Apple is increasingly relying on Google's crutches to power its revamped Siri in the cloud. And we now know some of the specs of the custom Gemini model that is expected to bolster the new Siri. Mark Gurman: Apple is planning to use a custom Gemini AI model with 1.2 trillion parameters to power the revamped Siri Bloomberg's Mark Gurman is now reporting that Apple is planning to use a gigantic, albeit tailored, Gemini AI model to power its upcoming revamped Siri. With 1.2 trillion parameters under its belt, the customized Gemini model would "dwarf" the 1.5 billion-parameter, bespoke AI […]

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Apple's ecosystem is now gradually opening itself up to third-party app stores, as Japan becomes the latest jurisdiction to win the alternative app store concession for its citizens. Apple's iOS 26.2 beta 1 let's Japanese iPhone and iPad users install third-party app stores After facing a concerted legal push in various jurisdictions, Apple has started to loosen its chokehold over its app ecosystem. As a case in point, Apple was recently compelled by a US court in the Epic case to allow access to external payment methods, and to enable the return of Epic's Fortnite app. Meanwhile, in the EU, Apple allows users […]

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Apple's first foldable iPhone, due in the second half of 2026, is likely to sport an under display selfie camera (UDC), as per the treasure trove that is Morgan Stanley's recent specs sheet for Apple's iPhones launching through 2027. Morgan Stanley has penciled in at least one under display selfie camera on the upcoming iPhone Fold and no FaceID We leveraged Morgan Stanley's specs sheet for Apple iPhones launching through 2027 in a recent post to note that the iPhone Air 2 and the iPhone Air 3 still appear to be in the proverbial cards. However, that specs sheet also […]

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A lot has been written in recent days about the supposed frailty of the Apple iPhone Air's overall demand profile, barring China, where the new form factor appears to have been an instant hit, largely due to its eSIM-only novelty in a country where eSIMs for smartphones were generally not available until just a few days ago. However, overall Apple appears to have deemed the iPhone Air's reception acceptable enough to retain its successor, the iPhone Air 2. JP Morgan has provided a comparison of the specs for Apple's iPhone launches through 2027, retaining iPhone Air 2 and the iPhone […]

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Apple has just launched the first developer builds for the beta versions of iOS 26.2, iPadOS 26.2, watchOS 26.2, tvOS 26.2, and VisionOS 26.2. Apple has just launched the first developer builds for the beta versions of its sprawling hardware ecosystem's monthly software updates We noted on Sunday that Apple was likely to release the first developer build of the iOS 26.2 beta today. Well, that prediction has now panned out. As for their contents, the beta 1 builds are limited to developers at the moment. So, it is not yet apparent what is slated to change with Apple's upcoming software […]

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Apple debuted the iPhone 17 Pro with three new color options: Cosmic Orange, Deep Blue, and Silver. However, we now know that Apple is testing at least one new color option for the iPhone 18 Pro, with either brown, purple, or burgundy likely to end up as a final color option on Apple's next iPhone lineup. Apple will pick either brown, purple, or burgundy as one of the new color options for the iPhone 18 Pro Weibo user, Setsuna Digital, has now clarified an earlier post, noting that Apple will pick either brown, purple, or burgundy as one of the […]

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Apple's much-anticipated low-cost MacBook might land within months to take on Chromebooks and Windows-based budget laptops. What's more, the fact that the device is already in early production and active testing phase bolsters the thesis for its near-imminent launch. Apple's low-cost MacBook to land within months Bloomberg is now reporting that Apple's low-cost MacBook will launch within the first half of 2026. Additional details from the report include: The move represents a strategic shift for Apple, which has usually only targeted the premium segments of the tech sphere, which entail hefty margins. The launch of a low-cost MacBook would also […]

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Samsung unveiled its new Galaxy Z TriFold behind a glass panel at the "K-Tech Showcase" on October 28 in the South Korean city of Gyeongju. While the unveil clarified several design elements of the new smartphone, crystal-clear images with granular resolutions of the TriFold had been lacking until now. That void has now been filled, courtesy of OMG Electronics and SUBUSUNEWS on YouTube. View the new Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold in all its glory The above YouTube video from OMG Electronics and SUBUSUNEWS shows Samsung's all-new Galaxy Z TriFold in all its glory, replete with proximal camera angles that provide a granular […]

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Samsung is currently having to contend with two opposing forces, which have created a dilemma of sorts for the South Korean behemoth. Price pressures lie at one end of this spectrum, driven by higher component costs, and an ambitious sales target for the upcoming Galaxy S26 series constitutes the other end, necessitating a competitive pricing regime and a higher marketing spend. Samsung expects to sell 35 million units of the Galaxy S26 series next year A new report from the South Korean publication MK has now disclosed that Samsung is targeting 130 trillion won ($90.3 billion) in annual sales for […]

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Apple has now publicly released its next batch of software upgrades for a large segment of its hardware ecosystem, bringing battery life improvements, new features, and UI upgrades. iOS 26.1 goes live with anecdotes claiming of huge battery life improvements, especially for the iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro Max We noted on Sunday that Apple was likely to release iOS 26.1 to the public today. Well, that prediction has now panned out. And, right on cue, anecdotal claims of huge battery life improvements, especially for the iPhone Air and the iPhone 17 Pro Max, have already started populating social […]

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Google's Pixel 10 smartphone lineup is enjoying unprecedented success in the US, as per the latest report from Counterpoint, which paints a broadly encouraging picture of the American smartphone market, especially when viewed together with the concurrent success of Apple's iPhone 17 lineup. Counterpoint: "Google’s Pixel sales in the US jumped 28% YoY in September 2025, marking a single-month sales record for the OEM" According to Counterpoint's North America Handset Channel Share Tracker, Google recorded a year-over-year jump of 28 percent in its Pixel sales during September 2025, constituting "a single-month sales record for the OEM." The report notes: Meanwhile, […]

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Apple appears to have conceded defeat apropos its in-house Siri revamp strategy, and is now leaning on Google to design a custom Gemini-based Large Language Model (LLM) to power the new Siri in the cloud. Mark Gurman: Apple is paying Google to design a custom Gemini AI model for its Private Cloud Compute framework The legendary Apple tipster, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, reported in his latest 'Power On' newsletter that the Cupertino giant seems to have thrown in the proverbial towel when it comes to creating an in-house AI model to power the revamped Siri's upcoming features, all couched under the […]

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Samsung's Galaxy S26 Ultra is adopting a new design language, as per an image of the upcoming smartphone's screen protector. In doing so, Samsung appears to be leaving behind the last vestiges of the Note series' design language. Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra to adopt iPhone-like rounded corners The famous Samsung tipster, Ice Universe, has now posted an image of the compatible screen protectors for the upcoming Galaxy S26 lineup. Critically, the screen protector for the S26 Ultra shows noticeably rounded corners, giving the apex model in the S26 lineup a softer overall profile, which appears in sync with Apple's design […]

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Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has shared a number of tidbits in his latest "Power On" newsletter, including the number of product launches that Apple is planning for 2026, and the imminent launch cadence for iOS 26.2 beta. Apple is planning to launch as many as 15 new products in 2026 By all accounts, 2026 is shaping up to be a very busy year for Apple, especially if the latest tidbits from Mark Gurman prove to be prescient. To wit, Gurman believes Apple will launch these new products in the early portion of 2026: Then, between March and April, Apple will launch: […]

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When Apple launches new products, it goes through a veritable litany of protocols, including one that involves preparing its store front displays to better advertise the new product. Now, it seems the iPhone manufacturer is planning a synchronized store display change on November 11. Mark Gurman: Apple retail stores are preparing for an "overnight" on the evening of November 11 The legendary tipster, Mark Gurman, is out with another scoop today, disclosing that Apple employees are preparing for an "overnight" on November 11, when those employees will implement designated changes to their stores' displays after the closing. Apple typically follows […]

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Samsung has had a fairly predictable launch cadence for its Galaxy S-series smartphones over the past few years. Now, in keeping with the expected launch window, albeit with a slight delay, Samsung is gearing up to unveil the S26 lineup in February 2026. Samsung to host its next "AI-focused" Galaxy Unpacked event in San Francisco on February 25, 2026 As per an X post by the prolific tipster Jukan, Samsung is gearing up for its next 'Galaxy Unpacked' event on February 25, 2026. The theme of the event, unsurprisingly, centers on AI. Interestingly, this is the first time in around […]

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Some consider Elon Musk a visionary, others a skilled grifter. Regardless of his supposed merits or de-merits, one has to concede that Musk is one of the most influential voices in the world right now, and when he enunciates his vision about the future of smartphones, everyone should pay attention. Elon Musk's vision resembles Plato's cave: "You’ll have AI on the server side communicating with AI on your device - formerly known as a phone - and generating real-time video of anything you could possibly want" Elon Musk was a participant in a recent Joe Rogan podcast, where he discussed […]

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