The iPad mini is a niche product, that much is clear. But for those who want an extra-small tablet, the launch of the sixth-generation iPad mini in 2021 was a red-letter day. For the first time in ages, the mini got close to the same kind of performance and features as its bigger brethren.

Then it didn’t get any updates for a couple of years. It was still a good tablet, but it wasn’t positioned to take advantage of new products or features on Apple’s docket like Apple Intelligence or the Apple Pencil Pro.

Enter the new 2024 refresh of the iPad mini, which releases October 23. For the most part, it’s the same as the previous generation—but Apple has laser-focused on a couple of tweaks to modernize the device just enough to keep it competitive in the company’s current ecosystem.

I’ve spent a couple of days with the new iPad mini, so let’s take a quick look at what has changed. If you want to learn more about the form factor, basic features, and other stuff that hasn’t changed since last time, take a look at our 2021 iPad mini review. Almost everything we said then applies here, too.

Now, let’s start with the biggest change: a new system-on-a-chip.

A new chip for Apple Intelligence

As Apple’s marketing tells it, the iPad mini’s most important update is on the inside: The new model replaces the A15 system-on-a-chip that was first introduced with the iPhone 13 back in 2021 with the A17 Pro, which first appeared in the iPhone 15 Pro last year.

The A17 Pro has a 6-core CPU, a 5-core GPU, and a 16-core NPU (neural processing unit). The GPU adds features like dynamic caching, hardware-accelerated ray-tracing, and mesh shading. Apple claims that the A17 Pro offers 30 percent better CPU performance, 25 percent better GPU performance, and 100 percent better NPU performance than the A15.

These boosts are all nice to see, especially for that small sliver of people running demanding professional apps like video editing tools on the iPad—but also for the much larger cadre of users who play graphically intensive games like Genshin Impact.

But it’s hard not to notice the timing of this release. When the A17 Pro was introduced last year, it was the first from Apple to support the upcoming Apple Intelligence AI features, and those features are now expected to launch just a few days after this seventh-generation iPad mini hits store shelves.

With the iPad Pro running on Apple’s M4 chip (which is found in the latest Macs) and the iPad Air on the slightly older M2, the addition of the A17 Pro to the iPad mini means that the cheapest base iPad (which has a now quite-long-in-the-tooth A14) is the only iPad that doesn’t support Apple Intelligence. (I expect that to change before too long, of course.)

Apple Intelligence features were first announced for iOS and iPadOS 18, which went out to the public a few weeks ago. They haven’t yet been released, though, because they were delayed to iOS 18.1 and iOS 18.2, depending on the feature. iOS 18.1 will launch next week, and iOS 18.2 is expected before the end of the year.

As we’ve discussed here before, the “Apple Intelligence” label is a catch-all term for a number of new software features that use some form of generative AI, like large language models. It will do things like summarize emails and notifications, help you clean up your writing with edits, enable more robust Siri responses and understanding of context, and generate images or emojis you can use in your texts.

I’m taking the same approach here that I did with the iPhone 16 review: That phone was heavily marketed by Apple as an Apple Intelligence-ready device, but I didn’t talk much about Apple Intelligence in that review since it wasn’t yet available. It makes sense to review products for what they’re like now, not what they might be like in the future.

We’ll have multiple articles diving into Apple Intelligence as it rolls out. For now, just know that the tablet’s main reason for being seems to be to make sure new iPad mini buyers are ready for those features in the coming weeks.

We ran some quick benchmarks on the iPad mini, and the performance gains are roughly in line with what Apple promised compared to the previous iPad mini. That said, it’s far from the fastest tablet in Apple’s current lineup. Those M-series chips found in the current iPad Pro and iPad Air are a lot faster.

 

 

 

More storage options and price points

The 2021 iPad mini didn’t give buyers a wide range of configuration options. The base model had a paltry 64GB of storage, with the option to splurge for 256GB. Now, the updated mini addresses a wider range of user needs. It starts at 128GB, so you’re getting double the storage for the same entry-level price—always nice to see. Additionally, you can now upgrade not just to 256GB, but also 512GB—if you really want to splurge, that is.

Going to 256GB brings the price from $499 to $599, and going up to 512GB takes it all the way to $799. Steep prices aside, these additional options could expand the audience for this tablet a teensy-tiny bit. I’m sure there were a handful of people who wanted a small tablet but couldn’t make the existing storage options work for them.

It’s worth noting that these prices make the iPad mini one of the cheapest ways to get Apple Intelligence, though I’m not convinced there are people out there looking to buy a new device just to take advantage of Apple’s much-hyped AI features.

Improved connectivity and other specs

There are some more modest specs changes beyond the A17 Pro and the storage. We’ve gone from Wi-Fi 6 to Wi-Fi 6E, with speeds up to 2.4Gb/s and simultaneous dual-band for staying connected to more than one device at the same time. The new tablet also supports Bluetooth 5.3 compared to its predecessor's 5.0.

The previous model had already abandoned Apple’s proprietary Lightning connection for the industry-standard USB-C, but this updated USB-C port supports transfer speeds up to 10Gb/s, much faster than the previous model. (That’s data transfer, while charging seems the same.)

The USB-C port returns, this time with faster data transfer.

Credit: Samuel Axon

The camera system is mostly the same as before, but Apple has added support for Smart HDR 4, the latest version of its computational photography algorithms that combines multiple rapidly taken photos into one image, using the best features of all of them. This process offers benefits like better low-light photography and improved highlights. There’s also 4K video capture support.

I don’t think there are many iPad mini photographers out there, but hey, not going to say no to improvements.

Lastly, there have been improvements to the display that should mitigate some of the jelly scrolling that irritated a subset of owners of the previous generation of the iPad mini.

Apple Pencil Pro support

Apart from improved CPU, GPU, and NPU performance, the biggest addition here is Apple Pencil Pro support.

Introduced this spring, the Pencil Pro has lower latency than prior Pencil models, but at least as importantly, it has several new sensors and feedback features to make it more versatile. You can squeeze the pencil lightly to bring up a new options panel to quickly switch tools, among other things. There’s also a sensor that lets you roll the pencil to change the orientation of some tools.

Pencil Pro isn’t cheap, though—it’s $129. I imagine most digital artists want the largest canvas possible, so they’re not looking at the mini. But for more casual users, it’s nice to have the option.

Though it be but little, it is fierce

There are a lot of things I like about the iPad mini. It’s comfortable to hold, making it ideal among Apple’s tablets for reading or browsing the web. Typing on it while holding it in landscape mode feels ideal for me, though your mileage may vary, as hand sizes, of course, vary.

It lacks the power of the otherwise similar iPad Air, and it certainly can’t pack the same punch as the beefy iPad Pro. But it’s enough for most passive consumption use. As we noted in our 2021 iPad Air review, you probably wouldn’t want to try to do heavy work on a screen this small anyway.

All that said, Apple’s intention was clear: get the iPad mini past the minimum spec for Apple Intelligence. We’ll see how much that matters over the next few weeks.

On the outside, it's the same iPad mini.

Credit: Samuel Axon

This update maintains the iPad mini’s position in the market and in Apple’s lineup, but it doesn’t do anything to actually change that position. It’s still a niche product for folks who want a comfortable, one-handed holding size but might want to watch some videos at decently high quality or play a few games. If it were a bit cheaper, it’d be ideal as a tablet for kids.

By excluding the smart connector for accessories like the Magic Keyboard, Apple made it clear this iPad isn’t designed for all that desktop replacement productivity stuff it promotes on its other iPads. (There was no smart connector in the previous iteration of the iPad mini, either.) It’s not a cutting-edge or premium product. For example, its bezels are quite large for a modern iPad relative to its size—which is a bummer, since you’d think a small chassis would benefit most from using a higher percentage of its size for the screen.

But if you want something small, it feels great to use, and its specs are pretty good for the price.

The good

• Comfortable form factor
• Good (albeit not cutting-edge) screen and performance, ideal for mobile games
• Expanded storage options to accommodate more types of users
• Apple Intelligence support, if that matters
• Pencil Pro support

The bad

• A little pricey for a pure content-consumption device
• No smart connector for advanced productivity

The ugly

• Bezels along the screen edges take up a bit too much space relative to the small size of the device, wasting an opportunity for a better viewing experience

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Back in September, it was tipped that Apple could complete the adoption of OLED displays across all its products with the usage of OLED display on the iPhone SE 4. It was also purported that LG and BOE will be supplying the OLED display panels for next year's iPhone SE 4. Now, a fresh report by South Korean publication Hankooki indicates that Apple has added Samsung to its OLED display supply chain for the iPhone SE 4.

It should also be noted that if true, then the iPhone SE 4 will be the first SE phone from Apple to feature an OLED display since previous SE phones came with LCD technology. The inclusion of Samsung in the OLED display supply chain suggests Apple's strategy of smooth supply and price negotiations. Notably, Apple also reduced its reliance on Samsung Display, the display wing of Samsung Electronics, for this year's iPhone 16 series.

The report adds that this year LG has supplied more OLED displays for the standard iPhone 16 model than other suppliers. For the iPhone SE 4, there is no clarity on the amount of display panels that will be supplied by the manufacturers. Recently, images and videos of the dummy units of the iPhone SE 4 popped up on the internet, showing not only the standard iPhone SE 4 but also a "Plus" size model as well, despite no rumors about the same.

The iPhone SE 4 is expected to feature big upgrades compared to its predecessor. The phone is tipped to have a design similar to the iPhone 14, but with a single camera, rumored to be a 48MP primary shooter. The phone is expected to ditch the Touch ID for Face ID and could cost less than $500.

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The Snapdragon 8 Elite will be built using TSMC's 3nm process node for significant performance and efficiency gains. For the first time, Qualcomm is bringing its in-house developed Oryon custom ARM CPUs to smartphones. The new Prime and Performance cores architecture comes with a 24MB cache and can hit 4.32GHz frequency, delivering the following performance improvements:

• 45% single core improvement
• 45% multi-core improvement
• 63% web browsing performance improvement

Gallery: Snapdragon 8 Elite

 

 

 

The GPU in the Snapdragon 8 Elite delivers a 40% performance improvement and a 35% ray tracing improvement. When it comes to AI performance using the NPU, the Snapdragon 8 Elite will be a huge leap forward. With the fastest Qualcomm Hexagon NPU (6-core vector accelerator and 8-core scalar accelerator), you can get 45% better performance compared to the NPU in the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.

In addition to performance improvements, the Snapdragon 8 Elite is also much better at power savings. Qualcomm claims the following power savings improvements:

• 44% CPU
• 40% GPU
• 45% AI perf/watt
• 27% overall SoC

The Snapdragon 8 Elite is a powerhouse when it comes to camera capabilities, with 4.3 Gigapixels/sec support and a 33% throughput improvement. It features Limitless Segmentation, AI Relighting, an AI Pet Suite, a Video Magic Eraser, and more. In terms of connectivity, the Snapdragon 8 Elite comes with the Snapdragon X80 modem, Qualcomm FastConnect 7900, and support for Wi-Fi 7.

Chris Patrick, senior vice president and general manager of mobile handsets, Qualcomm Technologies, said:

"With leading CPU, GPU and NPU capabilities, the Snapdragon 8 Elite delivers dramatic performance enhancements and power efficiency 3. In addition, it revolutionizes mobile experiences by offering personalized, multi-modal generative AI directly on the device enabling the understanding of speech, context, and images to enhance everything from productivity to creativity tasks while prioritizing user privacy."

Qualcomm will reveal more details about the Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC later today. With its impressive specs and features, this new SoC is poised to power the next generation of premium smartphone experiences.

Update:

Qualcomm revealed that several Android OEMs including ASUS, Honor, iQOO, OnePlus, OPPO, RealMe, Samsung, Vivo, Xiaomi, and more are expected to launch smartphones powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite.

Source: Qualcomm

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There are three new key features for AirPods Pro 2 that will be included in this update, which are all focused around hearing health and includes clinical-grade hearing aid functionality. Additional features include the ability to test your hearing using the headphones, as well as more robust hearing protection features if used in scenarios such as concerts and live music venues.

The hearing aid functionality comes after a user has completed a hearing test, and if this shows evidence of hearing loss, the AirPods Pro 2 can automatically set themselves up to boost specific sounds in real time. In addition, the hearing protection will continuously monitor the environment and reduce the impact of sustained louder sounds. This functionality was also approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in September, just days after the features was announced.

Beyond this, the iOS 18.1 update will bring the first Apple Intelligence features to the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and iPhone 16 series of devices. These include Writing Tools, text and notification summaries, a Clean Up tool in Photos, smart replies for emails and messages, and much more. Further features that were originally announced at WWDC, such as the new Siri with CharGPT integration, will be coming at an unconfirmed later date.

Other iPhones that are compatible with iOS 18.1 and will not be receiving any Apple Intelligence features with Monday's update are as follows:

• iPhone SE (2nd & 3rd generation)
• iPhone XR
• iPhone Xs & Xs Max
• iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max
• iPhone 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max
• iPhone 13, 13 mini, 13 Pro, 13 Pro Max
• iPhone 14, 14 Plus, 14 Pro, 14 Pro Max
• iPhone 15, 15 Plus

Source: The Verge

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Now, the latest APK Teardown of the Play Store app v42.9.16-3 reveals several strings related to a download manager feature. While the strings don't reveal much about the functionality of the download manager, they suggest that it organizes the apps. It is often challenging to recall the apps that you have recently installed, but the download manager could probably address the issue.

Here are the strings about the Play Store download manager:

AppOpenDownloadManager__enable_play_download_manager
AppOpenDownloadManager__enable_recent_downloads_sorted_by_install_time
AppOpenDownloadManager__enable_recent_downloads_sorted_by_schedule_time

Folks at Android Authority were able to enable the feature and give us a look at how the Play Store download manager would look if Google ever made the feature live for all users. The download manager within the Google Play Store shows a list of apps that are currently downloading and all the recently installed apps that you haven't opened.

When you open any app from the download manager, the list disappears. Additionally, Google will add an icon at the top right, before the 3-dot menu icon, showing a badge. This badge also shows the number of apps and games that you have recently downloaded.

However, one of the important things for a download manager that it should let you perform, e.g., the ability to pause and resume downloads, is missing from this iteration. Since apps' and games' sizes are increasing, it would have been a nifty feature, especially if they are on a limited mobile data plan that refreshes daily.

Notably, the feature isn't live at the moment on the Play Store, and Google hasn't shared a word about the feature. So, it may or may not be released in the future.

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The press release (PDF) states that all mobile handsets, including smartphones and feature phones, should be compatible with hearing aids. The FCC has also established new Bluetooth-device coupling standards to push hearing aid manufacturers to move away from proprietary technology and make it easier for users to switch between devices without having to buy new compatible hearing aids.

There are also new volume control benchmarks that will allow users to increase or decrease the volume of their device without any distortion, so that people who don't use hearing aids but still experience hearing difficulties, can also listen to clear audio.

Manufacturers will also have to clearly indicate on their website and at all points of sale whether their handset is compatible with hearing aids, and to specify the compatibility standards their device meets, like telecoil or Bluetooth. They also have to add details about the maximum volume level their device can produce without any distortion.

The FCC hasn't yet specified an exact duration for the transition period during which all mobile phones must meet the standards. So smartphone manufacturers will have sufficient time to ensure their upcoming devices will be hearing-aid compatible, as well as packaging updates.

Many smartphones like the iPhone 16 and many other Android devices are already designed to be compatible with hearing aids. Recently, Apple also announced hearing aid features on the AirPods Pro 2, which allows users to make personalized hearing adjustments and amplifies nearby sounds in real-time for better hearing.

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This all goes back to another court battle in December 2023, when a jury decided that, in Google's legal battle with Epic Games, Google had a monopoly of control for launching apps for devices that used its Android OS. The jury also ruled it illegally tried to keep that monopoly in place with anti-competitive practices.

Judge Donato's decision earlier this month to set a November deadline for developers to ditch Google Play Billing for Android caused the company to ask for this temporary administrative stay claiming that the company was not given enough time. Today, The Verge reports that Judge Donato agreed with Google. In its own statement, Google said it was "pleased with the District Court’s decision." There has been no official comment from Epic Games on today's legal events.

The temporary stay could become much longer if the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decides to grant Google's request for a longer delay. Indeed, Judge Donato reportedly said he believes Google will get that delay, which means that any move to change Android app store rules could be pushed back by months or even years.

Just eight days ago, Microsoft's Xbox President Sarah Bond stated that due to Judge Donato's earlier ruling, it would allow Xbox gamers to purchase games and play them directly from the Android Xbox app in November. In light of today's decision by that judge, it's unlikely that change to the Xbox Android app will actually happen anytime soon.

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Android 15 started rolling out to Pixel devices Tuesday and will arrive, through various third-party efforts, on other Android devices at some point. There is always a bunch of little changes to discover in an Android release, whether by reading, poking around, or letting your phone show you 25 new things after it restarts.

In Android 15, some of the most notable involve making your device less appealing to snoops and thieves and more secure against the kids to whom you hand your phone to keep them quiet at dinner. There are also smart fixes for screen sharing, OTP codes, and cellular hacking prevention, but details about them are spread across Google's own docs and blogs and various news site's reports.

Here's what is notable and new in how Android 15 handles privacy and security.

Scroll down your all-apps list and you'll see a lock at the bottom and a new kind of panel you can pull up.

Google

 

Unlocking the Private Space with biometric or passkey reveals the apps that have been tucked down there.

Google

Private Space for apps

In the Android 15 settings, you can find "Private Space," where you can set up a separate PIN code, password, biometric check, and optional Google account for apps you don't want to be available to anybody who happens to have your phone. This could add a layer of protection onto sensitive apps, like banking and shopping apps, or hide other apps for whatever reason.

In your list of apps, drag any app down to the lock space that now appears in the bottom right. It will only be shown as a lock until you unlock it; you will then see the apps available in your new Private Space. After that, you should probably delete it from the main app list. Dave Taylor has a rundown of the process and its quirks.

It's obviously more involved than Apple's "Hide and Require Face ID" tap option but with potentially more robust hiding of the app.

Hiding passwords and OTP codes

A second form of authentication is good security, but allowing apps to access the notification text with the code in it? Not so good. In Android 15, a new permission, likely to be given only to the most critical apps, prevents the leaking of one-time passcodes (OTPs) to other apps waiting for them. Sharing your screen will also hide OTP notifications, along with usernames, passwords, and credit card numbers.

This might also prevent apps from doing the convenient thing of automatically pasting codes they are expecting, but it's likely a good trade-off. Google notes that there are exceptions for apps with companion apps for wearables (i.e., Pixel Watch).

AI-powered Theft Detection Lock, Remote Lock, and Offline Device Lock

Thieves' tactics are constantly evolving. One of the more effective ways to steal a phone—and steal something of value from it before the owner can remotely lock it—is to yank it from the owner's hands. So long as the phone is unlocked and functional, a thief who gets far enough away can check emails, apps, and messages for rich targets, like money transfer or banking apps.

Android's theft protection, i.e., Plan B after a phone jacking.

Theft Detection Lock on Android uses AI to sense if someone has yanked a phone and is rapidly moving away with it, automatically locking the phone if so. Google's security blog post on the feature suggests it uses "on-device machine learning" to "analyze various device signals" and determine if a device was yoinked. Google is unlikely to give away the full details of what it's looking for.

If theft detection didn't work, there are at least two backups. Offline Device Lock activates if the Internet connection is disabled on your phone. And, using another device, you can use Remote Lock at android.com/lock to quickly lock your device with a phone number and a security challenge. It's a faster way to secure your device while you use Find My Device to locate and further lock your gear.

Those three key features—Theft Detection Lock, Offline Device Lock, and Remote Lock—are not exclusive to Android 15 but are rolling out along with its release. Users on Android 10 or higher should get a Google Play Services update to enable the features, though they'll have to be turned on in the device settings.

Live Threat Detection in Google Play Protect

Having an AI core raising the cost of your Pixel may not be an entirely bad thing. In Android 15, the app-scanning Google Play Protect will start using on-device AI from the "Private Compute Core" to "analyze additional behavioral signals related to the use of sensitive permissions and interactions with other apps and services."

Should strange happenings be detected, users can send the suspect app to Google for further review and disable the app from a notification in the meantime.

Cellular security

It can be easy to forget that your phone is actually a phone and is constantly communicating over the air. It's one of the most vulnerable parts of a phone, and Android 15 does some things to address the cellular part of your cell phone—even if none of them are available yet, even on Pixel phones.

Android 15 can tell users when they're using an unencrypted cellular connection to prevent potential interception or injection of their traffic or SMS messages. Certain "at-risk users like journalists or dissidents" can be alerted to potentially false cellular base stations or attempts to identify their device. But these features are not on by default and require "OEM integration and compatible hardware," with Google saying it expects OEM adoption "over the next couple of years."

Little changes to deeper settings

Should a thief or snoop have access to your phone before you can lock it, Android 15 has instituted some smarter defaults for making changes to deeper settings, including:

• Changing something in the Find My Device settings requires either a PIN, account password, or biometric verification.
• Logging in multiple times with the wrong PIN or password will lock the device for some time (similar to iOS's lock-out).
• Google says that "enhanced factory reset protection" will make it harder to wipe a device if you don't have the owner's Google account credentials.
• Identity Check is an opt-in feature that always asks for biometric authentication when changing critical settings or accessing passkeys from previously unused locations.
• There's now a device toggle for sending your device name to network and Bluetooth connections.
• Android devices put into Lockdown mode now entirely block USB data access to accessories and computers, which should block attacks over ADB (Android debugging bridge) channels.

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In a nutshell, the iPad mini 7 is the same iPad from three years ago with three main upgrades: it now has a much faster A17 Pro processor straight from the iPhone 15 Pro, it now supports Apple Pencil 2 Pro with its fancy new gestures and hover, and it has 128GB of storage in the base configuration with the new 512GB configuration.

Updating the processor from the A15 to the A17 Pro enables the upcoming Apple Intelligence features that Apple plans to release later this month with iPadOS 18.1.

Here are the key changes summed up in a list:

• A new processor with Apple Intelligence support.
• Apple Pencil 2 Pro support.
• Faster USB-C port: 10Gbps over 5Gbps in the mini 6.
• More storage in the base configuration: 128GB vs 64GB.
• Smart HDR 4 support for the rear and front cameras.
• Faster Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity.
• No physical SIM.
• One new color.

Of course, if you want to update from the iPad mini 5 or even older models with the Home button and thick bezels, the list of upgrades will be much more significant and impressive.

Here is a spec-by-spec comparison of the last three generations of iPad mini:

The iPad mini 7 is now available for preorder, with sales starting on October 23, 2024, in 29 countries.

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At the Lenovo Tech World 2024 event, Motorola stated, "Moto AI advances this mission to transform the smartphone user experience across three core areas: assist, capture, and create. This means Moto AI can take actions to help users get things done effortlessly, empower users to capture the world around them, recall it at a moment’s notice, and provide users tools that inspire creativity."

The new Moto AI features will be available later this year as part of an invite-only beta program. Moto AI is powered by Large Action Models (LAM), which allows users to converse with the AI assistant using natural language. The functionality extends to everyday tasks, and future updates to Moto AI will also automate daily routines.

Motorola showcased three new Moto AI tools, including "Catch Me U," "Pay Attention," and "Remember This." Using the "Catch Me Up" prompt, users can save time by asking Moto AI to summarize personal communications so they don't have to endlessly scroll through the notifications.

The "Pay Attention" feature helps users recall specific information or details without needing to write them down or listen to long recordings to bring out details. It enables the recording of conversations or speakers, which is then transcribed by Moto AI for later usage.

Then there is the "Remember This" feature, which allows you to capture live moments or on-screen information with just a command. It works similarly to the Google Pixel Screenshot app and uses AI to generate content and details about the captured moments. Notably, the created memories are stored locally and protected in the device.

During the beta rollout phase, Motorola will consider user feedback to fine-tune the Moto AI features and capabilities.

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Apple quietly announced a new version of its iPad mini tablet via press release this morning, the tablet's first update since 2021.

The seventh-generation iPad mini looks mostly identical to the sixth-generation version, with a power-button-mounted Touch ID sensor and a slim-bezeled display. But Apple has swapped out the A15 Bionic chip for the Apple A17 Pro, the same processor it used in the iPhone 15 Pro last year.

The new iPad mini is available for preorder now and starts at $499 for 128GB (an upgrade over the previous base model's 64GB of storage). 256GB and 512GB versions are available for $599 and $799, and cellular connectivity is an additional $150 on top of any of those prices.

Apple says the A17 Pro's CPU performance is 30 percent faster than the A15's and that its GPU performance is 25 percent faster (in addition to supporting hardware-accelerated ray tracing). But the biggest improvement will be an increase in RAM—the A17 Pro comes with 8GB instead of the A15's 4GB, which appears to be Apple's floor for the new Apple Intelligence AI features. The new iPad mini will be the only iPad mini capable of supporting Apple Intelligence, which will begin rolling out with the iPadOS 18.1 update within the next few weeks.

Other hardware upgrades are more marginal. All models upgrade from Wi-Fi 6 to Wi-Fi 6E, and the USB-C port now supports 10Gbps data transfers instead of topping out at 5Gbps. The 12 MP rear camera is the same resolution as the previous model, though it should benefit from any marginal improvements to the image signal processor in the A17.

Like the iPad Pro and iPad Air refreshes earlier this year, the new iPad mini will only work with either the Apple Pencil Pro or the cheaper USB-C Apple Pencil, not the first- or second-generation Apple Pencils.

Reliable rumors indicate that this won't quite be Apple's last hardware refresh of the year—we're also due for the first wave of M4 Macs, which are said to be launching in early November following an announcement at the end of the month.

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Earlier reports indicated that next year's iPhone 17 Pro Max could include 12GB RAM and upgraded cooling technology. As per the latest report, 12GB of RAM could also be true for the 2026 iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max models.

Apple’s VP of hardware technology, Johny Srouji, explained in an interview (YouTube link) that the move to 8GB of RAM was required to deliver Apple Intelligence on iPhones without compromising performance. This is the reason why last year's iPhone 15 and 15 Plus didn't support the Apple suite of AI features. Ming-Chi Kuo has allegedly claimed that only next year's Pro Max model will get 12GB of RAM, while the other two standard models, one of which is rumored to be iPhone 17 Slim or Air, to stick to 8GB of RAM.

Now, according to a leaker called Mobile Chip Expert on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, at least one iPhone 18 model will switch from the InFo (Integrated Fan-Out) packaging to WMCM (Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module) packaging, with 12GB of RAM.

Speaking of difference, InFo packaging allows the integration of components, including memory, directly onto a circuit board. This is done to reduce package thickness, faster speed, better power dissipation, and more.

On the other hand, WMCM packing allows the combination of multiple components within a single package, offering greater flexibility, improved efficiency, and enhanced performance. WMCM's flexibility allows to integrate components such as CPUs, GPUs, DRAM and other accelerators such as AI and ML chips to be included in one package. For now, it is unclear which model of the 2026 iPhone 18 series will get the RAM boost and upgraded chip technology.

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The primary email address is visible to other people when you share or collaborate on documents and other content. Previously, there was no way to change or remove the iCloud email address that you had set. You did get an option to set an alias to send emails from, but not the option to completely change it.

According to MacRumors, users will be able to change their Apple account email address directly from the iPhone's Settings app. It was possible to change the primary email address, but only if you removed the connected email address from your account.

To set or change your primary email address, head to the Settings app, tap on your name, and choose "Sign In & Security." Here, tap on the relevant email address, and you will see a button called "Change Email Address." Tapping on this button will allow you to change your iCloud email address.

Do note that Apple has said that you will not receive future emails on your old @iCloud.com or @me.com email addresses once you have changed them. However, you can continue to use them as your iCloud alias to send or receive emails. Also, the old emails won't be functional on Facetime or iMessage.

It is a nifty feature, especially for those who might have created an Apple account decades ago or for those who aren't that happy with the email address that you might have chosen back then.

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According to Which? different providers have different deactivation policies. Lebara and 1p Mobile, for example, will cut inactive users off after just three months, while Voxi will give you nine months before it deactivates your number.

While it sounds good that your number will be deactivated if you don't use it, this is not the end of the story. As new customers join the company, the company will start recycling numbers, meaning new customers will get someone else's old phone number and this has led to customers getting unwanted messages.

Where phone numbers are used for two-factor authentication, this recycling of phone numbers also leads to security issues. To help combat this problem, Which? is asking Ofcom to improve the way providers communicate the risks of deactivation. It also wants the regulator to look into the issues the practice is causing for users.

Based on research by Which?, some people had been receiving unwanted calls and messages for up to several years. These were intended for the number's previous owner. It also heard about two cases where debt collection agencies had called the recycled numbers; this suggests people were switching phone numbers to try and escape their debts.

Another person cited by Which? had received many calls and texts on their new number from people trying to buy drugs. One respondent said they were being offered drugs too.

For anyone thinking about swapping numbers anywhere in the world, not just in the UK, it's important to remember the consequences. Especially be careful to make sure you update any two-factor authentications from your old number.

Source: Which?

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This evening, Microsoft Xbox President Sarah Bond posted on her X account that this week's court decision "will allow more choice and flexibility" for Android owners in the US. Therefore, Bond revealed that sometime in November, "players will be able to play and purchase Xbox games directly from the Xbox App on Android."

So far, Microsoft has not offered up any more details of the specifics of this update to the Android Xbox app. Presumably, the games that will be playable directly from the mobile app will support the company's Xbox Cloud Gaming service, which is only available with a subscription to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. We will have to see if Google's court appeal will have any effect on Microsoft's plans for the Xbox Android app.

We are still waiting for Microsoft to launch its promised web-based mobile game store. Bond previously said that the mobile game store would launch in July, but that date came and went with no such release. Microsoft's most recent update on the store simply said it was still in testing, but no new launch date was revealed.

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So far, we've heard many speculations about the M4 Macs, with the products even appearing in a Russian retailer for sale. Meanwhile, rumors about the iPad Mini 7 have been fairly light, and the product is relatively overshadowed by M4 Macs. The sixth-generation iPad Mini was launched in September 2021, and the lineup certainly needs a refresh. Here is a roundup of what we know about the iPad Mini 7 prior to its launch later this month.

With the Cupertino firm flaunting Apple Intelligence capabilities, it's safe to assume that the iPad Mini 7 could feature one of the latest A-branded chips to support the AI suite. A17 and A18 chips are the most likely candidates to power the new iPad Mini, with Apple keeping the more powerful M-series chips for the iPad Pro and iPad Air.

Apple is expected to stick with the same 8.3-inch size and LCD technology for iPad Mini 7's display. More importantly, Apple will fix the "jelly scrolling" issue in the upcoming iPad Mini. The jelly scrolling badly impacted the sixth-generation iPad Mini, with some users even claiming that the problem has made their device unusable. Moreover, the display refresh rate could be limited to 60Hz.

The iPad Mini 7 could also feature the same 12MP camera we've already seen in the redesigned 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Air. The camera might add support for HDR 4 support. Moreover, the front-facing camera might be relocated to the landscape edge for a better video-calling experience.

For connectivity, you can expect to access Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. Cellular models could also adopt eSIM entirely instead of nano-SIM. Even more, the new iPad Mini might add support for Apple Pencil and hit the shelves with new color options. A $499 starting price is also highly expected.

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We've seen leaks about the camera module on the OnePlus 13. Then, it was also reported that the OnePlus 13 could rock the same screen size as the OnePlus 12. OnePlus was also claimed to bring the biggest batteries of all flagship phones inside the OnePlus 13.

Now, a fresh report, coming straight from OnePlus China president Li Jie Louis, reveals that the company is all set to announce the OnePlus 13 this month. Of course, the phone will first be announced in China and then will enter the global market at a later date, probably next year.

In a post on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, Louis said that the OnePlus 13 will be powered by the latest Snapdragon flagship chip (after translation). The OnePlus executive is likely referring to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 processor.

Another Chinese OEM, Xiaomi, is also expected to launch the Xiaomi 15 series with Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 (aka Snapdragon 8 Elite) this month. It will be interesting to see which brand introduces their smartphone first.

The executive also confirmed that the OnePlus 13 will launch with OPPO's ColorOS 15 in China. Notably, OnePlus uses OPPO's ColorOS in China in its phones, which is a slightly modified version of OxygenOS skin.

The post also mentions that the phone will come with "unprecedented super performance + super performance scheduling + super smooth animation experience." The same experience is also expected to arrive when the phone launches globally. While the executive did not mention a launch date and broadly said the launch will happen this month, it is expected to happen right after the Snapdragon Summit, which is set for October 21-23.

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The final update for Microsoft Surface Duo 2 update weighs approximately 55MB in size, with the changelog stating, "This update improves the performance and stability of your Surface Duo 2."

While other foldables from companies like Samsung, OPPO, OnePlus, etc., have fared extremely well in the market, Microsoft's take on a book-style smartphone wasn't well-received by tech enthusiasts. The Surface Duo 2 didn't feature an external display and has dual-screen inner displays, with a huge gap in between, ruining the entire experience.

Microsoft already ended the software update support for the original Surface Duo smartphone last year, and now it was time for the Surface Duo 2.

According to Windows Central, the worst part about the Surface Duo 2 was that it only received a single Android OS update, i.e., from Android 11 to Android 12 (specifically Android 12L, which brought big optimizations).

The Android 12L update was rolled out in October 2022, and since then the Surface Duo 2 hasn't received a single major update in the later two years of its existence.

On the official Microsoft website, the company lists the life cycle for the Surface Duo 2 as ending on October 21.

Unless a miracle is waiting or Microsoft has some wild plans, this latest update is the last update for the Surface Duo 2. This was the second chance Microsoft had in the smartphone market after its Lumia smartphone series. There is no clarity on what the future holds for Microsoft in the smartphone business.

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Today, CNBC reports that Judge James Donato has issued a permanent injunction against Google that will force them to allow third-party Android app stores for its mobile operating system.

The ruling goes into effect in November. Under the terms of the injunction, Google won't be able to pay app companies or developers to launch apps either exclusively or first on the Google Play Store for the next three years. Google also cannot pay companies, so they don't compete with the Play Store, and it cannot pay device makers to preinstall Google Play on new devices.

Google will have to allow third-party app stores to be made available on the Google Play Store, and those third-party stores will have to have access to all the apps available on the Play Store as well.

Finally, Google and Epic Games will cooperate to form a three-person committee. This group will review issues that are related to Google's compliance with this new ruling. At the time of this writing, neither Epic nor Google has commented on the judge's ruling.

A version of the Epic Games Store is already available worldwide for Android devices, as well as for iOS products in the European Union. This new ruling could also mean that Microsoft could finally launch a native Android version of its long-delayed gaming mobile store. Microsoft has already announced plans to release a web-based version of a gaming-themed mobile store. However, there's no word yet on when that store will actually launch.

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Notably, the Xiaomi 15 Pro could be the first smartphone to come with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 processor. A recent leak gives us our first look at the phone and also reveals some key specifications about the upcoming flagship phone.

The Xiaomi 15 series will include multiple variants, including the Xiaomi 15, Xiaomi 15 Pro, and the Xiaomi 15 Ultra. However, the recent leak focuses on the Xiaomi 15 Pro. The phone is expected to retain a design language similar to its predecessors but may accommodate a larger battery and display.

The phone could be launched in black, white, and silver colors, with a special titanium edition for those looking for something extra special. The Xiaomi 15 Pro is expected to rock a 6.78-inch quad-curved AMOLED 2K resolution 120Hz refresh rate panel sourced from TCL.

Gallery: Xiaomi 15 Pro

 

 

 

 

Xiaomi could pair the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 processor with up to 16GB of RAM and could also offer storage options of up to 1TB. According to the report, the Xiaomi 15 Pro could come with a triple-camera setup with a 50MP primary Light Fusion 900 series, featuring f/1.4 aperture, a 50MP ultrawide lens, and a new 50MP Sony IMX858 5X telemacro camera. For selfies, there will be a 32MP camera. Xiaomi could continue with its collaboration with Leica for camera tuning in its Xiaomi 15 series as well.

It is also anticipated that Xiaomi could offer five years of software updates for the Xiaomi 15 series, one year more than it currently offers for the Xiaomi 14 series. Other notable features that the Xiaomi 15 Pro may feature include an in-display fingerprint scanner, stereo speakers, and an IP68 rating.

The phone could pack a 6,000mAh battery, which could be coupled with 90W wired charging, 80W wireless charging, and 10W wireless charging. The Xiaomi 15 Pro may come with HyperOS 2.0 which offers a suite of AI features.

It is expected that Xiaomi could launch the Xiaomi 15 series this month in China, with a global launch possibly happening early next year.

Source and images: Smartprix

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Samsung offers long-term software update support, which makes the devices last longer. But for some, the new update has become a nightmare, as it prevents affected devices from fully booting and does not give them any option to roll back.

Multiple user reports have confirmed that over the past couple of days, after installing the latest update on their Galaxy S10 series (S10, S10+, S10e, S10 Lite, S10 5G) and Galaxy Note 10 series (Note 10, Note 10+, Note 10 5G) devices are no longer working. The Galaxy S10, Note10 series, Galaxy M51, and Galaxy A90 users were affected by the same issues.

The affected devices no longer work and fail to complete the boot process. While the exact cause of the issue isn't known, it is reported that a faulty SmartThings Framework update may have triggered these problems.

Since the phone isn't given the option to roll back that update, the only way to get the phone working is to perform a factory reset through Android recovery. On your Galaxy S10 series phone, if you wish to boot into the Android recovery menu, you need to turn off the device entirely, then press and hold the Bixby and volume up buttons together, then press the power button and hold it until you see the Samsung logo on the screen.

Once the Samsung logo pops up, release the keys, and the phone will boot into recovery mode. On the other hand, if you have a Galaxy Note10 series phone, you just need to press and hold the volume up and power buttons to boot into recovery mode.

Now, after you have entered recovery mode, you need to use the volume up and down buttons to navigate to "Wipe data/factory reset" and select the option using the Power button. You will be asked to confirm the reset, and after the process is complete, you need to go back to the previous menu and choose "Reboot system now."

Do note that performing a factory reset will wipe out all of your data. So, those who have already created a backup of their data will be able to safeguard their photos, videos, and other content. For now, you are advised not to install a new update on your Galaxy S10, Note10, or other affected phones and disable "Auto update apps."

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It was also rumored that Samsung could partner with MediaTek for its Galaxy S25 series in some parts of the world. According to the latest report, it appears that MediaTek could indeed power at least one of the models of the Galaxy S25 series, slated for launch next year.

Reportedly, the vanilla Galaxy S25 model could use a MediaTek Dimensity chipset. Notably, Samsung's recently launched Galaxy Tab S10 series is also powered by the MediaTek chipset. It is being said that Samsung could introduce a MediaTek chipset for its base Galaxy S25 model globally.

The reason behind using a MediaTek chipset on Galaxy S25 series is rumored to be cost. In a recent report, although it was reported flagship processors from Snapdragon and MediaTek could see a price increase, the price difference between the MediaTek Dimensity 9400 SoC and Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 processor is almost 20%, with the MediaTek chipset costing less.

Samsung could ditch its in-house Exynos 2500 chipset, and could rather go with the MediaTek chipset to keep the dual-chip strategy alive. Exynos processors could be kept away from mainstream flagship phones until they reach their full potential and become competitive with other flagship processors.

Additionally, the MediaTek Dimensity 9400 chipset shares the same fabrication process as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 (also rumored to be known as Snapdragon 8 Elite). This could mean that the performance will be more or less similar to each other. The MediaTek Dimensity 9400 processor is expected to feature Arm’s all-new Cortex-X925 (3.6GHz) CPU and Immortalis G925 GPU for an elevated gaming experience.

Another reason for sticking with the MediaTek processor for the standard model is that the smaller model is not as rich in demand as the "Plus" or the "Ultra" model. So, using the same costly chip across the lineup would only incur extra cost.

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