Apple2026-09-13 23:40:56iPhone 18 Pro hands-on points to manual variable aperture, stronger low-light performanceA new hands-on review cited by ABMedia says Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max add a manual variable aperture system, giving users direct control from f/1.48 to f/4.0. According to tech creator The Tech Chap’s latest test video, the change improves low-light image capture and produces a more refined shallow depth-of-field effect. At the wide f/1.48 setting, light intake is said to increase by as much as 50% versus the previous fixed-aperture design, while f/4.0 is positioned for brighter scenes that need a wider depth of field and better overall sharpness. The report also highlights Apple’s 2 nm A20 Pro chip, a new C2 communications chip, and a vapor chamber cooling structure that is three times larger than the previous generation. ABMedia says the hardware is tuned for high-performance computing, pro video editing, and Apple Intelligence neural network workloads, while the smaller iPhone 18 Pro is rated at battery life comparable to the prior iPhone 17 Pro Max. On the software side, Dynamic Island is said to shrink by 25% and support three simultaneous Live Activities. Pricing is also moving higher: the iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199, up $100. The report says the upgrade case looks limited for iPhone 17 Pro users, but more compelling for people still using an iPhone 14 or older model.910
Apple2026-09-10 00:16:11Apple unveils A20 Pro and C2 modem, bringing its first 2 nm iPhone chip and a new WMCM packageApple introduced the A20 Pro, a new flagship smartphone system-on-chip, at its latest iPhone launch event, alongside a custom C2 cellular modem. The event was also the first led by new CEO John Ternus. Apple said A20 Pro is the first 2 nm chip ever used in an iPhone, following the earlier debut of the 2 nm M6 chip in August. The A20 Pro will power the foldable iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, according to the company. Apple said the chip carries a 6-core CPU with two high-performance “super cores” that are 20% faster than the prior generation, four efficiency cores with neural acceleration, a 7-core GPU with 40% higher performance, and dual 16-core neural engines for a total of 32 cores. The company also said AI processing is 2x that of the A19 Pro and memory bandwidth is up 50%. A major hardware change is the move from InFO_PoP to WMCM, or Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module, which places DRAM beside the SoC rather than stacking it on top. Apple said the new package, added thermal materials and a vapor chamber three times larger than the previous generation lifted sustained performance by 40% versus the prior model. The company also said the C2 modem adds U.S. millimeter-wave support, improves upload speeds over C1X and cuts power use by 15%.980
Apple2026-09-09 19:09:24iPhone 18 Pro debuts variable aperture camera, starts at NT$44,900 in TaiwanApple unveiled the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max on Sept. 9 U.S. West Coast time, with Taiwan pricing starting at NT$44,900 and NT$49,900, respectively. Pre-orders in Taiwan open at 8 p.m. on Sept. 12, with retail sales beginning Sept. 18. This generation includes only two Pro models and no standard iPhone 18. The headline hardware change is the main camera. Apple introduced a variable aperture system on the iPhone’s primary lens for the first time, allowing the 48MP Fusion camera to switch across four aperture settings: ƒ/1.48, ƒ/1.8, ƒ/2.8, and ƒ/4.0. Apple said the mechanism uses six laser-cut blades made from a custom polymer composite, paired with a new rotor and custom optics. The company said light intake rises by about 50% in low-light use when the lens opens wider. Apple also added Apple Reference Image, a feature that signs image data pixel by pixel and creates a tamper-resistant reference image through Private Cloud Compute. Other updates include the 2-nanometer A20 Pro chip, a new C2 modem, redesigned thermal architecture, battery gains, smaller Dynamic Island, and support details for iOS 27 and Apple Intelligence, including language availability and daily usage limits on server-based AI features.1000
Apple2026-09-09 18:52:25Apple details A20 Pro and C2 modem specs in launch materials, but leaves suppliers unnamedApple’s latest fall launch materials offered a denser look at hardware changes than in prior years, laying out process nodes, packaging choices, thermal design details and modem power figures while avoiding any mention of who supplies the underlying parts. The company said the new A20 Pro is built on a 2 nm process, carries a 6-core CPU, 7-core GPU and a new dual 16-core Neural Engine for a total of 32 cores, with gains measured against the A19 Pro. Apple also described a packaging shift that places silicon and memory side by side rather than stacked, which it said helps free memory from the chip’s thermal path and supports a 50% increase in memory bandwidth. On connectivity, the third-generation in-house C2 modem now adds mmWave support in the U.S. and uses 15% less power than C1X, according to Apple. The company also introduced 2TB storage to the iPhone lineup, outlined 3D-printed titanium hinge-cover parts for iPhone Duo, and added a variable aperture system to the iPhone 18 Pro main camera. Across all of those areas, Apple did not identify foundry, memory, NAND, display, glass or hinge suppliers.390
Apple2026-09-09 18:29:18Apple unveils foldable iPhone Duo with a China starting price of RMB 15,999Apple on Sept. 10 introduced its first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, with a starting price of RMB 15,999 in China and $1,999 in the U.S. The device features a 7.6-inch inner display when unfolded and a 5.4-inch outer screen when folded, with both panels supporting ProMotion, always-on display, and up to 3,000 nits of outdoor brightness. Apple said the phone uses a Grade 5 titanium body and a precision hinge made of more than 100 parts, while also carrying IP68 dust and water resistance and integrating Touch ID into the side button. The iPhone Duo runs on a 2-nanometer A20 Pro chip with a custom vapor chamber, supports split-screen use for two apps, and includes a 48-megapixel main camera and a 48-megapixel ultra-wide camera. It comes in Star White and Night Sky, with 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB storage options. Pre-orders begin on Oct. 16, and sales start on Oct. 23 across China and more than 70 other countries and regions in the first launch wave.860
Apple2026-09-09 17:50:14Apple Debuts Rebuilt Siri AI, A20 Pro Chip, and First Foldable iPhone Under New CEO John TernusApple used its "Surprise and Shine" event to introduce a rebuilt Siri AI assistant, the new A20 Pro chip, and the iPhone 18 lineup, marking the first keynote led by newly appointed CEO John Ternus. Ternus took over on September 1, eight days before the event, with Tim Cook moving to executive chairman after 15 years as chief executive. The new Siri AI is Apple’s biggest assistant overhaul since 2011 and adds conversational memory, on-screen awareness, and the ability to act across more than 300,000 third-party apps without repeated context from the user. Apple said the feature enters beta this month in supported regions. The A20 Pro is Apple’s first chip built on TSMC’s 2-nanometer N2 process. Apple said its six-core CPU is up to 20% faster than the A19 Pro, the seven-core GPU is up to 40% faster, and memory bandwidth is up 50%. Apple also doubled the Neural Engine to a dual 32-core setup. The company also unveiled the iPhone Duo foldable, priced from $1,999, with a later October retail launch.930
Apple2026-08-26 00:34:11Apple’s fall 2026 lineup takes shape around 2nm chips, a foldable iPhone and AI infrastructureApple has started laying out its fall 2026 product cycle before the main September event even begins. On Aug. 25 in the U.S., the company introduced a new Mac mini powered by M6 and M5 Pro chips, with Apple saying the M6 version delivers up to 4x better AI performance, up to 2x gains in graphics and storage speed, and a 40% CPU increase. The move puts AI compute at the center of Apple’s hardware roadmap ahead of its expected fall launch event. According to veteran Apple analyst Mark Gurman on Aug. 25, Apple may hold its fall product event on Sept. 9, with the iPhone 18 Pro lineup, Apple’s first foldable iPhone, Apple Watch models and AirPods among the expected headliners. The company is also said to be changing its iPhone release cadence, with the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and the foldable model likely to appear in September, while the standard iPhone 18, iPhone Air 2 and iPhone 18e may shift to early 2027. Beyond devices, Apple is expanding the infrastructure behind its AI ambitions. Reporting cited in the source says Foxconn is assembling Apple AI servers in Houston at a rate of about 10 units per hour, while U.S.-based wafer and chip manufacturing links are also being built out in Texas and Arizona. At the same time, Apple is entering a leadership transition, with Tim Cook set to hand the CEO role to John Ternus on Sept. 1.1370
