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Leaker Digital Chat Station says Xiaomi had designed a Xiaomi 18 Ultra with a top-tier chipset, 12GB RAM, 256GB storage, and a triple 200MP camera array including main, ultrawide and periscope telephoto lenses plus a magnetic external lens. The post claims Xiaomi planned to price the device at roughly CNY 9,999 (about $1,490) but scrapped the launch, concluding the cost was unsustainable for sales.
A comparison of twelve popular Zigbee temperature and humidity sensors sourced mainly from AliExpress was conducted to evaluate their accuracy, build quality, and measurement range. All devices were tested alongside a calibrated reference sensor in an office environment, with the benchmark device calibrated against a lab-certified thermometer in a commercial refrigerator. The study aims to identify which sensors provide the most reliable readings for smart home use.
Tesla has increased the number of its driverless Cybercab vehicles authorized for commercial service in Texas to nearly four times the count at launch a month ago. Riders have reported issues including long wait times, incorrect pickup and drop-off locations, and malfunctioning butterfly doors and trunks since the September 3 debut in Austin.
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.
Qualcomm has unveiled the Snapdragon Sound Elite Gen 2, its first audio chip with micro-power Wi-Fi 6E built directly into the silicon, allowing earbuds to connect to home networks without a separate Wi-Fi chip. The company says the chip is 30 percent smaller, uses up to 40 percent less power, and doubles AI processing versus its predecessor. Qualcomm has named HP, Bose, and Cleer as partners, including camera-equipped earbuds with Cleer.
Xiaomi unveiled its 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max phones in China, among the first devices to run Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 chipset, with the Pro Max using the higher-end variant. Both phones feature privacy screens that limit off-angle viewing, LTPO AMOLED displays up to 6.9 inches with 4,000 nits peak brightness, the same triple rear camera setup as before, and larger batteries of 7,000mAh and 8,500mAh respectively.
Leaker Ice Universe claims Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S27 Ultra will adopt a split-screen privacy feature already found on Xiaomi's newly announced 18 Pro series. The feature would dim only one app window in split-screen mode while keeping the other visible, adjusting dynamically as windows are resized.
Xiaomi unveiled the Xiaomi 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max in Beijing, making it the first manufacturer to ship phones with Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 and 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 chips. Both models retain a secondary rear OLED display next to the camera module, which shows notifications and widgets and lets users take selfies with the higher-quality rear cameras. The phones launch first in China, with a global rollout planned before the end of 2026, though Xiaomi devices continue to bypass the US market.
Xiaomi has launched the Xiaomi 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max, both featuring two 200MP Leica sensors alongside a 50MP ultrawide camera. The Pro Max runs on Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 with an 8,500mAh battery, while the Pro uses the standard 8 Elite Gen 6 chip with a 7,000mAh battery. Both models add a hardware privacy screen, a functional rear display, UWB support, IP69 water resistance, and a customizable AI button.
Xiaomi launched the 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max in China, adding a hardware-based privacy display that can be set to trigger by app, location or via selfie-camera detection of onlookers. Both phones keep the rear secondary screen from last year's models, pack two 200-megapixel cameras, and use Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 chips, with the Pro Max getting the higher-end Extreme variant and a larger 8,500mAh battery. Xiaomi says a global release will follow later this year.
Qualcomm announced two new flagship mobile chips, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 and the higher-tier Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6, both built on a 2nm process for improved speed and efficiency. Xiaomi and Motorola showed off phones using the new chips at the event, including Motorola's Signature 27, which pairs the Extreme Gen 6 chip with a four-camera system and Google's Gemini AI, and is expected to launch by the end of 2026.
Leaker Ice Universe reports that Samsung's Galaxy S26 Ultra uses four-way baffles to block screen visibility from top, bottom and both sides, while Huawei's Mate XT 2 and Xiaomi's 18 Pro series only block side views. This makes Samsung's privacy screen more thorough, but the tighter light control brings side effects like dimmer off-axis brightness, blurrier images, and reported eye strain or nausea for some users.