Apple's iPhone 18 Pro, arriving three years after the iPhone 15 Pro, introduces a new A20 Pro chip, variable-aperture camera, smaller Dynamic Island, and significantly improved battery life, with prices starting at $1,199 for 256GB. The upgrade accumulates changes from three generations including larger displays, Camera Control, enhanced cameras, aluminum design, and vapor chamber cooling. For iPhone 15 Pro owners, the camera improvements, battery longevity, and faster charging make it a worthwhile upgrade, particularly for photography and video work.
The iPhone 18 Pro Max is Apple's latest flagship smartphone, larger than the iPhone 15 Pro Max with a 6.9-inch display, aluminum frame, improved brightness up to 3,000 nits, and a new Camera Plateau design. Three years after the iPhone 15 Pro Max's 2023 release, the newer model offers incremental upgrades in display capabilities and camera features, making it a consideration for users seeking a long-term upgrade.
Apple's iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max offer internal refinements rather than dramatic external changes, featuring the new A20 Pro chip, improved cooling, and a smaller Dynamic Island, though the company's first foldable iPhone Duo may be more intriguing to consumers seeking novelty.
The Nothing Phone (4b) is an affordable entry-level smartphone with a distinctive design and impressive battery life, but it falls short in display brightness (1,160 cd/m² vs. advertised 2,000 nits), camera performance in low light, and storage capacity (128GB only, no microSD). Its main weakness is pricing; a price drop would make it more competitive against its own lineup.
Apple introduced the iPhone Duo, its first foldable phone with a starting price of $2,000, featuring two displays, an under-display camera, and exclusive camera capabilities. The device uses grade 5 titanium construction with an IP68 rating and will launch in October with iOS 27.1.
A 7.5-inch monochrome e-ink display with 800x480 resolution, SPI interface, and Arduino compatibility. Designed for low-power applications like e-readers and wearables, priced at $34.50 for orders of 10 or more units.
Apple CEO John Ternus showcased the iPhone Duo at the Emmys red carpet, sparking online criticism about the device's dim display. However, the poor screen visibility was likely due to extreme red carpet lighting conditions, low brightness settings, and the phone's matte nano-texture design rather than a fundamental flaw.
Anker has released an affordable 10-in-1 USB-C hub with support for high-refresh-rate displays up to 240Hz on 1440p monitors and dual 4K displays at 60Hz. The hub includes 10 ports, a smart display showing real-time information, and up to 80W passthrough charging, now available in the US through Amazon and Anker's store.
Google's Pixel 11 Pro Fold is the company's fourth-generation foldable phone, featuring a traditional closed shape with an almost-square open display, IP68 water resistance, and an excellent triple camera system. Priced from £1,799, it runs Android 17 with AI tools and offers extended support until 2033, though battery life is slightly shorter than rivals and the display crease is more visible than competitors.
Samsung is preparing to launch the Galaxy S27 series in early 2027 with four models including the S27, S27 Plus, S27 Pro, and S27 Ultra, featuring major upgrades to display, processor, and battery. The S27 Ultra will introduce a new pill-shaped camera design, while Samsung will skip its Edge series lineup. The flagships will compete against Apple's iPhone 18 Pro and other premium smartphones.
Apple's iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max feature a new variable aperture camera, A20 Pro chip, and improved battery life, with prices starting at $1,199 and $1,299 respectively. Both models share most features including the same display technology and camera system, with key differences in size, weight, battery capacity, and modem options between regions. The Pro Max offers superior battery life and a larger 6.9-inch display but represents a significant size and weight increase over previous generations.
Apple's iPhone Duo includes a hidden "Shift Left Edge" display setting that adds a black border to the left side of the screen to accommodate cases that cover that area while preserving iOS back swipe functionality. The setting was discovered by blogger Nicolas Lellouche in the Display & Brightness menu, and the device launches October 23.
Blogger Nicolas Lellouche discovered a new 'Shift Left Edge' setting in iPhone Duo's display options that adds a black border to the outer screen to improve compatibility with cases that cover the left edge. The feature doubles the border width and is designed to push content away from the folding edge when certain cases partially obscure the display. Apple offers two first-party cases at launch, though it remains unclear which specific case designs necessitate this setting.
Samsung's Galaxy S27 Pro and S27 Ultra are reportedly upgrading to M16 OLED panels with improved brightness, color accuracy, and power efficiency, marking the first major display material upgrade in three years. The standard S27 and S27+ will use M14 panels, while M16 panels will also appear in upcoming Z Flip 9 and Z Fold 9 foldables in late 2027.
Apple's iPhone 18 Pro ($1,199) introduces significant upgrades over the iPhone 14 Pro from four years prior, including a faster A20 Pro chip, improved cameras with variable aperture, brighter 6.3-inch display, USB-C connectivity, and extended battery life. While recent iPhone owners may not need to upgrade, iPhone 14 Pro users gain substantial improvements across performance, imaging, and hardware features.
Samsung's Galaxy S27 Pro and S27 Ultra will feature M16 OLED panels, marking the first major OLED upgrade in three years, offering higher brightness, power efficiency, and color accuracy. The S27 and S27+ will use M14 panels. Samsung's foldable Z series is also expected to adopt M16 panels in 2027.
Apple is reportedly planning an iPhone 20 for fall 2027 to mark the iPhone's 20th anniversary, potentially skipping the iPhone 19 entirely. The device is expected to feature a major redesign with curved glass elements and an edge-to-edge display, though some leakers dispute whether it will have a true waterfall design versus a visual curved effect.
Lenovo's Googlebook 15 laptop will feature premium specs including a 15.3-inch 120Hz OLED display with 2,880 x 1,800 resolution, an Intel Core Ultra 5 chip, and up to 32GB RAM, positioning it as more high-end than previous Chromebooks. The device includes exclusive AI-powered Gemini features like Magic Cursor and a distinctive LED glowbar, with Google scheduled to officially launch the Googlebook platform later in 2024.
Apple's iPhone 18 Pro represents a three-year upgrade from the iPhone 15 Pro, featuring a larger 6.3-inch display with improved outdoor brightness, an aluminum frame replacing titanium, and a triple 48MP camera system compared to the older model's mixed megapixel setup. Key additions include a smaller Dynamic Island, Camera Control button, and a Camera Plateau design, though the new model is heavier and slightly thicker.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 is an impressive foldable smartphone with a wider format, slim design, and strong performance, but it falls short of perfection due to a missing telephoto lens, thermal throttling issues, lack of S Pen support, and a steep $1,899 starting price that limits its appeal beyond dedicated foldable enthusiasts.