GoKawiil
Tech News
Apple has released iOS 27 to all users, highlighting more than 30 specific speed improvements across the operating system. These range from photo loading and app launches up to 30% faster, to AirDrop transfers up to 80% faster, plus quicker performance in Safari, Mail, Music, Health, and HomeKit.
DXOMARK's lab and perceptual testing of Apple's iPhone 18 Pro camera system awarded the device 172 points, citing strong dynamic range, improved contrast, accurate skin tones and effective stabilization. The triple 48 MP setup—wide, ultra-wide, and 8x tetraprism telephoto—performed well across photo, zoom, and video tests, with the new variable aperture lens standing out for maintaining sharpness in busy scenes.
Apple's built-in Voice Memos app includes lesser-known features accessible by swiping up during a recording, including pause, rewind-to-replace, and multitrack recording on iPhone 16 Pro and newer. Users can also choose between Mono, Stereo, and Spatial recording modes in Settings, and access transcript copying, trimming, playback speed control, and noise-reduction tools from the recording screen.
Apple's CarPlay Ultra extends the CarPlay experience across every display in a vehicle, taking over instrument functions like the speedometer and fuel gauge and integrating controls such as climate and radio directly into the interface. Despite standard CarPlay running in over 800 vehicle models, Ultra currently only works on select Aston Martin vehicles in the US and Canada, requires an iPhone 12 or newer, and functions wirelessly only.
Apple's upcoming iPhone Duo will require developers to recompile apps for iOS 27.0 just to fill the device's larger inner screen, with iOS 27.1 needed to access the Duo's new tab bar and other custom UI elements. Apple chose not to let iPad apps with resizable layouts run on the Duo, opting instead for a purpose-built interface exclusive to the new hardware.
CarPlay allows multiple iPhones to be paired with a single vehicle, but only one can actively project the interface at a time. When a car mistakenly connects to a passenger's iPhone instead of the driver's, users must manually switch the connection through their infotainment system's Bluetooth or device menu.
A 9to5Mac roundup highlights the accessories staff members are personally buying alongside their new iPhone 18 Pro or Pro Max, ranging from Apple's own 40W-60W fast charger and TechWoven case to third-party options like Anker's foldable MagSafe charger. The post was updated on September 19 with additional picks and new product releases launching around the iPhone 18 Pro's delivery day.
A TechInsights teardown of the iPhone 18 Pro Max confirms that the US model uses Qualcomm's Snapdragon X80 modem instead of Apple's own C2 chip, which powers the device everywhere else and in the smaller iPhone 18 Pro globally. The X80 is the same modem found in last year's iPhone 17 Pro line, meaning Apple hasn't fully extended its in-house modem rollout to this specific US model.
Apple confirmed the iPhone 18 Pro Max packs a single-cell battery exceeding 20 watt-hours, triggering extra international shipping regulations for large batteries. To comply, Apple built firmware that caps the battery below 20 Wh during manufacturing and transit, only unlocking full capacity once a user activates the phone. A new 'Prepare to Ship' toggle in Settings lets owners discharge the battery back below that threshold before repairs, trade-ins, resale, or gifting.
Howard Buffett, son of Warren Buffett, is reportedly assuming a more active part in preserving the values and structure his father established at Berkshire Hathaway. The move comes as attention also turns to María Corina Machado's plans to return to Venezuela and Apple's latest iPhone and watch releases.
Apple's newest iPhone and Apple Watch models are now available for purchase in physical and online stores. A tech columnist evaluated the new devices primarily by comparing them against previous generations already owned by many consumers.
Apple's new vice president of hardware engineering, Tom Marieb, said watching people put screen protectors on iPhones bothers him because of the effort Apple puts into its display glass. He was promoting Ceramic Shield 2, the coating debuted on the iPhone 17 line and now used on the iPhone 18 Pro and the iPhone Duo foldable's outer screen, which Apple says offers triple the scratch resistance of its predecessor while remaining durable over time.