RhinoShield and Sent Into Space sent an iPhone 17 Pro fitted with RhinoShield's AirX case up on a high-altitude balloon from Kiruna, Sweden, then released it from over 30,600 meters. After a 25-minute fall through temperatures as low as minus 60 degrees Celsius, the phone landed intact in remote terrain and was later recovered, powered on, and used to make calls and take photos. Guinness World Records confirmed the feat as the highest drop of a phone in a case onto natural landforms.
techspot.com
· 2026-08-28
Apple this week rolled out updated Mac mini and Mac Studio models and sent out official invitations for its September event, where the iPhone 18 Pro lineup is expected to debut. Reports also point to additional fall product announcements still to come, alongside a small round of layoffs affecting roughly 200 employees.
9to5mac.com
· 2026-08-27
New renders published by Android Headlines give the first detailed look at Samsung's rumored Galaxy S27 Pro, showing a triple-camera island resembling Apple's iPhone 17 Pro design. The device appears to share most specs with the Galaxy S27 Ultra but comes in a smaller 6.6-inch size without an S Pen slot, and is rumored to pack a 5,200mAh battery.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-08-27
Apple confirmed its annual iPhone launch will stream live on September 9 at 1 p.m. ET under the theme 'Surprise and shine.' Rumored announcements include the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, a first-ever foldable iPhone Ultra, updated Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4, new AirPods 5, and refreshed home devices like Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini.
9to5mac.com
· 2026-08-27
Amazon is offering its Renewed Premium 17 Pro units, including 512GB and 1TB models, at their lowest tracked prices yet, backed by a 1-year guarantee and over 90% original battery health. The discounts arrive alongside other Apple accessory deals, including AirTag 2 from $20, a discounted AirPods Pro 3, and Anker MagSafe accessories.
9to5mac.com
· 2026-08-27
A comparison of financing a 256GB iPhone 17 Pro shows Apple's own Upgrade lease program, paired with a low-cost carrier plan, totals about $1,819 over two years. Verizon's competing offer, which bundles the phone with its pricier Unlimited Ultimate plan over three years, adds up to roughly $3,520 for the same device.
engadget.com
· 2026-08-27
Leaks suggest Apple's upcoming iPhone 18 Pro will retain several advantages over the more expensive iPhone Ultra, including a variable aperture main camera, longer battery life on the Pro Max variant, and continued support for Face ID. The Ultra's ultra-thin foldable design reportedly forces trade-offs, such as dropping Face ID for Touch ID and using a smaller battery than the Pro Max.
9to5mac.com
· 2026-08-27
A longtime Apple user dug up his original 2011 iPhone 4 and found it still powers on using its old 30-pin dock connector, but its outdated hardware and software make it functionally useless today. The device runs only on 3G networks, has an 8GB capacity and slow A8 chip, and can no longer access iCloud, Safari or most apps due to modern security requirements. He concludes the phone's best remaining role is as a basic iPod, with recycling as the more practical option.
zdnet.com
· 2026-08-27
Leaked images shared by Weibo user Peter show what appears to be an engineering prototype of the Xiaomi 18 Fold, a book-style folding phone with a camera island resembling the rumored iPhone Ultra design. The device reportedly comes in a dark cherry color, echoing speculation about one of the iPhone 18 Pro's colorways.
9to5mac.com
· 2026-08-27
Apple has confirmed a product event for September 9 at the Steve Jobs Theater, with invitations carrying the tagline 'Surprise and shine.' The showcase is expected to include updated iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max models, and possibly Apple's first foldable iPhone, reportedly using a book-style design similar to Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8.
techspot.com
· 2026-08-27
A worldwide shortage of memory chips, driven largely by demand for AI infrastructure, is squeezing hardware manufacturers just as major companies prepare new product launches. Apple has already unveiled Mac minis and Mac Studios with new M6 chips, with an iPhone event expected in September featuring the iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max, a foldable iPhone, and new Apple Watches. Makers are responding to rising component costs by either raising prices on devices or reducing memory and storage specifications to keep costs down.
fastcompany.com
· 2026-08-27
New outline renders shared by leaker Ice Universe suggest Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S27 Pro will adopt the same iPhone 17 Pro-style camera plateau expected on the Galaxy S27 Ultra, replacing Samsung's traditional vertical camera island. However, the Pro model appears to omit the S Pen slot and has the speaker grille and microphone positions swapped compared to the Ultra.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-08-27