Apple is expected to unveil the controller at its October 13 smart home launch, alongside updated Apple TV and HomePod mini devices. Bloomberg reports a mid-November release for HomeView, while iPhone in Canada describes it as a Siri-first smart home display rather than an iPad mounted on a stand.
- The Verge says Apple could also introduce a platform called homeOS.
The potential deal would exceed Decart's $4 billion valuation in May, according to RuntimeWire. The startup raised $300 million that month in a funding round led by Radical Ventures, the publisher says. Bloomberg cites The Wall Street Journal as the source of the report about the acquisition negotiations.
ArtCraft is expanding its collection of open-source creative tools with cross-platform Office alternatives, according to Tom's Hardware, which describes them as alternatives to subscription models. In a separate development, Microsoft is bringing the full Word, Excel and PowerPoint experience into its Copilot app, according to Neowin.
CNET describes the X Fold 6 as an Android foldable, highlights its blue finish and considers Apple's impact on the market. Android Authority identifies it as a book-style foldable and compares the phone with Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra after using Vivo's device.
Tom's Guide reports that Playground allows people with no coding experience to create games using AI. Writers at Tom's Guide and Wired both used Google's platform to make games, with each publishing a first-person account of the games they produced during their time using it.
The current model starts at $599 with 128 GB of storage. According to 9to5Mac, Apple is set to introduce its next-generation iPad mini later this month, and starting storage may increase. AppleInsider attributes the expected price rise to higher RAM prices and the cost of the OLED display.
Apple’s executive chairman met Guangdong governor Meng Fanli on Sunday and expressed willingness to expand smart manufacturing and sales channels, according to the South China Morning Post. The newspaper reports that the trip follows the launch of the iPhone 18 Pro lineup and Apple’s first foldable device, the iPhone Duo.
The US International Trade Commission opened the case after Vicor alleged infringement of one of its patents, according to The Next Web. Foxconn, Luxshare and Quanta are among the companies involved. DigiTimes reports that Vicor is seeking a US import ban for the second time this year.
- Luxshare expects no material impact from the investigation, according to Bloomberg.
- Vicor has previously won an import ban, according to DigiTimes.
According to Business Insider, the AI agent created flashcards and a custom podcast for Lopez's son, who aced the quiz. Engadget compares Muse with OpenAI's Dot, examining their capabilities, pricing and availability, while Android Authority lists five alternative AI apps that users can choose instead of Meta's agent.
Neowin reports that an open-source browser offers a Chromium experience without Chrome's AI features and with fewer connections to Google services and trackers. Separately, Android Police describes using Gemini alongside Chrome for productivity, rather than reporting on the privacy-focused alternative covered by Neowin.
Android Headlines reports that the next-generation device could turn a living room television into a smart display. 9to5Google says it broke news of the incoming streamer and places the planned follow-up in the context of challenges for Google's smart home hardware strategy and new competition.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman also expects an OLED iPad Air refresh and a new iPad Pro in 2027, according to MacRumors. The Pro could gain a vapor chamber to improve cooling and performance. MacRumors reports that the next entry-level models carry the codenames J581 and J582.
- AppleInsider says an OLED iPad mini will probably launch in late October.
TechRadar reports that the Prestige N16 Flip AI+ is a convertible powered by Nvidia's RTX Spark, with prices starting at $3,299. Separately, Wccftech reports that Microsoft's $5,899.99 Surface Laptop Ultra configuration with RTX Spark, 128GB of unified memory and a 1TB SSD is listed as out of stock, while lower-tier options remain available.