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China vai pôr à prova a estratégia da Apple nos dobráveis. iPhone Duo conseguirá fazer frente às rivais?

17 September 2026 at 09:04

Na China, marcas como Huawei, Xiaomi, Honor e Vivo já disputam um mercado onde os dobráveis estão longe de ser uma novidade. Para o iPhone Duo, o desafio será diferenciar-se das rivais e transformar a dimensão do ecossistema da Apple numa vantagem, sobretudo através das aplicações, apontam os analistas da Omdia.

The post China vai pôr à prova a estratégia da Apple nos dobráveis. iPhone Duo conseguirá fazer frente às rivais? appeared first on Tek Notícias.

The end of 'rip and replace'? New survey finds businesses are sticking it out with legacy tech

17 September 2026 at 07:00
  • Report finds 57% of UK organizations opted to extend legacy system use rather than replace the tech
  • This is despite almost half of UK businesses are scaling AI
  • Meanwhile, over three quarters of UK businesses have gone over budget on modernization, with over two thirds have paused or abandoned the process

Does technological progress necessarily mean replacing old gear? New research from Ensono claims businesses are keeping hold of legacy tech, with older systems extended and upgraded to support modern applications.

This is happening while businesses scale their AI use, focusing budgets on affordable upgrades for existing PCs, laptops, and servers on one hand, and embracing AI on the other. It’s a balancing act, one that is being managed by around 52% of businesses – 57% in the UK, and 48% in the US.

However, the driving factor for this reliance on older tech may not be smart budgeting and foresight. Across the US and UK, 61% of businesses have been forced to pause, scale back, delay, or even completely abandon IT modernization in the past two years.

IT modernization?

Ensono’s second annual State of IT Modernization Report seems to point to a change in how IT modernization is achieved: rather than replacing old tech, businesses are upgrading. The takeaway is that IT budgets are dictating a focus on AI spending, so where possible PCs, laptops, and some lower-end servers are increasingly being upgraded with faster, higher capacity storage and RAM.

Other key statistics in the report include the news that 71% of IT modernization projects have exceeded budgets, with workflow challenges (33%) and limitations with existing infrastructure (28%) among the roadblocks to an ROI on AI spending.

Underpinning all of this is the growth in decision makers declaring that AI is accelerating modernization, up from 39% last year to 54%.

Rediscovering legacy systems

Budget demands seem to be driving the reliance on older tech within organizations striving to keep up with AI modernization.

“AI is expanding the possibilities for modernization, enterprises are discovering that legacy systems, like the mainframe, are intensely powerful, reliable and efficient sources of computing that can now be augmented and made more agile thanks to AI," noted Brian Klingbeil, Chief Strategy Officer at Ensono.

This means that IT leaders are being forced to decide what needs to be preserved, and where to use AI investment wisely.

“These systems contain decades of data and business logic that drive many businesses,” says Klingbeil. “The advantage will go to organizations that understand their environments well enough to distinguish what should be replaced vs. what should be augmented, and embrace new modernization methods that simply were not available even 18 months ago."

‘We’re not stopping’: Salesforce UK&I CEO calls for greater training and skills as it continues on its “mission” to boost workers across the country

17 September 2026 at 06:05
  • Salesforce UK&I CEO pushes her skilling "mission" across the country
  • Salesforce doubles down on UK&I recruitment and upskilling goals
  • Jobs could be repatriated back to the UK from abroad

Salesforce’s UK&I CEO has doubled down on her company’s commitment to investing in skills training and upskilling of young people.

With the UK recently seeing a change in Prime Minister, Zahra Bahroloumi was asked in a media roundtable attended by TechRadar Pro what her outlook for the future looked like.

“Irrespective of government, we are committed to, and very active to the skilling of people,” Bahroloumi said, “we're not stopping, we remain true to our mission, and we remain active and true to our customers, irrespective of government”.

Closing the AI literacy gap

Bahrololoumi has long been a key voice in promoting skills training in the UK, using her company’s influence and scale across the country to push a number of key initiatives.

In June 2026, she outlined the Salesforce’s “incredibly bold” vision for the UK, which includes $6 billion investment committed to the country through 2030, and its role in backing the UK government’s aim to train 10 million UK workers by 2030.

Alongside Bahrololoumi, Paul O’Sullivan, SVP Solution Engineering and Salesforce UKI CTO also looked to outline how Salesforce’s future Trailblazer program is “closing the AI literacy gap”.

O’Sullivan noted how Salesforce is going through “a surge of hiring”, including doubling the size of its forward-deployed engineer team in the UK.

“We are not just looking to attract the best possible talent to come and join Salesforce, we’re also heavily investing in our apprenticeship scheme, doubling down on our graduate opportunities, and aiming to double the size of the team in the next six months,” he noted.

“This is our opportunity to reinvest in the next generation.”

Looking forward, Bahrololoumi was keen to promote the role of the UK in the AI-enabled and augmented future, noting that while the country was, “an empowered market”, there was still potential for more growth.

“We need more talent,” she added, “I feel so confident, and we’ve got the evidence and the proof points that this technology and our platform can work and automate jobs, and augment jobs, and expand human capacity in an organisation effectively.

“But I would like to see more jobs being repatriated from offshore and low-cost locations and jobs being created back in the UK - so I would like to see a stronger drive around automation and repatriation.”

Bahrololoumi gave the example of when there 300 jobs in a low-cost location, outside of the UK - “why can I not create a hundred jobs in the UK and still do 300 plus worth of capacity?”

“That’s something we’re really focused on, because we’ve got the capability to do that now… but I think we've got the opportunity now to create jobs in the UK,” she concluded, “we're on a mission.”

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🔭 O telescópio espacial Roman vê sua vida útil passar de 5 anos para... mais de 22 anos!

By: Adrien
17 September 2026 at 05:00
O telescópio espacial Roman poderá finalmente permanecer em operação por muito mais tempo do que o previsto. A NASA havia dimensionado a missão para cinco anos de observações principais, aos quais poderiam somar-se mais cinco anos. As novas estimativas mudam…

Dyson's OnTrac headphones are discounted to AU$299 — as an audio expert, these are the 3 over-ears I would recommend instead

17 September 2026 at 04:11

It’s been just over two years since Dyson introduced its second pair of headphones, the OnTrac, to the world. While they were a significant improvement — both in terms of sound and general design — over the Zone, I ultimately found in my Dyson OnTrac review that they still couldn’t quite challenge the class leaders — namely Sony and Bose.

A strong factor in that realisation was their exorbitant AU$799 price tag. Not only was that too much for the Dyson headphones (regardless of brand name), it also allowed other manufacturers to charge AU$700 or more for their premium cans — here’s looking at you, Sony, Bose and Sennheiser.

Now, two years later, the Dyson OnTrac has plummeted to a much more acceptable AU$299 during Dyson’s Spring Sale event. At this price, I think they’re worth a look. The noise cancellation is very good, and a 55-hour battery life gives them greater stamina than the closest competitors. I also can’t really fault the ability to customise them, since it’s a feature that’s still pretty unique. That being said, they’re incredibly heavy, so I found I could only wear them for short stints.

At this price, the Dyson OnTrac becomes a lot easier to recommend, although I’d still tread with caution. Their looks may make them stand out from the crowd, but where audio quality is concerned, they can be beaten. Although I don’t see them getting any cheaper, even during Black Friday 2026 sales in Australia later this year.View Deal

However, for your AU$300, or thereabouts, you’re not short of great alternatives. So, if you’ve got a burning desire to invest in a new set of mid-priced headphones, take a look at my top recommendations below.

Do note that Amazon recently announced dates for its Prime Big Deal Days sales event. If experience is anything to go by, there’s a good chance my three recommended pairs of headphones below could receive bigger discounts when Prime Big Deal Days kicks off, but they’re worth every cent even right now.

For just under AU$200 (for the white model), the Nothing Headphone (a) are a terrific buy. A vast improvement over the Headphone (1), this newer set delivers a detailed, expansive soundstage coupled with good noise cancellation. Plus, their 135-hour battery life eclipses the OnTrac by some margin. View Deal

QuietComfort SC: was $499.95 now $349.99
Nearly as good as the premium QuietComfort Ultra, the SC misses out on the Immersive Audio mode — though they do come with a soft case. They have dropped to well below AU$300 before, which could happen during the next Prime Day sales event. View Deal

If your budget can stretch, the Sony WH-1000XM5 will reward you with superior sound quality, incredible comfort and excellent ANC. They’re comfortable to wear for long periods and benefit from a smartphone app that opens up a huge world of customisation.View Deal

Neagley season finale is 'explosive' in more ways than one — but I still can't wrap my head around how the final epic stunt was filmed

Spoilers for Neagley ahead.

It likely won't take you long to reach the ending of Neagley on Prime Video — all eight episodes have been released on the streamer — and when you do, it's nothing short of dramatic.

In a nutshell, the Reacher spinoff is following two story strands simultaneously: the death of a young man that's linked to the Echo Canyon Farm cult, and the reasoning behind why Neagley (Maria Sten) has a lifelong fear of being touched and touching others.

We learn that the cult has a secret facility that is being used to test an illegal drug, called Tranqlara, on human subjects, which is all being funded by a Swedish billionaire known as Rawlings. Neagley and her team try to simultaneously avenge her friend's death in episode 1 and save the innocent followers from the effects of Tranqlara, though they're not overly successful.

What it does lead to, however, is the group blowing up the Echo Canyon Farm facility after the death of leader Lawrence (Damon Herriman), walking in the other direction as if they're in the iconic Reservoir Dogs scene.

It's my favorite moment in the entire series (it looks and feels so effortlessly cool), but according to Sten, none of it was filmed in the way that I thought it would be.

'It wasn't as impressive as what you see'

"I thought it was cool, but I could spoil things and say that there was no such explosion behind us as we walk away," Sten tells me. "There was actually a wind turbine. But we played the music that was going to be played and definitely got in the vibe.

Greyston Holt, who plays detective newcomer Hudson Riley, adds, "We knew what it would be. But in the moment, it certainly didn't look as impressive as what you see on screen."

For the first time in what feels like forever, I've been fooled by CGI. If you were to ask me whether the season finale explosion scene was real or digitally generated, I'd have firmly been in the former camp.

However, that doesn't mean everything we see in Neagley was CGI generated. "In the first episode there's a big truck that blows up, and that was a practical explosion. It's a matter of whether we can blow up the set of not," Sten laughs. "It's not always possible, but we always vouch for it."

If Neagley season 2 does get confirmed (come on, Amazon), I'm hoping for even bigger and better actions sequences. Sure, discovering more about Neagley's backstory has been incredibly satisfying, but clearly, nothing truly beats blowing stuff up.

US Treasury wants banks to be better at filing cyber scam reports after noting nearly $13 billion in losses since 2023

  • The US Treasury's FinCEN arm asks financial institutions to file scam center suspicious activity reports under a new keyword
  • FinCEN says that it flagged financial moves across 33,904 different filings, but actual losses might differ significantly, as the approach is prone to double-counting transactions
  • Only 1,300 institutions filed reports, with 10,082 (29.7%) of them centering around exploitation of the elderly by scammers

The US Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network has issuespublished an alert and a companion data analysis telling banks, credit unions, digital asset exchanges, and securities firms that it needs sharper reporting on the overseas scam centers that it says target Americans at an industrial scale.

FinCEN puts total damages, per its reporting mechanism, at roughly $12.7 billion linked to suspected digital asset investment scams between September 2023 and the end of 2025.

The number comes from adding up the dollar values of 33,904 Bank Secrecy Act filings that referenced the keyword from its 2023 "pig butchering" alert, which may be overstated, as it includes both attempted and successful transactions as well as both inbound and outbound reports, often of the same transactions, causing significant overlap.

FinCEN's new requirement is a keyword

While the $12.7 billion is a measure of what institutions have flagged and is prone to double-counting and errors, victim losses, a significant chunk of which go unreported, may be considerably higher.

This has prompted Gene Lange, who effectively works as the Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, to call these scams "one of the most significant fraud threats facing Americans today."

It has also prompted a new suspicious activity report keyword: "FIN-2026-SCAMCENTERS," which institutions are expected to use to indicate that a scam center is potentially involved.

FinCEN also wants chat logs, scammer phone numbers, social media handles, wallet addresses, transaction hashes, and the URLs victims were told to deposit into, filed in the structured cyber indicator fields rather than left out.

Institutions to volunteer more information to stop scams

The move is part of its push to have institutions volunteer more information under the US Patriot Act, as it aims to confront what is a growing intelligence problem: scammers tend to route victims through several institutions in sequence; most filers see only one slice of a scam's lifecycle and often have difficulty tracing it all the way.

For example, a crypto exchange might see a customer buying USDT and sending it off-platform, a bank might see a wire to that exchange, and a brokerage might see a retirement account liquidated. None of them would have the bigger picture of what essentially happened or what triggered the transaction.

Combined, with properly linked information, it makes it much easier to identify a potential scam; separately, these incidents can inflate the number of reports, which often aren't linked, and investigations can lack insight into the origin or final destination of the funds.

FinCEN's Rapid Response Program has interdicted $1.8 billion and recovered just over $1 billion for 5,790 US victims since 2015, which, against the flagged totals, is a very limited recovery at best compared with the actual funds at stake. This highlights a larger fundamental problem: institutions mostly detect these schemes after the money is gone, and reporting them correctly and thoroughly may yield limited dividends at best against an industry that has morphed, relatively unchecked, into a multi-billion-dollar juggernaut.

Tenzing trailer reframes the historic first ascent of Mount Everest

17 September 2026 at 00:26

Tenzing shifts one of mountaineering’s most famous stories toward the Himalayan climber whose name has long shared a place in history with Edmund Hillary. Apple Original Films has released the trailer for the upcoming adventure drama, with Genden Phuntsok playing Tenzing Norgay and Tom Hiddleston portraying Hillary during the 1953 expedition that reached the summit of Mount Everest.

Directed by Jennifer Peedom, the film reaches select theaters on October 9 before streaming globally on Apple TV on October 16. The cast also includes Willem Dafoe, Caitríona Balfe, Thinley Lhamo, and Tenzin Dalha.

Rather than presenting the expedition simply as a survival story about reaching the world’s highest point, the film approaches the ascent through Tenzing’s position within the British-led team, his relationship with the mountain, and the social divisions surrounding the expedition.

That perspective gives the familiar Everest story a different dramatic center.

Tenzing puts the Himalayan climber at the front of the story

Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary reached the summit of Everest on May 29, 1953, during an expedition led by Colonel John Hunt. Their ascent became one of the defining achievements in mountaineering history, but the new film is explicitly structured around Tenzing rather than treating the two climbers as interchangeable figures.

Phuntsok plays Tenzing as an experienced Himalayan climber who has already spent years pursuing the possibility of reaching the summit. The story follows his attempt to secure a meaningful place on the climbing team instead of being viewed primarily as someone there to support Western expedition members.

Hiddleston’s Hillary enters that story as another outsider within the expedition hierarchy. Apple describes the relationship between the two men as one built gradually through mutual respect and trust as the dangers and pressures of the ascent increase.

Dafoe plays Hunt, the expedition leader, while Balfe portrays expedition secretary Jill Henderson, who becomes an ally to Tenzing. Thinley Lhamo plays Dawa, Tenzing’s wife, whose support forms another part of the film’s emotional foundation.

The Apple TV listing also identifies Johnny Flynn as George Mallory and Tenzin Dalha as a younger Tenzing.

The 125-minute film therefore has room to explore more than the final climb itself. Its central conflict begins before Tenzing and Hillary ever approach the summit.

Three men in rugged clothing pose in front of a weathered wall with wooden doors, reminiscent of a scene from an Apple Original Film. Two stand smiling, one has an arm resting on the shoulder of the third man—who sits on a wooden box, also smiling—as if waiting for Tom Hiddleston to join their Apple TV adventure.
Image Credit: Apple Inc.

The Everest story looks beyond conquest

One of the distinctions emphasized in Apple’s description of Tenzing is the different meaning the mountain holds for its characters.

The film contrasts the Western climbers’ view of Everest as something to be conquered with Tenzing’s reverence for Chomolungma as the sacred mother goddess.

That contrast gives director Jennifer Peedom a way to examine the expedition through competing cultural perspectives rather than framing the mountain solely as an obstacle.

The trailer also points toward tensions involving class, hierarchy, nationality, and the legacy of empire. Tenzing must establish that he belongs among the expedition’s climbers instead of accepting a supporting position defined by others.

Historical accounts from the Royal Geographical Society record that Hillary and Tenzing left their final camp on the morning of May 29, 1953, using supplemental oxygen. They reached the summit at approximately 11:30 a.m. after negotiating the steep section of rock and ice that became known as the Hillary Step.

The achievement has been recounted in books, documentaries, photographs, and films for decades. Tenzing approaches the material by asking how the same expedition looks when the Himalayan climber occupies the center of the frame.

Peedom shares story credit with Luke Davies, who wrote the screenplay.

The project is a natural fit for Peedom, whose filmmaking career has repeatedly engaged with mountains, extreme environments, and the people drawn to them. Here, however, the physical scale of Everest serves a character story built as much around identity and recognition as technical climbing.

Genden Phuntsok leads an established ensemble

Casting Tenzing Norgay was particularly consequential because the film surrounds its lead with several internationally recognizable performers.

Hiddleston arrives as Hillary with a career spanning major franchise work and dramatic television. Dafoe brings a more imposing presence to Hunt, while Balfe plays Henderson as one of the figures willing to challenge the assumptions surrounding Tenzing’s role.

Phuntsok nevertheless remains the narrative anchor.

Apple’s synopsis describes the climber’s journey as both a lifelong ambition and a spiritual calling. That gives the performance two demands: convincing audiences of Tenzing’s physical capability at extreme altitude while conveying why reaching Chomolungma carries meaning beyond becoming part of the first confirmed ascent of Everest.

Lhamo’s Dawa is also positioned as more than background to the expedition. Apple specifically identifies her encouragement as part of what drives Tenzing toward the opportunity, adding a personal relationship to a story otherwise dominated by expedition politics and physical risk.

Behind the camera, Davies joins Peedom as a producer. Desray Armstrong also produces, alongside Liz Watts, Iain Canning, and Emile Sherman of See-Saw Films.

See-Saw has an established relationship with Davies, whose previous screenwriting credits for the company include Lion. Norbu Tenzing, Simon Gillis, and David Michôd serve as executive producers.

A person wearing a fur hat and a coat with a fur collar looks into the distance, with mountains and a cloudy sky in the background, evoking the cinematic style of an Apple Original Film.
Image Credit: Apple Inc.

Tenzing gets a theatrical window before Apple TV

Apple is giving Tenzing a short theatrical run before bringing the film to its streaming service.

Select theaters will begin showing the movie on October 9, with the global Apple TV premiere following one week later on October 16. The Apple TV listing categorizes the film as a drama and adventure title and gives it a PG rating in the U.S. for thematic elements, language, smoking, and some peril.

The release continues Apple Original Films’ practice of using theatrical distribution selectively before making features available to subscribers.

For Tenzing, the cinema component has an obvious creative advantage. A film built around Everest, dangerous climbing conditions, and the physical scale of the Himalayas has material suited to a large screen, even as its narrative emphasis remains on the people inside that landscape.

The trailer arrives with less than a month remaining before the theatrical debut, giving Apple a relatively concentrated promotional window.

It also introduces Phuntsok to a much wider international audience alongside performers including Hiddleston, Dafoe, and Balfe without letting the better-known names displace the person identified in the title.

Tenzing will begin its theatrical run on October 9, followed by its Apple TV release on October 16. Its 1953 destination is already known; the new question is how the film reconstructs the journey by placing Tenzing Norgay’s perspective, relationships, and understanding of Chomolungma at the center of the ascent.

A man in a beige sweater and gray pants sits on the ground outdoors, surrounded by trees. He looks thoughtful, with his hands resting on his knees—his contemplative pose reminiscent of Tom Hiddleston’s quiet moments in Apple TV dramas. A cap lies on the ground beside him.
Image Credit: Apple Inc.

The post Tenzing trailer reframes the historic first ascent of Mount Everest appeared first on AppleMagazine.

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Tenzing centers Tenzing Norgay in Everest’s first confirmed ascent, starring Genden Phuntsok, Tom Hiddleston, Willem Dafoe, and Caitríona Balfe.

How the mighty have fallen — the notorious Stuxnet malware source code has been replicated and posted on GitHub for all to see

  • A pseudonymous GitHub account has published what it calls a reconstruction of Stuxnet malware that purportedly took out a fifth of Iran's centrifuges before being discovered
  • The original source has never surfaced, and the 'Stuxnet' moniker that the account uses comes from Symantec's coining of the name weeks after it was discovered
  • The code remains unverified and untested, with some users indicating that it is likely an AI-generated replication of the original binaries' behavior, which has been widely documented

A GitHub account has published what it describes as a faithful reconstruction of Stuxnet, the worm that sabotaged Iranian uranium-enrichment centrifuges.

It also became the first piece of software widely accepted as having caused physical destruction in the real world, highlighting how malicious software can often do much more harm to people and hardware than just stealing or manipulating data.

The repository surfaced via a Show HN submission, which mainstream media outlets then picked up, highlighting the as-yet-unknown researcher's reverse-engineered code.

Not the first or last Stuxnet repository

The original Stuxnet source, written by whoever built it, has never been leaked and did not leak last week. The repository's README explicitly states that it is a reconstruction assembled from decompiled binaries, and those binaries have been in public circulation since Belarusian firm VirusBlokAda pulled samples from an Iranian customer's machines in June 2010.

Everything that followed, including Symantec's W32.Stuxnet Dossier and Ralph Langner's To Kill a Centrifuge, was built on those samples and how they reacted in test environments.

This is also not the first time readable C-language code aiming to replicate Stuxnet has been published online. Malware researcher Amr Thabet published a decompilation of the MRxNet rootkit carrying a 2010 to 2011 copyright notice. Christian Roggia followed with a dropper decompilation called open-myrtus, copyrighted 2012 to 2014, which has since been forked into a long chain of repositories.

The irony is that if such code were a faithful replication of the infamous malware, it would not have mentioned "Stuxnet" in multiple places, including registry keys. This is because the moniker is not one the developers likely used, but one Symantec switched to from its original 'W32.Temphid' identifier.

The thread where it was first brought to attention by a user called Sadpainy also has mixed views from developers, many of whom have branded it 'AI slop' or a 'fake' that relies on a mixture of already existing repositories, even as the about page on its GitHub repo states that it was reproduced by the researcher for educational purposes and is designed to only work on Windows XP and Windows 7.

For those looking to test it, a virtual machine might be their best bet, especially given Stuxnet's ability to physically damage hardware, but it is also a stark reminder of what a rogue AI agent could do if left unchecked without specific instructions or safeguards.

AirPods 5 bring stronger open-ear noise cancellation and smarter listening features

16 September 2026 at 23:51

AirPods 5 bring Active Noise Cancellation to Apple’s most affordable current AirPods while pushing the open-ear design closer to capabilities previously associated with more expensive models. The new generation starts at $129 and uses redesigned acoustics and computational audio to remove up to 50% more external noise than AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation.

Apple is also splitting the range into two versions. The standard $129 AirPods 5 include ANC and USB-C charging, while a $149 model adds a Wireless Charging Case, longer battery life, a case speaker for Find My, and volume adjustment directly from the stems.

Both models are available for preorder ahead of their September 18 release in the U.S. and more than 65 other countries and regions.

The changes make the distinction between Apple’s entry-level AirPods and its more advanced headphones less dependent on headline software features. Adaptive Audio, Transparency, Conversation Awareness, Personalized Spatial Audio, Live Translation, and Siri AI are all part of the AirPods 5 experience.

A person wearing a green and white sweater and wireless AirPods 5 sits at a table, focused on something in front of them, with an older man sitting nearby in a sunlit room with green window frames and indoor plants. The noise cancellation of their Apple earbuds allows them to concentrate fully despite the gentle hum of activity around them.
Image Credit: Apple Inc.

AirPods 5 push open-ear ANC further

Active Noise Cancellation is particularly difficult to implement in an open-ear earbud because there is no silicone tip forming a physical seal inside the ear canal.

Apple has approached that limitation with a new multiport acoustic architecture, revised computational audio algorithms, and the H2 headphone chip. The company says AirPods 5 can cancel up to 50% more noise than AirPods 4 with ANC.

That improvement does not turn the design into an AirPods Pro-style sealed earbud. AirPods 5 remain open-ear headphones, retaining the fit preferred by people who dislike the pressure or isolation associated with in-ear tips.

The acoustic system has also been redesigned around a wider variety of ear shapes. Next-generation Adaptive EQ continuously adjusts sound based on how each earbud sits, while Apple says the revised architecture produces richer and more detailed playback.

Transparency mode has been updated to reproduce voices and environmental sounds more naturally. Adaptive Audio can move between Transparency and noise cancellation according to surrounding conditions, while Conversation Awareness automatically reduces media volume when the wearer begins speaking to someone nearby.

Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking remains supported for compatible music, movies, and other content.

AirPods 5 are rated IP57 for dust, sweat, and water resistance, making them better suited to workouts and changing weather conditions, although they are not waterproof.

Two AirPods 5 models create a meaningful $20 decision

Apple’s pricing makes the $149 Wireless Charging Case version more than a different charging option.

Standard AirPods 5 provide up to four hours of listening on one charge with ANC enabled and up to 20 hours when the USB-C case is included.

AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case increase those figures to five hours from the earbuds and up to 22 hours with the case while ANC is active.

The upgraded case can charge through USB-C, an Apple Watch charger, or a Qi-certified wireless charger. It also contains a speaker that can assist with locating the case through Find My.

The more expensive model introduces another difference directly on the earbuds. Users can swipe up or down on a stem to adjust volume, bringing a control familiar from AirPods Pro to Apple’s open-ear form factor.

That leaves buyers with a relatively straightforward tradeoff. The $129 version provides the central audio experience, including ANC, without requiring a step up for the main listening features. Spending another $20 adds more convenient charging, slightly longer battery life, Find My assistance from the case speaker, and physical volume adjustment.

Placing either AirPods 5 model in its charging case for five minutes provides about one additional hour of listening.

Two white Apple earbuds, resembling the latest AirPods 5, are shown on a plain light background, displaying their sleek, curved design and black speaker grilles. The earbud on the right has an “R” marking, indicating it is for the right ear. These earbuds feature open-ear noise cancellation for an immersive listening experience.
Image Credit: Apple Inc.

Siri AI and Live Translation extend the earbuds beyond music

AirPods 5 arrive as Apple makes voice interaction a larger part of the AirPods experience.

When paired with a compatible iPhone, Siri AI can be accessed hands-free. The assistant can work with personal context from information such as messages, emails, and photos, respond to open-ended questions, and perform supported actions in apps.

Head gestures remain part of the experience. Users can nod to accept certain Siri prompts or shake their head to decline them, allowing calls and notifications to be handled without speaking or touching the earbuds.

Live Translation provides another use for the microphones and ANC system.

After compatible languages are downloaded and the feature is configured through Apple’s Translate app, a user can hear another person’s speech translated through AirPods. Translation can be started through Siri, the iPhone Action button, the Translate app, or by pressing and holding both AirPods stems simultaneously.

When two people are each using compatible AirPods and supported iPhones, both participants can hear translated versions of the conversation in their chosen languages.

Live Translation requires an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone 15 Pro or later, compatible AirPods, current software, and the latest AirPods firmware, with availability varying by language and region. Apple also notes that generated translations can contain errors, making verification appropriate when accuracy is especially significant.

AirPods 5 narrow the gap within the lineup

The fifth-generation model represents a different kind of upgrade from simply adding another listening mode.

ANC is now standard across both AirPods 5 configurations, instead of requiring buyers to choose a separate ANC version as they did with AirPods 4. Apple has then moved the pricing distinction toward charging, battery endurance, Find My hardware, and physical controls.

The earbuds continue to use Bluetooth 5.3 and the H2 chip, with dual beamforming microphones, an inward-facing microphone, optical in-ear detection, motion and speech accelerometers, and force sensors built into the stems.

Each earbud weighs 4.3 grams, preserving the lightweight character of the open-ear line despite the additional capabilities.

The new acoustic architecture may be the more consequential change over time. Open-ear earbuds cannot rely on a tight seal to block surrounding sound, so gains in ANC depend heavily on microphone placement, acoustic design, fit, and real-time processing. Apple’s claim of up to 50% more noise removal over the previous generation represents a substantial step for that format rather than simply matching the behavior of sealed earbuds.

AirPods 5 start at $129, while AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case cost $149. Both reach stores on September 18, giving the open-ear AirPods line a standard feature set that now includes noise cancellation without pushing buyers to a higher-priced model to get it.

A white wireless earbud charging case, designed for Apple earbuds, is shown with a round magnetic charging cable positioned nearby, ready to connect. The background is plain and light-colored, emphasizing the sleek look and advanced features such as noise cancellation.
Image Credit: Apple Inc.

The post AirPods 5 bring stronger open-ear noise cancellation and smarter listening features appeared first on AppleMagazine.

Chinese scientists achieve 10 billion writing cycles in major future memory endurance breakthrough that improves endurance by 100x

16 September 2026 at 23:10
  • Future memory could be more durable thanks to developments with wurtzite ferroelectrics materials
  • A new structural design has enabled a demonstration of 10 billion writing cycles, around 100 times the previous limit
  • The breakthrough was made by scientists from the Xidian University working with the City University of Hong Kong and Fudan University.

Next generation memory for future AI systems will need far faster and more durable performance, and scientific researchers in China seem to have made a breakthrough, demonstrating a new design which can complete some 10 billion writing cycles, 100 times more than the previous limit.

This development – by teams at the Xidian University working with the City University of Hong Kong and Fudan University – is one of the most significant breakthroughs in memory development, and relies on the discovery of a quirk in the behavior of Nitrogen atoms.

Dense, low-power memory chips now seem to be a realistic possibility for a future demanding ever-scaling AI processing.

Wurtzite ferroelectrics

Creating faster memory and storage with greater capacity while keeping the energy requirements low is the holy grail of computing.

Over the past few years, research has increasingly focused on wurtzite ferroelectrics (polar crystal materials) such as aluminium scandium nitride (AlScN), which has the advantage of being compatible with semiconductor manufacturing processes currently in use.

It also offers that low energy target, along with the superior switching speed required by fast storage. Until now, the main challenge had been reliability. Testing of repeated switching in previously developed AlScN chips had resulted in failure after around 100 million writing cycles, but the researchers have found a solution.

Nitrogen cornfields

So, why has this breakthrough been made now? The previous failed attempts led researchers into deeper investigation as to why the AlScN chips would top out at 100 million cycles, which is where they found the problem: missing nitrogen atoms.

Wang Ruiqing, is a doctoral researcher at Xidian University and one of the authors of the research paper on the study, recently published in journal Science.

“Think of ferroelectric material as a neatly planted cornfield,” Wang said, “with nitrogen vacancies representing spots where seedlings are missing.” The defects were not the problem itself, however, but rather their behavior during switching. Rather than remain stationary, the nitrogen vacancies would move, and even group together. The consequence of this was the creation of “pathways” that allowed electricity to leak.

Upon discovering this, the team designed a structure to minimise the nitrogen vacancies, slowing the deterioration of the material.

“In the past, researchers knew that the devices failed and could observe some of the symptoms, but no one had been able to explain at the atomic scale what was moving, how they were moving and how that movement ultimately caused failure.” Wang added.

If successful, AlScN-based RAM and storage could form the backbone of future server farms and provide the framework for greater LLM and artificial intelligence adoption.

iPhone Duo status icon combines Wi-Fi, cellular, and battery information

16 September 2026 at 23:05

The iPhone Duo status icon introduces a new approach to information that has occupied the top edge of the iPhone display for nearly two decades. Instead of treating Wi-Fi, cellular signal, battery status, and other indicators as a conventional horizontal row, Apple has created a flexible circular system that sits in the corner of the foldable iPhone’s display.

Apple officially describes the feature as a “circular, flexible system” within the status bar rather than one fixed icon containing every piece of information at all times. The distinction is useful: the area can adapt according to context while consolidating status information into a smaller visual region.

It is part of a much larger rethink of iOS 27 specifically for iPhone Duo. The foldable device changes the proportions available to software, particularly when its 7.6-inch inner display is open, forcing Apple to reconsider interface elements that have traditionally stretched horizontally across an iPhone screen.

The status system is one of the smallest changes visually, but it illustrates how extensively Apple has adapted iOS around the new hardware.

Black icons on a light gray background: an iPhone Duo status icon for cellular signal strength, a Wi-Fi symbol, and a battery icon with low charge—each reflecting the clean design language of the iOS 27 status icon set.
Image Credit: Apple Inc.

iPhone Duo status icon replaces the traditional horizontal approach

Conventional iPhones distribute system information across the upper portion of the display. Cellular strength, network type, Wi-Fi connectivity, and battery status typically occupy space around the camera hardware and Dynamic Island.

iPhone Duo approaches that area differently.

Apple says its circular status system nestles into the corner of the screen and presents relevant information including Wi-Fi, cellular strength, battery status, and more. Rather than requiring a long horizontal strip, those indicators can occupy a compact area that works with the device’s unusual screen geometry.

The change is closely connected to the way iPhone Duo handles controls throughout iOS 27.

Apple has moved several interface elements to the side of the display. App navigation, toolbars, the Home Screen Dock, and some Lock Screen controls can use vertical space instead of occupying the familiar horizontal regions found on other iPhones.

The status system therefore becomes part of a vertical interface column rather than an isolated redesign.

This arrangement lets content use more of the display’s height while keeping frequently referenced system information visible. It also creates a consistent location for status details as users change how they hold or fold the device.

A flexible status system suits a foldable iPhone

A foldable phone presents an interface problem that a traditional slab-shaped iPhone does not have.

iPhone Duo can operate through its 5.4-inch outer display or its substantially larger 7.6-inch inner screen. The device can be opened completely, partially folded, rotated, or positioned like a small book.

A static status bar designed around one screen size and orientation would be less effective across those configurations.

Apple instead built iOS 27 so that interface elements can move as the physical device changes. Content reacts to folding, controls relocate, and layouts adjust around the hinge and available screen area.

Apple’s developer guidance provides additional detail about this philosophy. On iPhone Duo, navigation and toolbar controls share vertical space with system elements such as the status bar and Live Activities. When available room becomes limited, application controls can collapse into an overflow menu.

That makes the circular status area part of an adaptive system rather than a cosmetic flourish.

Developers do not need to manually reproduce the status treatment inside their apps. Apple’s standard interface frameworks handle much of the adaptation, especially when applications use native navigation, toolbar, and tab-bar components.

A smartphone lock screen displays the time 9:41 and the date Wed Apr 1, with a background of mountains under a starry night sky and an iPhone Duo status icon next to the Wi-Fi symbol in the corner, reminiscent of iOS 27.
Image Credit: Apple Inc.

Dynamic Island also moves to the side

The status area is not the only familiar piece of iPhone interface that changes position on iPhone Duo.

Apple has redesigned Dynamic Island so that it can sit vertically along the side of both the outer and inner displays. It can expand from that position to present alerts and Live Activities.

The relationship between Dynamic Island and the new circular status system is particularly interesting because Apple now has two dynamic interface areas operating along the same side of the screen.

One communicates persistent device information such as network and battery status. The other handles temporary activity, alerts, and live information.

Apple’s developer documentation refers to this section as shared vertical space. Application controls may also occupy it, meaning iOS has to continuously decide how much room is available and which elements deserve priority.

That is a major departure from the long-standing assumption that the upper corners of an iPhone screen simply contain a predictable row of small status symbols.

On Duo, those regions have become active parts of the interface layout.

Wi-Fi, cellular, and battery remain immediately recognizable

Consolidating status information creates a design challenge: efficiency cannot come at the expense of readability.

Users have spent years learning the meanings of Apple’s individual status symbols. Cellular bars indicate signal strength, the Wi-Fi symbol communicates wireless connectivity, and the battery icon provides an immediate indication of remaining power.

Apple has not discarded those familiar concepts.

Instead, the circular system changes how and where information is presented. The familiar status categories remain present while the container around them becomes more adaptable.

This is particularly useful on a device with two displays. Users should not need to relearn the meaning of basic connectivity information when moving from the outer screen to the inner display.

The same reasoning applies when iPhone Duo changes orientation. Apple can reorganize the status area without changing the fundamental visual vocabulary behind Wi-Fi, cellular, or battery information.

A hand holds a tablet displaying a video of two people talking in a field of purple flowers, with a transcript of their conversation visible on the right side of the screen and an iPhone Duo status icon appearing discreetly at the corner, reflecting the latest iOS 27 design.
Image Credit: Apple Inc.

iPhone Duo pushes the status bar beyond a fixed strip

The new design suggests a different direction for one of the oldest pieces of smartphone interface.

Status bars traditionally behave like reserved strips of screen space. Applications work around them, and their icons occupy predictable positions regardless of what is happening elsewhere.

iPhone Duo turns that space into something more fluid.

The circular system can coexist with a vertical Dynamic Island, changing application controls, Live Activities, and layouts that respond to the physical position of the foldable display. It becomes another component that iOS can arrange rather than a fixed row placed permanently along an edge.

There is no indication that Apple plans to bring the same circular status treatment unchanged to conventional iPhones. Its current implementation is specifically tied to iPhone Duo and the interface requirements created by the foldable hardware.

Still, the design provides a glimpse at how Apple can rethink even deeply established iPhone conventions when the shape of the device changes. When iPhone Duo reaches customers on October 23, the small circular area in the corner will be one of the most immediately visible examples: cellular strength, Wi-Fi, battery information, and other system details occupying a shared adaptive space instead of stretching across the display.

The post iPhone Duo status icon combines Wi-Fi, cellular, and battery information appeared first on AppleMagazine.

Quote of the day by pioneer Douglas Engelbart: 'The digital revolution is even more significant than the invention of writing or printing' — an audacious claim about interactive computing

16 September 2026 at 23:00

It's hard to imagine how we'd interact with computers today without the work of engineer and inventor Douglas Engelbart, who pioneered many aspects of computer science and also invented the computer mouse. The breadth and depth of his work led him to believe that humanity's digital era could be the most significant in its history.

The digital revolution

Engelbart, then a researcher at the Stanford Research Institute where he led the development of interactive computing, was delivering a demonstration now considered by many as legendary.

Quote of the day

This article is part of TechRadar Pro's QOTD project to provide an insight into the minds of the brightest and most recognized figures in the technology industry today and in years gone by. Read the full series here.

This spoken presentation, known as 'The Mother of All Demos', involved a 90-minute showcase in which his team described their progress to a captivated audience.

Engelbart wasn't standing at a podium, but at a computer that was based 30 miles away in his research lab. The event cycled between spoken passages, live demos, and different members of the team using teleconferencing to speak about different technologies.

A new era

During this talk, he delivered his opinion that their work, which would lay the foundation for advancements in the years to come, was a more important contribution than both writing – and even printing.

This was an incredibly bold prediction, because he was comparing the digital revolution to core aspects of the human condition. Writing and printing fundamentally opened pathways for sustainable knowledge transfer, allowing humanity to pass on and build on progress over the course of millennia.

If anybody was poised to know the significance of the computing era, it was Eglebart. His work was at the heart of many of the technologies that we take for granted today, including the humble computer mouse. In 1964, he built a small, carved wooden block featuring a single button on top and two metal wheels beneath to track movement. He went on to demonstrate this for the first time at his 1968 demo.

iPhone 18 Pro exhibition puts three photographers behind Apple’s new camera system

16 September 2026 at 21:30

iPhone 18 Pro is at the center of What Holds Us, a new photography exhibition built around three very different approaches to image-making. Alex Prager, Jack Davison, and Jimmy Chin shot the entire project on Apple’s latest Pro iPhone, using the device in environments ranging from a Los Angeles soundstage to a London warehouse and the high-altitude terrain of British Columbia.

Curated by Kathy Ryan, the former longtime director of photography for The New York Times Magazine, the exhibition examines connection through touch, shared experience, physical environments, and human relationships.

It also gives Apple a more ambitious showcase for the iPhone 18 Pro camera than a conventional product demonstration. Rather than presenting standardized comparisons or individual sample images. What Holds Us asks three established photographers to work within their own visual languages while using the phone as their sole camera.

The exhibition opens in New York City on September 18 and runs through September 20 before traveling to London and Shanghai in the coming months.

Wearing a headset, the person uses an iPhone 18 Pro to snap a photo out of the helicopter window, capturing snowy mountain peaks and a bright sunset—a scene reminiscent of Alex Prager’s cinematic style in “What Holds Us.”.
Image Credit: Apple Inc.

iPhone 18 Pro takes three very different photographic approaches

The project works partly because the three photographers have little stylistically in common.

Jimmy Chin took iPhone 18 Pro into the Bugaboo Mountains of southeastern British Columbia, working around snow, ice, steep climbing terrain, and winds reaching as high as 70 miles per hour.

His series focuses on trust and connection within climbing, with veteran mountaineer Conrad Anker appearing throughout the photographs. Some images place Anker as a small figure against vast mountain landscapes, while others move much closer to rock, snow, and glacial textures.

Chin used both the 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide and Telephoto cameras to shift between those extremes. The practical appeal was also straightforward: carrying a phone instead of a full conventional camera setup reduced the equipment required in an environment where weight and mobility affect every decision.

Jack Davison took almost the opposite approach. Shooting inside a former sugar warehouse in London, he created intimate portraits built around people interacting with clay and chalk.

Davison is known for high-contrast black-and-white imagery, and his contribution emphasizes texture, shadows, highlights, skin, and physical contact with the material. Some subjects appear partly covered in clay, while others manipulate it directly, leaving fingerprints and marks across the compositions.

For Davison, the smaller camera changed the relationship between photographer and subject. Without a large camera constantly positioned in front of his face, he could maintain more eye contact and work at closer range.

His use of slower shutter speeds, RAW capture, and multiple lenses also illustrates how Apple increasingly wants the Pro iPhone camera to function as a configurable photographic tool rather than simply a computational point-and-shoot system.

Alex Prager pushes the phone into large-scale production

Alex Prager’s section places iPhone 18 Pro inside a much more elaborate production environment.

Working on a Los Angeles soundstage, Prager created color-heavy scenes filled with crowds, confetti, staged city elements, costumes, and loosely choreographed movement. Some images use high viewpoints to turn groups of people into a continuous visual pattern, while tighter photographs isolate individual figures within the same constructed world.

The visual approach resembles film production more than spontaneous mobile photography, which gives the project another test for the phone. The camera has to preserve detail across numerous faces, costumes, props, highlights, and areas of movement while operating within scenes deliberately designed for large-format presentation.

Prager also treated the camera’s immediacy as part of the creative process rather than simply a convenience. The ease of moving between perspectives and capturing repeated moments allowed the scenes to evolve through improvisation instead of being locked into a single carefully prepared frame.

That approach aligns with a recurring theme across the exhibition: the phone becomes less intrusive without requiring the photographers to abandon their existing visual standards.

For Apple, it is a useful distinction. Professional photography campaigns built around smartphones can easily become exercises in technical proof, where the central question is whether a phone can imitate equipment already available to photographers. What Holds Us is more interested in how a smaller camera changes the way an artist works.

A blurred black-and-white image, reminiscent of Jack Davison’s evocative style, shows abstract human figures and arms moving around a large, textured rectangular block. The motion creates a dynamic, surreal effect that feels like a visual meditation on What Holds Us together.
Image Credit: Apple Inc.

Variable aperture gives the project a new technical foundation

The exhibition arrives alongside one of Apple’s most significant physical camera changes in years.

iPhone 18 Pro introduces variable aperture on its 48MP Fusion Main camera. The lens can operate at ƒ/1.48, ƒ/1.8, ƒ/2.8, or ƒ/4.0, changing both light intake and depth of field.

A wider ƒ/1.48 aperture is designed for stronger low-light performance, while narrower settings can retain more detail across different planes of an image. Apple also lets photographers select aperture settings manually through new Pro controls in the Camera app.

Those controls extend to shutter speed and white balance, with a histogram available for monitoring exposure. ProRAW remains available for photographers who want greater flexibility during post-production.

The rear camera system also includes 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide and 48MP Fusion Telephoto cameras, providing focal lengths from 13mm at the wide end through an optical-quality 8x option.

What Holds Us does not reduce the exhibition to those specifications, but the technical changes help explain why Apple chose photography, rather than video, for this particular campaign. Variable aperture affects choices that photographers traditionally make during capture, especially around available light and how much of a scene remains in focus.

What Holds Us extends the Shot on iPhone idea

Apple has spent years using Shot on iPhone campaigns to demonstrate camera quality through finished work rather than charts and controlled tests. What Holds Us pushes that format closer to a conventional curated exhibition.

Ryan connects the three bodies of work through the idea of human presence, but each artist interprets it differently. Chin finds it through dependence between climbers in hostile landscapes. Davison uses physical contact between people and clay. Prager builds populated fictional environments in which individual expressions emerge from larger crowds.

The images therefore function as an exhibition first and a hardware showcase second, even though the production is closely tied to the launch of iPhone 18 Pro.

That balance may be the most effective part of the campaign. Apple does not need to demonstrate that a modern iPhone can produce a technically competent photograph. The more interesting challenge is showing where its smaller size, computational processing, lens flexibility, RAW workflow, and new manual controls can alter the photographer’s decisions.

New York visitors will get the first opportunity to see how those images hold up away from a phone or computer display when What Holds Us opens September 18. After its three-day New York run, Apple says the exhibition will continue to London and Shanghai, giving the iPhone 18 Pro photography project a physical life beyond the launch campaign.

A man holds an iPhone 18 Pro to take a photo of another person, who stands shirtless with his arm raised in front of his face, against a dark backdrop in a studio setting reminiscent of an Alex Prager composition.
Image Credit: Apple Inc.

The post iPhone 18 Pro exhibition puts three photographers behind Apple’s new camera system appeared first on AppleMagazine.

First-ever battle between two autonomous naval drones 'won' by Ukraine — thanks to a salvo from a remote weapon turret

16 September 2026 at 21:05
  • Ukraine says its Sargan-3000 drone boat destroyed a Russian counterpart using machine gun fire
  • The reported clash involved two unmanned boats fighting directly at sea
  • No video has emerged showing the reported destruction of the Russian craft

Ukraine's Navy has announced that a Sargan-3000 drone boat destroyed an armed Russian counterpart somewhere in the waters of the Black Sea.

Kyiv describes the encounter as the first occasion on which two robotic warships have fought each other directly at sea.

That assertion rests entirely on the Ukrainian account, since no independent party has so far confirmed the situation.

Machine gun fire instead of a warhead

According to the announcement, operatives from Kyiv's military intelligence agency, HUR, located the Russian craft before naval crews steered their vessel toward it.

The kill was reportedly achieved with a Protector RWS, a remotely operated turret armed with a 12.7mm weapon rather than explosives.

Until now, most sea drone attacks have relied on ramming an enemy hull with a warhead aboard, thereby destroying the attacking platform.

Small calibre armament suggests an attempt to preserve the attacking platform for further missions instead of expending it in a single strike.

The Protector RWS is a Kongsberg-designed system already used by several NATO militaries, mounted on ground vehicles as well as small craft.

The Ukrainian Navy did not reveal the date, precise location, or any identification of the Russian vessel involved in the incident.

Neither side has published video of the moment of destruction, which is unusual given how heavily both armies publicise drone footage.

A record built on Ukrainian accounts

Sargan-3000 boats already carry a reputation in this war, having sunk Izumrud, a Russian patrol ship operated by border guards, near Gelendzhik.

That attack took place in July 2026 and joined a list of fleet units hit since the war in Ukraine started in 2022.

Earlier operations of the same style destroyed Ivanovets, a missile corvette, and Caesar Kunikov, which served as a landing ship.

Those losses contributed to a redeployment that moved naval assets from Crimea eastward to Novorossiysk, a change Moscow has never publicly explained.

In May 2025, Kyiv also reported that a sea drone destroyed a Su-30, a Russian fighter jet, using a missile built for air combat.

That claim, like the current one, arrived without imagery detailed enough for external analysts to verify the sequence of events independently.

Moscow has been developing comparable technology, including a KAMA-type uncrewed boat built by ZALA, a manufacturer based in Izhevsk.

Ukrainian forces destroyed one such craft close to Snake Island on September 8, 2026, using an explosive released from a drone flying overhead.

The difference between those two episodes is what allows Kyiv to describe the latest clash as something genuinely without precedent.

At the moment, verification remains weak because a gun engagement between small boats produces little wreckage and almost no witnesses on open water.

Until footage or a Russian acknowledgement appears online, the historic label attached to this fight should be treated as a claim rather than settled fact.

Via Defence Blog

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Senator Bernie Sanders and Trump ally Steve Bannon unite in calls for more AI oversight

16 September 2026 at 20:30
  • Advanced AI should be paused as regulators assess the potential damage
  • Trump urged to discuss international agreement with Chinese President
  • Current US government criticized for taking a light-touch approach

Bernie Sanders is working together with former White House strategist Steve Bannon in a bid to urge the governments to take more oversight over AI.

Job losses, a loss of control over advanced AI, biological warfare, rising energy prices and concentrated power among a few AI giants as just some of the arguments the two political figures are using in their broad argument for greater AI regulation, per Reuters reporting.

In particular, Sanders claims that tens of millions of jobs could be removed by AI, making it increasingly difficult for younger generations to get a job at all.

US government gets another nudge to regulate AI

Consequently, Trump is being urged to use an upcoming meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping to establish an international agreement to pause the development of advanced AI.

This aligns with separate legislation Sanders is pursuing, which calls for the permanent ban of artificial super intelligence, temporary pauses on other advanced AI, and the establishment of both a new federal AI regulator and further international agreements.

Bannon criticized the Trump administration for taking a light-touch approach to AI regulation, blaming it on close ties with (and the influence of) American tech giants. His approach also slightly differs from Sanders' in that Bannon is more vocal about blocking Chinese access to advanced American chips and other relevant hardware.

While attitudes are split virtually on a person-by-person basis, rather than a per-party basis, the current administration is generally seen as more pro-American innovation than anti-AI. House Speaker Mike Johnson warned that slowing down US development would ultimately cause it to lose its competitive advantage over China.

However, while opinions are split, it's clear that artificial intelligence has become a major political discussion, and with US midterm elections just weeks away, all could be about to change.

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iPhone 18 Pro vs. iPhone Duo Buyer's Guide: Which Should You Choose?

16 September 2026 at 20:28
Apple's new iPhone lineup asks buyers a new and challenging question: Is a foldable display worth feature compromises?


Alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max, which start at $1,199 and $1,299 respectively, there is now the iPhone Duo, Apple's first foldable iPhone, which starts at $1,999. All three are brand new, all three feature the same A20 Pro chip, and all three sit at the top end of Apple's lineup.

The Duo is not a Pro model, though, and Apple's own wording makes that clear. For example, its rear camera array is branded the 48-megapixel Dual Fusion system rather than the Pro Fusion system, and the word Pro appears nowhere in its name. The $700 premium over the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max buys a folding 7.6-inch display, not a better camera.

All three models still share a large amount of hardware. The shared features include:


  • A20 Pro chip with a 6-core CPU, 7-core GPU with Neural Accelerators, dual 16-core Neural Engine, and hardware-accelerated ray tracing

  • Apple C2 modem (except on the Pro Max in the United States), N1 wireless networking chip, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, Thread, and the second-generation Ultra Wideband chip

  • Super Retina XDR OLED displays with ProMotion up to 120Hz, Always-On display, Dynamic Island, and 3000 nits of peak outdoor brightness

  • Ceramic Shield 2 front with 3x better scratch resistance, Ceramic Shield back, and IP68 water resistance to a depth of 6 meters

  • Camera Control, a 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide camera at 13mm and f/2.2, Photographic Styles 3, Dual Capture, smart focus tracking, and 48MP macro photography

  • Apple Intelligence and Siri AI in iOS 27

  • Emergency SOS, Crash Detection, Roadside Assistance, Messages, and Find My via satellite

  • USB-C with USB 3 speeds, MagSafe and Qi2 wireless charging up to 25W, and dual eSIM

  • 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB storage options



The comparison below outlines every difference between the Pro models and the Duo:

Display




























‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max ‌iPhone Duo‌
iPhone 18 Pro: 6.3-inch display
iPhone 18 Pro Max: 6.9-inch display
7.6-inch inner folding display and 5.4-inch outer display
iPhone 18 Pro: 2622-by-1206 resolution at 460 ppi
iPhone 18 Pro Max: 2868-by-1320 resolution at 460 ppi
Outer display: 1398-by-2034 at 460 ppi
Inner display: 1878-by-2670 at 430 ppi
Nano-texture finish and wide-angle OLEDs on the inner display
Supports Apple Pencil with USB-C



Design and Build












































‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max ‌iPhone Duo‌
Aluminum unibody Polished titanium frame with a 3D-printed hinge cover
Action button
Face ID enabled by TrueDepth technology Touch ID in the side button
Dual ambient light sensors Four ambient light sensors
Compatible with ‌MagSafe‌ cases, wallets, and wireless chargers Compatible with ‌MagSafe‌ cases and wireless chargers
Black, Silver, Glacier, and Burgundy options Night Sky and Star White options
Made with 40% recycled content, including 85% recycled aluminum in the enclosure, 100% recycled rare earth elements in all magnets, 80% recycled steel in the battery enclosure and vapor chamber chassis, and 100% recycled tungsten in the Taptic Engine Made with 35% recycled content, including 100% recycled aluminum in the internal structural frame, 85% recycled titanium in the enclosure, and 100% recycled titanium in the 3D-printed hinge cover
50% of manufacturing electricity sourced from renewable electricity 60% of manufacturing electricity sourced from renewable electricity



Dimensions and Weight


































‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max ‌iPhone Duo‌
Height 5.91 inches (150.0 mm) 6.43 inches (163.4 mm) 4.64 inches (117.8 mm) closed
4.64 inches (117.8 mm) open
Width 2.83 inches (71.9 mm) 3.07 inches (78.0 mm) 3.31 inches (84.1 mm) closed
6.48 inches (164.6 mm) open
Depth 0.34 inch (8.75 mm) 0.34 inch (8.75 mm) 0.44 inch (11.3 mm) closed
0.21 inch (5.2 mm) open
Weight 7.44 ounces (211 grams) 8.78 ounces (249 grams) 8.96 ounces (254 grams)



Rear Cameras
































































‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max ‌iPhone Duo‌
48MP Pro Fusion camera system 48MP Dual Fusion camera system
48MP Fusion Main camera: 24mm, second-generation sensor-shift OIS, 100% Focus Pixels 48MP Fusion Main camera: 26mm, sensor-shift OIS, Hybrid Focus Pixels
Variable aperture on Main camera: f/1.48, f/1.8, f/2.8, and f/4.0 Fixed f/1.6 aperture on Main camera
12MP optical-quality 2x "telephoto" sensor crop at 48mm from the Main camera 12MP optical-quality 2x "telephoto" sensor crop at 52mm from the Main camera
48MP Fusion Telephoto camera: 100mm (4x), f/2.8, tetraprism, 3D sensor-shift OIS and autofocus
12MP optical-quality 8x Telephoto sensor crop at 200mm, f/2.8, from the Fusion Telephoto camera
LiDAR scanner
0.5x, 1x, 2x, 4x, and 8x optical zoom options 0.5x, 1x, and 2x optical zoom options
8x optical-quality zoom in, 2x optical zoom out, for a 16x optical-quality zoom range 2x optical-quality zoom in, 2x optical zoom out, for a 4x optical-quality zoom range
Digital zoom up to 40x for photos and up to 24x for video Digital zoom up to 10x for photos and up to 6x for video
Adaptive True Tone flash True Tone flash
Four studio-quality mics
Smart Take and Duo Preview



Pro Capture Features and Formats
































































‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max ‌iPhone Duo‌
Pro controls for lens aperture, shutter speed, white balance, and viewing histogram
ProRAW
Apple Reference Image (Fusion Main camera only)
Spatial photos
Spatial video recording at 1080p at 30 fps
ProRes video recording up to 4K at 120 fps with external recording
ProRes RAW video recording
Apple Log 2
Academy Color Encoding System (ACES)
Genlock
Image formats captured: HEIF, JPEG, and DNG Image formats captured: HEIF and JPEG
Video formats recorded: HEVC, H.264, ProRes, and ProRes RAW Video formats recorded: HEVC and H.264
Video playback formats include HEVC, H.264, AV1, and ProRes Video playback formats include HEVC, H.264, and AV1



Front Cameras








































‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max ‌iPhone Duo‌
18MP Center Stage front camera, f/1.9 12MP Center Stage outer camera, f/2.2
Autofocus with Focus Pixels on the front camera
Front camera Pro controls, ProRAW, ProRes, ProRes RAW, Apple Log 2, and Academy Color Encoding System
Kid Cue on the front camera
Under-display FaceTime camera on the inner display, f/1.8, limited to 1080p video at 30 or 60 fps with no Night mode, portraits, or Photographic Styles
Duo ‌FaceTime‌
Optical zoom with the rear camera in ‌FaceTime‌ Zoom with the rear camera in ‌FaceTime‌



Battery and Charging
































‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max ‌iPhone Duo‌
Built-in rechargeable battery Dual built-in rechargeable batteries
iPhone 18 Pro: Up to 24 hours typical use
iPhone 18 Pro Max: Up to 30 hours typical use
Up to 24 hours typical use
iPhone 18 Pro: Up to 36 hours video playback
iPhone 18 Pro Max: Up to 45 hours video playback
Up to 44 hours using the outer display, up to 31 hours using the inner display
iPhone 18 Pro: Up to 33 hours streamed video playback
iPhone 18 Pro Max: Up to 40 hours streamed video playback
Up to 37 hours streamed using the outer display, up to 26 hours using the inner display
50% charge in around 15 minutes 50% charge in around 20 minutes



Price


































‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max ‌iPhone Duo‌
256GB $1,199 $1,299 $1,999
512GB $1,399 $1,499 $2,199
1TB $1,799 $1,899 $2,599
2TB $2,399 $2,499 $3,199



For most buyers, the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ or ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max is the better choice. They offer the same A20 Pro chip as the Duo, a more versatile camera system, and a lower price. Choose the Pro if you prefer a smaller, lighter phone, or pay $100 more for the Pro Max if you want a larger screen and longer battery life.

The camera system is the clearest reason to choose an ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ over the ‌iPhone Duo‌. Alongside a more advanced Main camera, the Pro models offer a variable aperture for greater control over depth of field and a dedicated Telephoto camera for subjects you cannot get close to. These advantages matter even if you never use professional capture formats: The Pro gives you more flexibility both when framing a shot and when controlling how it looks. If photography or videography is a priority, choose the ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌. Buyers who also use ProRAW, ProRes, or manual controls have even more reason to do so.

The ‌iPhone Duo‌ is worth considering if you frequently wish your phone had a larger screen for reading, documents, taking notes, or watching video. Its 7.6-inch folding display and ‌Apple Pencil‌ support are unique in the iPhone lineup and could reduce the need to carry a separate tablet. If you would unfold it several times a day for those sorts of tasks, the benefit may outweigh the camera compromises and higher price. If most of your use involves messaging, social media, and taking photos, there is less reason to pay extra for the ‌iPhone Duo‌.

The compromises also extend beyond the rear cameras. Both of its front-facing cameras are also inferior. The ‌iPhone Duo‌ also replaces ‌Face ID‌ with ‌Touch ID‌ and drops the Action button, so buyers will need to adjust. It also lacks the Pro models' LiDAR Scanner, adaptive True Tone flash, four studio-quality microphones, and spatial photo and video recording.

You also need to be comfortable with the Duo when it is closed. Despite its smaller outer screen, it is wider and thicker than either Pro model and slightly heavier than the Pro Max. Battery life is another reason to favor the Pro Max: The Duo matches the smaller Pro's rated typical-use battery life, and using its inner display reduces its video playback time substantially.

The price gap remains significant at every storage tier. A 1TB ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max is only $100 cheaper than the entry-level ‌iPhone Duo‌, but that Duo has just 256GB of storage. At the same capacity, you pay $700 more than the Pro Max or $800 more than the Pro. That premium needs to be justified by how much you would use the folding screen and how much you care about some of the device's compromises.

Buy the Duo if you have a clear idea of the things you would regularly unfold it to do, or if experiencing Apple's first foldable and a radically new kind of iPhone is itself worth the premium to you. If you are unsure how the larger screen would fit into your routine, the Pro models remain the stronger purchase with their traditional "slab" form factor and host of superior specifications.

The ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max are available to pre-order now. ‌iPhone Duo‌ pre-orders open on October 16 ahead of an October 23 release.
Related Roundups: iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone Duo
Related Forum: iPhone

This article, "iPhone 18 Pro vs. iPhone Duo Buyer's Guide: Which Should You Choose?" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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