GoKawiil
Tech News
Ahead of Apple's Sept. 9 'Surprise and Shine' event, a CNET reader survey found 77% expect the company to unveil its first foldable iPhone, alongside likely updates to AirPods, Apple Watch and Ultra models. Opinion is divided over whether Apple will also debut smart glasses at the event, part of CNET's ongoing 'Big Guessing Game' contest across its network of sites.
LiDAR on iPhone Pro models works by emitting light pulses and timing their return to measure distances to nearby surfaces, giving the device a sense of depth alongside camera imagery. Apple's ARKit uses this data to build a 3D mesh of a room's floors and walls, which apps like RoomPlan use to map furniture, doors and windows into a full 3D model. The sensor also boosts photography, enabling faster autofocus and Night mode portraits in dim lighting.
Xiaomi released the Xiaomi 18 Fold and Huawei unveiled the Mate XT2 trifold this week, both timed just ahead of Apple's Wednesday event where the company is expected to reveal its first foldable iPhone under CEO John Ternus. Analysts say the Chinese manufacturers are trying to lock in buyers before Apple enters the foldable market.
Samsung executives Hee-Cheul Moon and Seungki Choi told WIRED they welcome Apple's entry into the foldable market ahead of its rumored iPhone Ultra launch. They noted that Samsung has cut 75 grams off its foldable design since 2017, with the new Galaxy Z Fold8 weighing 201 grams, lighter than Samsung's own single-screen Galaxy S26 Ultra. Apple's folding device is expected to weigh between 230 and 241 grams, heavier than Samsung's latest model.
Apple Watch's GPS + Cellular variant, first introduced with Series 3, connects to your carrier's SIM automatically and lets the watch send texts, take calls, get notifications, and stream music independently of a paired iPhone. The standard GPS model still needs a nearby iPhone for most of these functions, while the cellular version works over 4G or 5G on its own.
Apple's upcoming 'Surprise and Shine' event is expected to introduce three new iPhones, including its first foldable device, rumored to be called the iPhone Ultra, priced between $2,000 and $2,500. The lineup will also include the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, both reportedly powered by a new A20 Pro chip, with the standard iPhone 18 and iPhone Air held back for a later announcement. This will be the first major product event overseen by Apple's new hardware engineering chief turned CEO, John Ternus.
A report outlines why using Apple CarPlay wirelessly can drain iPhone battery faster than a wired connection, and suggests fixes such as turning off the screen, enabling Low Power Mode, using a wireless charging pad, downloading media offline, and limiting GPS use. It also notes that keeping iOS updated can bring efficiency improvements to CarPlay itself.
Apple is set to hold an event expected to unveil between six and nine new products, headlined by its first foldable iPhone, the iPhone Ultra. Reports suggest the device could cost more than $2,000, with top configurations reaching $3,000, making it a flagship rather than a volume seller.
Apple's CarPlay setup works well by default, but users can adjust several settings afterward to personalize the experience. These include changing the wallpaper, switching between dark and automatic themes, adjusting text size and boldness, and rearranging or adding apps and widgets to the home screen.
Apple will introduce the Apple Watch Ultra 4 and Apple Watch Series 12 alongside its new iPhones this week. Reports point to an upgraded S11 chip replacing the aging S10/S9 silicon, a returning ceramic case option, additional sensors, and possible new health features including an expanded hypertension notification system and an always-on heart rate sensor.
A new Bloomberg report says Apple began exploring foldable iPhone technology around 2016, but Tim Cook's personal enthusiasm after a trip to China in 2020 redirected the project toward a foldable phone rather than a foldable iPad. Rising component costs, partly driven by a memory shortage, have reportedly pushed Apple's internal pricing target from $1,999 up to $2,199, with higher-storage models potentially nearing $3,000.
Counterpoint Research projects global foldable phone shipments will exceed 100 million units this year, with Apple entering the category via the iPhone Ultra and quickly capturing a quarter of the market—putting it second behind Samsung and ahead of Huawei. The firm expects Apple's share to climb to 40% the following year, surpassing Samsung. Separately, Xiaomi has launched its book-style 18 Fold in China just a day before Apple's own hardware event.