GoKawiil
Tech News
Apple released TestFlight version 4.4.0, adding landscape orientation on iPhone and support for the resizable iPhone Mirroring window in macOS 27 Golden Gate. The update also switches TestFlight's app list to a two-column layout in landscape and rearranges app detail screens to use extra horizontal space. The update follows Apple's rollout of resizable iPhone Mirroring aspect ratios in macOS 27 Golden Gate.
In episode 83 of the Overtime podcast, hosts Fernando Silva and Jeff Benjamin discuss Apple's rumored screenless fitness tracker and why it appeals to them. Silva also recounts hands-on impressions of the iPhone 18 Pro, Apple Watch Series 12, and Apple Watch Ultra 4, while the pair note disappointing findings on aftermarket SSD upgrades for the M6 Mac mini.
A hands-on review of Apple's iPhone 18 Pro finds the design largely unchanged from the iPhone 17 Pro, with the main additions being a variable aperture camera system, a new chip, improved battery life and better thermal management that keeps the phone cooler under load. The reviewer notes Apple is reserving bolder design experiments for other models like the iPhone Air and the new iPhone Duo.
Amazon has expanded its early fall Prime Day promotions with a $50 discount on the new M5 Max Mac Studio, AirPods Pro 3 at $199 (down from $249), and Powerbeats Pro 2 at $50 off. Additional deals include a two-pack of Beats USB-C cables for $14, a 60% price cut on the Ring Battery Doorbell 2K to $40, and discounts on iPhone 18 Pro cases and chargers.
Apple has confirmed pre-orders for its first foldable iPhone, the iPhone Duo, open October 16 with units shipping October 23 in over 70 countries and regions, expanding to 28 more by October 30. The device will launch running iOS 27.1, and Apple is also rumored to be preparing new Macs, Home products, and an updated iPad mini for release in October.
A demo video from Instagram user Tom Hitchins (@bytereview) shows the upcoming iPhone Duo being operated left-handed, despite the foldable's hinge and curved-edge design appearing to favor right-handed grip. Hitchins, who is himself right-handed, says the device 'works well enough' when reaching across to the dock positioned on the right side of the screen.
Apple's native camera app limits the iPhone 18 Pro's variable-aperture main camera to four fixed settings (f/1.48, f/1.8, f/2.8, f/4), even in Auto mode. Third-party apps BlackMagic Camera and Moment Pro Camera II have both added support for the aperture hardware with 10 presets in 1/3-stop increments, offering finer control than Apple's own app. BlackMagic's version 3.5 was initially reported as buggy but has since been updated to 3.5.1 with stability fixes.
Leaker Digital Chat Station claims a major Chinese smartphone brand, likely Xiaomi, is testing steel-shell battery casings combined with stacked-cell manufacturing to boost energy density. The approach mirrors Apple's shift to rigid metal battery enclosures, seen in the iPhone 16 Pro and reportedly continuing in the iPhone 18 Pro Max, which is said to have a rated capacity around 5,391mAh. The goal, per the leak, is flagship phones with 9,000mAh to 10,000mAh batteries.
Details and images found in Apple's own code by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris suggest Apple is preparing a HomePod mini 2 in new muted color options, an iPad mini 8 with a repositioned front camera and A20 Pro chip, and an updated Apple TV 4K that looks similar to its predecessor. The leak follows Apple's recent launch of the iPhone 18 Pro and folding iPhone Duo.
A writer describes losing enthusiasm for smartphones after once being an eager early adopter who camped out for the first iPhone. The essay recounts a shift from excitement over device upgrades and platform debates to viewing smartphones as an unavoidable obligation rather than a choice, comparing them to a tax collected by companies like Apple, Samsung, and Google.
A tech guide walks through built-in screen recording tools available on Android and iOS phones, starting with Google Pixel devices. On Pixel, users access the Screen recorder widget from Quick Settings by swiping down with two fingers, then adjust options such as showing touches, adding a selfie camera overlay, and capturing app or microphone audio before starting the recording, which saves to Google Photos. The guide also covers similar steps for Samsung Galaxy phones and iPhones.
A previously unreleased 47-minute recording of the press Q&A following Apple's 2010 emergency press conference on iPhone 4 antenna issues has been posted by a YouTube channel called Sir Mix-A-Lot Rare Music. The session, held after Steve Jobs addressed signal-drop complaints by offering free cases or refunds, included Jobs, then-COO Tim Cook, and hardware engineering SVP Bob Mansfield answering reporters' questions. Until now, only written accounts of the Q&A existed publicly.