The iPhone 18 Pro Might Start at $1,399, and Even the Optimists Are Giving Up

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Rumors,

Two months ago the case for staying calm went like this: yes, memory prices have gone insane, but Apple runs the best supply chain on earth and has a long history of quietly eating costs to protect a price point. Analyst Jeff Pu of GF Securities was making exactly that argument in May, saying Apple could still price the iPhone 18 Pro aggressively. This week he changed his mind.

In a new research note, Pu now expects the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max to land $250 to $300 above their predecessors. That works out to roughly $1,349 to $1,399 for the iPhone 18 Pro and $1,449 to $1,499 for the Pro Max. The iPhone 17 Pro starts at $1,099 today. The 17 Pro Max starts at $1,199. Do that math on a Pro Max with any storage upgrade at all and you're staring at a phone that costs more than a decent laptop.

Click to continue reading The iPhone 18 Pro Might Start at $1,399, and Even the Optimists Are Giving Up

Apple Just Raised Trade-In Values, and It’s Taking Android Phones Now

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Hot Deals,

Apple raising trade-in values is normally a footnote. Apple raising trade-in values roughly a month before its biggest launch of the year, with some devices jumping close to 30 percent, is a strategy.

The company updated its U.S. trade-in estimates today, lifting the numbers for most iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch models compared to the last revision in May. It also added several Android phones to the list for the first time.

Click to continue reading Apple Just Raised Trade-In Values, and It’s Taking Android Phones Now

Apple Posted Its Best June Quarter Ever. The Stock Fell 6% Anyway.

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Corporate News,

Apple just posted the best June quarter in its history. Record revenue, record iPhone sales, record Mac sales, records in every single geography it reports. The stock fell more than 6% in after-hours trading.

That gap is the whole story. The quarter Apple reported is already over, and it was excellent. The quarter Apple guided to is the one investors reacted to, and it comes with a warning that the company cannot build enough of what people want to buy, at margins that keep shrinking for reasons outside its control.

Click to continue reading Apple Posted Its Best June Quarter Ever. The Stock Fell 6% Anyway.

Apple Upgrade Subscription Sounds Great, Until You See What It Leaves Out

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Editorial,

Apple has a plan for the fact that its gear keeps getting more expensive: let you pay for it a little at a time. Next week the company rolls out Apple Upgrade, a monthly subscription that turns a big one-time hit into a manageable line item on your card. It sounds great. Then you read the fine print, and the catch lands on exactly the people the whole thing was supposed to help.

Here is the setup. Apple's prices have crept up lately, driven in large part by the cost of the memory that all this AI ambition demands, and more increases are expected this fall alongside new iPhone and Apple Watch models. There are even new "Ultra" tiers on the way, an iPhone Ultra and a MacBook Ultra, for people who want to spend more than they already were. Spreading that cost over monthly payments is a genuinely sensible idea. Financing a phone is nothing new, but having Apple do it directly, at the register and online, makes the sticker shock easier to swallow.

Click to continue reading Apple Upgrade Subscription Sounds Great, Until You See What It Leaves Out

Apple’s Long-Promised New Siri Is Finally Here, If You’re Willing to Beta Test iOS 27

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Software, Artificial Intelligence,

Apple has been promising a smarter, more personal Siri for so long that it started to feel like a running joke. The assistant that was supposed to understand your life, dig through your apps, and actually get things done kept slipping - announced, delayed, quietly pushed to “next year.” Well, next year is here. The new Siri just made its public debut in the iOS 27 beta, and for the first time you can actually try the thing Apple has been talking about for what feels like forever.

There’s a catch, though. A few of them, actually. This isn’t a switch that flips on your iPhone tomorrow. You have to opt into a public beta, join a waitlist, own a fairly recent iPhone, and live in the right part of the world. The upside, though, is that once you get in, the new Siri is...actually really good. For Apple, that would be a first.

Click to continue reading Apple’s Long-Promised New Siri Is Finally Here, If You’re Willing to Beta Test iOS 27

Why the iPhone 17e is Genius (Video!)

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Features, Product Reviews, Videos,

The iPhone 17e is the affordable iPhone Apple should have made from the start. At the same $599 price, it fixes nearly every major complaint people had about the last model with the A19 chip, 256GB of base storage, MagSafe, the new C1X modem, Ceramic Shield 2, and smarter camera features. In this video, I break down the six upgrades that make the 17e feel less like a budget compromise and more like a real member of the iPhone 17 lineup.

What makes this phone so interesting is not just the spec sheet, but how much better the everyday experience looks this time around. Faster wireless charging, more storage at no extra cost, better durability, and a more capable camera all add up to a phone that feels much easier to recommend. If you skipped the previous model because it felt like Apple was holding back, this breakdown shows why the iPhone 17e may be the value pick in the lineup.

Get the iPhone 17e now

Apple’s HUGE Siri Apple Intelligence Fumble w/ John Gruber - Geared Up 205

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Software, Videos,

Tech legend John Gruber joins Andru Edwards and Jon Rettinger to unravel the story behind Apple Intelligence and its delayed features in this episode of Geared Up. From early WWDC promises to today's reality, they dissect how Apple got comfortable showcasing features it didn't hav eready, and what that says about their internal culture, marketing strategy, and the future of Siri.

Required reading for this episode: Something is Rotten in the State of Cupertino

Gruber shares rare behind-the-scenes insights, including his personal evolution in covering Apple and the moment he realized the company had broken a decades-long precedent. The trio also explores the rocky launch of Vision Pro, Apple's approach to foldables, and why Apple Maps is a cautionary tale for Apple Intelligence.

Head to the Geared Up YouTube channel to subscribe so you don't miss an episode.

Apple’s C1 Modem: The Silent Revolution Inside the iPhone 16e

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Features, Videos,

Every iPhone launch brings the usual fanfare - new cameras, brighter screens, and the inevitable comparison charts. But this year, Apple made a quiet yet monumental move: introducing the C1 modem inside the iPhone 16e. This is Apple’s first in-house modem chip, a shift that could redefine how iPhones connect to the world, just as Apple Silicon did for processing power.

Why Modems Matter More Than You Think

The modem is one of the most crucial components in any smartphone. It’s the bridge between your phone and the world, translating signals from cell towers into the data that powers your web browsing, video streaming, and even your voice calls. A great modem means faster speeds, better battery efficiency, and a smoother experience when networks get congested. Apple knows this, which is why the move to develop its own modem is such a big deal.

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Is Apple Intelligence All Hype? w/ Taylor Lorenz - Geared Up 202

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Podcasts, Videos,

AI has been hyped up like the world’s next superstar athlete, but when it comes time to perform, has it actually stuck the landing? In this episode, we dive into the state of AI today, breaking down what’s working, what’s failing, and how companies like Apple, Google, and OpenAI are shaping the future.

We discuss Apple Intelligence, its delayed rollout, and whether Apple’s privacy-first approach is actually hurting its AI capabilities. Plus, what’s going on with AI-generated images, the evolution of Siri, and the battle between Google Gemini, ChatGPT, and Apple’s attempts to keep up. And of course, we analyze whether companies are just slapping "AI" on everything from bird feeders to massage chairs to sell more products.

On top of that, we discuss T-Mobile’s partnership with Starlink and the conspiracy theories running rampant about Elon Musk tracking everything. Also, are we witnessing the slow demise of TikTok in the U.S.? Taylor Lorenz joins the discussion to break it all down.

Apple’s iPhone Sales Slip Due to China Competition

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Corporate News,