in roughly 10 minutes alongside traditional retail channels. BigBasket reported over 300 units sold in the first hour, while Instamart said Bengaluru led orders, though several platforms saw stock run out within hours.
Apple has launched new Silicone and TechWoven MagSafe cases for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, priced at $49 and $59 respectively, in colors like Burgundy, Mulberry and Taupe. Third-party makers including ESR, Spigen, Nomad and Burton Goods have also released their own iPhone 18 Pro case collections, ranging from budget options starting at $14 to premium leather and stand-equipped designs.
With iPhone 18 Pro units now arriving to customers, retailers are running discounts across new cases, chargers, and cables alongside an existing $50 markdown on AirPods Pro 3. Amazon is also offering pre-order savings on the upcoming M6 and M5 Pro Mac mini lineup, plus a $320 cut on the entry 24GB M5 MacBook Pro.
Apple's newest lineup—iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4, and AirPods 5—hit store shelves and retailers worldwide today. CEO John Ternus marked the occasion by opening Apple's Fifth Avenue flagship in New York alongside retail chief Deirdre O'Brien and marketing head Greg Joswiak. Online orders for the new iPhones face multi-week delays, though in-store pickup is available in many locations.
Alongside launching the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, Apple Watch Series 12, Apple Watch Ultra 4, and AirPods 5, Apple has rolled out its complete range of first-party accessories. This includes multiple Silicone and TechWoven case options with MagSafe support in various colors for both new iPhone models, priced at $49 and $59 respectively.
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.
The Vergecast's David Imel and Allison Johnson examined Apple's iPhone 18 Pro camera system, highlighting its new variable aperture main lens designed for better low-light and depth-of-field control. They concluded that the camera app's manual controls, revamped imaging pipeline, and improved ProRAW support are proving more practically useful day-to-day than the aperture hardware itself.
An Android Authority columnist reports buying his 14th iPhone, the iPhone 18 Pro, and argues that Samsung's Galaxy S26 Ultra and Google's Pixel 11 Pro XL have largely closed the technical gap with Apple's devices. Despite that parity, he says Apple still draws outsized attention and loyalty because of how it markets and narrates its products rather than through superior specs.
Apple's new iPhone 18 Pro launches at $1,199, a $100 increase over the iPhone 17 Pro, adding a variable aperture camera system for photographers. Google's Pixel 11 Pro also rose $100 to $1,099, gaining a larger 48-megapixel telephoto sensor with 30x optical-style zoom and a 120x AI-enhanced Pro Zoom mode. Beyond cameras, the two phones diverge sharply in design, colors and software, running iOS 27 and Android 17 respectively.