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.870
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.970
Apple2026-09-08 23:15:42Apple’s first foldable iPhone may launch this week with a starting price as high as $2,199Apple is expected to unveil its first foldable smartphone on Wednesday, marking what the report describes as the biggest iPhone design change in nearly 20 years. According to Bloomberg, the device carries the internal codename V68 and is also referred to inside the company as the iPhone Ultra, with positioning above Apple’s current lineup. Market chatter cited in the report says the starting price could range from $1,999 to $2,199, with a higher-end version nearing $3,000 as memory and other component costs rise. The launch also comes shortly after John Ternus took over as chief executive officer on Sept. 1, making the debut his first major public test in the role. Apple had reportedly spent years researching foldable displays and related parts, with early discussions centered on a foldable iPad mini before the company shifted focus to a mainstream smartphone. IDC is cited as forecasting 13% growth in the foldable phone market this year to 22.9 million units, while Wall Street estimates Apple’s annual shipments could reach 7 million to 10 million units.670
smartphones2026-09-01 04:05:14Rising memory costs push phone makers to cut flagship plans and raise pricesChinese smartphone vendors are entering the September flagship launch season with a far weaker outlook than in prior years, according to a MarsBit report citing multiple industry bloggers. The core pressure point is memory pricing. Blogger Digital Chat Station said the procurement cost for a 12GB+256GB memory package rose from about 500 yuan a year ago to 2,200 yuan this year, a 340% jump, making storage more expensive than the SoC in some handset bill-of-materials calculations. Another blogger, RD Observation, said several vendors have cut planned flagship output by 30% to 50%. The report also said price increases are now spreading across product tiers: lower-end devices could move into the 2,500-3,500 yuan range with 6GB memory starts, midrange and upper-midrange models may reach 4,000-5,000 yuan with 8GB starts, and flagship models could open around 5,500 yuan, 7,000 yuan, and 8,000 yuan depending on trim. The pressure is already visible in shipment data. Xiaomi reported second-quarter smartphone shipments of 31.2 million units, down 26.5% year over year, while IDC estimated total shipments by Chinese phone makers at about 66.01 million units in the quarter, down 4.3%. The report said vendors are now leaning harder on higher-priced models to protect margins, even as some upcoming flagships are expected to launch with lower memory configurations than previous generations.1000
Apple2026-08-26 17:09:43IDC says Apple’s first foldable iPhone could ship more than 10 million units in its first yearIDC expects Apple to launch its first foldable iPhone in September, with first-year shipments projected to exceed 10 million units even though the device may be priced as high as $2,500. The forecast points to a strong market entry for Apple in the foldable smartphone segment. IDC also said global foldable smartphone shipments are expected to rise 12.6% this year and 18% next year. By 2027, Apple is projected to account for 40% of worldwide foldable smartphone shipments. The figures were cited in a ChainCatcher newsflash.1000
Apple2026-08-26 07:11:46Counterpoint says iPhone 17 was the best-selling smartphone worldwide in Q2 2026Counterpoint Research said Apple’s iPhone 17 was the world’s best-selling smartphone in the second quarter of 2026, accounting for 6% of total global smartphone shipments. The iPhone 17 Pro Max and iPhone 17 Pro ranked second and third, giving Apple the top three spots in the quarterly ranking. According to the data, Apple and Samsung each placed five models in the global top 10 best-selling smartphone list. The 10 devices together made up 26% of total global smartphone sales, up 2% year over year. Counterpoint also said the base iPhone 17 remained the quarter’s top-selling model, with major upgrades narrowing the gap with Pro variants and supporting demand. On Samsung’s side, two Galaxy S series models entered the top 10. The Galaxy S26 Ultra was Samsung’s best-selling phone for the quarter, climbed five places from its predecessor, and became the best-selling Android smartphone in the quarter. Counterpoint said this marked the first time an ultra-premium Android device led Android sales in the second quarter. Apple shares closed down 0.14% on Tuesday and fell 0.23% in after-hours trading, with market capitalization temporarily reported at $4.52 trillion.900
AI2026-08-25 20:53:47Researchers develop AI model shrinking method that improves capabilityResearchers have developed a new technique that reduces the size of artificial intelligence models while improving their capability, according to Techub News, citing Decrypt. The result breaks from the long-standing pattern in which smaller models tend to lose performance after compression. The report said the approach could be useful for phones and other mobile devices, where computing resources are limited and model efficiency matters more. It also points to a new path for deploying capable AI systems in constrained environments without relying on larger model footprints. While the brief did not disclose technical details, the core claim is that model size can be reduced without the usual tradeoff in intelligence, and that the outcome may broaden practical use on consumer hardware.790
Apple2026-08-23 15:20:00Apple’s first foldable iPhone may debut around Sept. 9 with a price above $2,000Apple is expected to unveil its first foldable iPhone at a launch event around Sept. 9, according to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman. The device is said to carry a price tag above $2,000, placing it in the company’s ultra-premium lineup. People who have used the handset said it stands out for portability, hinge feel, and durability. They also said the larger inner display will use an iPad-like app layout and can double as a camera viewfinder. The report added that Apple plans to use Touch ID instead of Face ID on the device, and that it will not include a telephoto camera. Gurman said the foldable iPhone could become an important product for drawing shoppers into Apple retail stores, while also lifting global attention on foldable smartphones.1090
