Asianet Newsable

iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max Pre-Orders Date Leaks Ahead of Apple Event; Here’s When You Can Book

Gargi Chaudhry — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 18:16:32 +0530

Apple will soon launch the new iPhones for the global market. Only one week remains till the launch. The launch date of September 9, 2026 has been confirmed by Apple. The Cupertino tech giant plans to release a number of products, albeit the specifics are yet unknown. Based on the reports, we anticipate seeing the iPhone Ultra, Apple's first folding phone, and the iPhone 18 Pro models in new colors. The pre-order date is currently appearing online ahead of the launch day. Although Apple has not officially announced the pre-order date, reliable web sites have now proposed a potential date.

iPhone 18 Pro: When Will Pre-Orders Begin?

Pre-orders for the iPhone 18 Pro variants will open on Saturday following the announcement. Pre-orders are typically targeted by Apple for Friday. But this time, Saturday falls on September 11th, which is a bad date for US history. As a result, the business will search for September 12, 2026, which is immediately after September 11.

Macrumors said, “The time is also set to change, according to the source: While pre-orders usually begin at 5 am PT, Apple is reportedly opening up pre-sales at midnight PT on Saturday.”

Pre-orders for the foldable iPhone may not be available anytime soon. Most likely, it will happen in late September. According to earlier reports, the iPhone Ultra won't hit the market until November 2026. This could be accurate. But only at the Apple September launch event will the product be made public.

In the upcoming days, iOS 27 is also anticipated to be released. The updated software was mostly published by Apple just prior to the debut of the new iPhones. It is anticipated that the iPhone 18 series would come pre-installed with iOS 27. It will soon be available for the other iPhones on the market. Apple Intelligence (AI) refers to AI-powered capabilities that are exclusive to iPhones, including the iPhone 15 Pro and subsequent versions.

Does One ChatGPT Query Use 6 Hours Of Shower Water? OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Clarifies

Shweta Kumari — Sat, 05 Sep 2026 09:54:16 +0530

Sam Altman has pushed back against mounting criticism over the enormous resource demands of artificial intelligence, particularly concerns surrounding the water consumed by data centres powering AI systems. The OpenAI CEO has dismissed viral claims about ChatGPT’s water footprint, arguing that public alarm over the fresh water required to cool large-scale data centres is overstated and fails to account for advances in modern cooling technology.

Speaking on the Sources Podcast, Altman addressed growing resistance to the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure and challenged the viral claim that a single ChatGPT prompt consumes as much water as leaving a household shower running for six hours.

Calling the narrative an online myth, Altman suggested that the actual water consumption associated with individual ChatGPT queries is dramatically lower. According to his estimate, around 38,000 ChatGPT queries consume an amount of water comparable to what is required to produce a single almond in California.

“I saw this thing going around about the water usage of ChatGPT and it was like, ‘every time you run a single ChatGPT query, it's like you run your shower for like 6 hours and the water never comes back and it's just it's done’. I don't have the exact calculation in front of me, but I think the real number is something like doing this from memory, it might be wrong. For every 38,000 ChatGPT queries, that is the same amount of water that is used in the production of a single almond in California,” he said on the podcast .

Altman also questioned the scrutiny directed at AI infrastructure, pointing to the everyday consumption of water-intensive products such as almonds. He argued that people can consume several almonds without considering their water footprint, while AI systems face intense criticism over comparatively small per-query consumption.

“There’s a question, ‘where this came from’ because the people that are scarfing down 12 almonds at a time don't feel like they're doing something horrible from a water perspective. It is true that data centers at one point used evaporative cooling but they have not done that in a long time,” he noted.

He further argued that perceptions surrounding data-centre water consumption are rooted in outdated assumptions about how these facilities operate. According to Altman, older data centres relied more heavily on evaporative cooling, which could result in significant water loss, whereas newer facilities have adopted more efficient cooling infrastructure.

Altman claimed that a modern large-scale data centre's water consumption is broadly comparable to that of a conventional office building, including water used by employees for sinks and toilets.

“If you look at a modern very large data center, it uses the equivalent amount of water as an office building in terms of people running the sinks and the toilets and whatever. So that has been a robust meme and difficult to disprove, but I don't think it holds up to any scrutiny,” Altman concluded .

India’s Unblinking Eye: EOS-05 Returns to High-Altitude Skies

Girish Linganna — Thu, 03 Sep 2026 10:44:01 +0530

Five years ago, in August 2021, a GSLV-F10 rocket lifted off from Sriharikota carrying a satellite India had waited years to see in orbit. It never reached its intended home. GISAT-1, short for Geo Imaging Satellite, was lost when the rocket ran into trouble during its climb, and with it went a bold idea: that India could station a camera high above the equator and watch its own land without a pause.

That idea is about to get its second chance. On September 4, at 2.55 in the morning, GSLV-F17 is scheduled to rise from the Second Launch Pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, carrying EOS-05, an advanced Earth observation satellite built to finish what GISAT-1 could not. For the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), whose engineers lived through the 2021 setback, this countdown carries a weight that goes far beyond routine.

What makes EOS-05 unusual is where it will live. Most Earth observation satellites circle the planet at low altitudes, sweeping over a place only briefly before moving on, like a bus that passes your stop a few times a day. EOS-05 will instead sit roughly 36,000 kilometres above the equator, in what is called geostationary orbit. At that height, a satellite travels around Earth at exactly the pace at which Earth itself turns, so from the ground it appears to hang motionless over one spot, like a watchman on a tall tower rather than a patrol walking the streets. The rocket will not drop it straight there; it leaves the satellite in a stepping-stone orbit, from which it climbs the rest of the way on its own engine.

This steady perch (its fixed position high above the equator, always facing the same part of Earth) is what allows the satellite to photograph India and its neighbourhood over and over. Under the mission plan, EOS-05 will deliver near real-time pictures roughly every 30 minutes, and when a region demands closer attention, fresh images as often as every five minutes. A satellite in a lower orbit could never manage this, because it must complete its journey around the globe before its path brings it over India again. One caveat: like any camera it needs a clear view, so this works only under cloud-free skies; it cannot peer through monsoon cloud.

Also Read: One World May Be Covered in Lava, the Other Could Have Water: Scientists Discover Two Strange New Planets

Why does such speed matter? Because disasters do not wait. A cyclone building in the Bay of Bengal, a river bursting its banks, a forest fire racing up a hillside: each can change shape within minutes, and relief agencies must see those changes as they happen. Beyond emergencies, Earth observation satellites help track clouds and weather, judge the health of crops, and record shifts in land and water. Strategically, a satellite that never looks away can keep continuous watch over sensitive areas, strengthening national security.

None of this is easy. Geostationary orbit has traditionally been reserved for communication and weather satellites. Taking sharp pictures of Earth's surface from 36,000 kilometres away is a different challenge altogether, rather like reading a signboard in Kanyakumari while standing in Kashmir. To manage it, EOS-05 carries a telescope with a 700 mm mirror, roughly the width of a car tyre, which gathers far more light than an ordinary camera lens and lets it see fine detail from that great distance. Behind the telescope sit two kinds of sensors. The multi-spectral sensor records light in a handful of broad colour bands, including some the human eye cannot see, much like a set of coloured filters that reveal, for instance, whether vegetation is healthy or stressed. The hyper-spectral sensor goes much further, slicing light into dozens of very narrow bands, so that every surface, be it wet soil, a particular crop, or a patch of oil on water, leaves its own signature, rather like a fingerprint. Together, they let the satellite not just photograph the land but read it. The satellite must cover an enormous area yet aim this telescope with extraordinary precision, holding perfectly still while the image is captured, since any tremble at that distance would blur the picture. Its images can show a large field or a coastline changing, though not a single house. Once in place, EOS-05 is designed to keep working for 10 years, a full decade of watching over India before its fuel and systems wear out. Mastering all this is a real engineering milestone for India's Earth observation programme.

Which is why the early hours of September 4 will be watched with held breath across ISRO. Every launch tests machines, but this one also tests the resolve of an organisation that lost a satellite and chose to build it again. If all goes to plan, EOS-05 will become something India has never had: a tireless eye in the sky, watching over the subcontinent almost without blinking.

Also Read: SpaceX Rocket to Hit Moon at 8,700 km/h This Week; Scientists Eager for Rare Experiment

US Settlement With Meta Is A Start. India Must Protect Itself

Rajeev Chandrasekhar — Sat, 05 Sep 2026 12:23:40 +0530

On August 26, Meta agreed to pay up to $17.1 billion to resolve child-harm claims brought by a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general across the United States, its territories and the District of Columbia. It is one of the largest consumer-protection settlements in internet history. More importantly, it marks a turning point in the debate over whether social-media platforms knowingly exposed children to harm in pursuit of growth and profit.

The case placed Meta’s design choices under legal scrutiny: How its products encouraged prolonged use, how teen safety-features were presented to the public, and how the company understood the risks its platforms created for young users. Meta denies wrongdoing. But the settlement demonstrates that voluntary self-regulation is no substitute for enforceable accountability.

Under the proposed settlement, Meta must adopt stronger safeguards for users under 18, including default time limits, restrictions on nighttime use, limits on notifications during school hours, enhanced age-assurance measures and independent compliance oversight. These are not cosmetic changes. They go to the core of how Facebook and Instagram are allowed to operate for minors.

If American children now receive court-backed protection from harmful platform design, why should Indian children not receive the same assurance of safety?

This settlement does not mean that Meta has solved the problem. A company that generated $201 billion in revenue in 2025 can absorb $17 billion paid over 10 years. That Meta stock was up 5 per cent after the settlement proves that this settlement has little or no punitive impact on the company. The mandated safety reforms are meaningful, but overdue. Most critically, the settlement protects American children under American law, through American prosecutors. It does not cover India’s 350 million young users. The same platforms operate here. The same recommendation systems shape what children see. The same incentives reward attention, engagement and prolonged use. Yet India has not seen comparable legal action, compelled disclosure or court-supervised reform.

That is not because the harm is less serious in India. It is because our debate on platform harm has remained episodic and inconclusive. A tragedy occurs, outrage follows, a platform issues a statement, a parliamentary question may be asked — and then silence returns. American litigation broke that cycle. India now needs a legal process capable of compelling the same disclosure.

Disclosure was the most important outcome of the US case. Court-compelled discovery forced Meta to produce internal research, design documents and communications about child safety — under oath, in public, and subject to cross-examination. A serious legal action in Indian courts would compel answers to questions like:

What does Meta’s internal research show about mental-health impact on Indian teenage girls? How does the recommendation engine behave in Hindi, Tamil, and Bengali for a 14-year-old at 11 pm? How many Indian children under 13 are active on platforms that legally prohibit their membership? What is the scale of child-sexual-abuse material affecting Indian users, and how is it reported? In the US alone, 7.5 million materials were under internal review.

Were the same addictive design features applied to Indian users? If yes, Indian users have been subjected to harm with no protection.

The answers exist — in Meta’s servers, internal research databases and executive communications. The only way to obtain them is through the courts. India has the legal foundation to act: The Consumer Protection Act, 2019, the IT (Intermediary Guidelines) Rules 2021, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), the Juvenile Justice Act and the Constitution of India. We need not wait for new legislation.

The Safe, Trusted and Accountable framework developed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government in 2021 — of which I was a part — was designed for this purpose: To ensure that platforms operating at scale bear legal responsibility for the consequences of their design choices. The conduct alleged in the American cases fails that standard.

India needs to coordinate a national legal strategy. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights should launch a formal inquiry with discovery powers, compelling platforms to produce India-specific safety research, algorithm documentation, data on underage users, and internal-harm research.

Affected families in India can approach consumer forums and high courts directly, too. Parliament must pass legislation creating a statutory right to algorithmic disclosure — requiring platforms to reveal, to a designated Indian authority, their content moderation policies, recommendation engine parameters, and child-safety research for Indian users. Last, state governments should file coordinated consumer protection and child-safety suits against these platforms in Indian courts.

A single pioneering state can trigger a national movement.

The US settlement is a beginning. For too long, global platforms have operated in India with less scrutiny, weaker oversight and lower public awareness than they face in the West. They have profited enormously from India’s young users while bearing little legal accountability.

The settlement is America’s answer to what social media has done to its children. India must now find its own answers. The shadow debate must end. The harm is real. The platforms know it. Legal tools exist. It’s time to act decisively to make all platforms safe, trusted and accountable.

The writer, former MP, former minister of state for Electronics & Information Technology, Government of India, is BJP Kerala state president and MLA for Nemom.

He begins a fortnightly column. Views are personal

Long-Term ChatGPT Use Could Weaken Critical Thinking, MIT Study Warns

Shweta Kumari — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 11:54:07 +0530

A recent study by the Media Lab at MIT has raised a warning about prolonged reliance on ChatGPT, suggesting that excessive use of the AI chatbot could negatively affect cognitive abilities, critical thinking and learning. The research, led by MIT research scientist Nataliya Kos’myna, tracked participants over several months and found that those using an LLM consistently underperformed at neural, linguistic and behavioural levels. The findings have reignited concerns about what could happen when artificial intelligence begins replacing rather than supporting human thinking.

The researchers warned that the results could have significant implications for education and highlighted the need for deeper research into how AI is reshaping the way people learn and process information.

“What really motivated me to put it out now before waiting for a full peer review is that I am afraid in six to eight months, there will be some policymaker who decides, ‘let’s do GPT kindergarten,’” Kos’myna told Time magazine. “I think that would be absolutely bad and detrimental. Developing brains are at the highest risk.”

ChatGPT Users Showed Lowest Brain Engagement

For the study, 54 participants aged between 18 and 39 were divided into three groups and asked to write several SAT-style essays. One group was allowed to use ChatGPT, another could use Google Search, while the third had to work without any digital assistance.

Researchers monitored participants' brain activity using EEG across 32 regions of the brain. Among the three groups, those using ChatGPT displayed the lowest level of brain engagement.

The study also identified a worrying behavioural pattern. Over several months, ChatGPT users appeared to become less diligent, increasingly relying on the chatbot's output and, in some cases, simply cutting and pasting its responses.

Experts Warn of Critical-Thinking Risks

The findings have sparked concern among academics and technology experts, although some have cautioned against treating the preliminary research as definitive proof of long-term cognitive damage.

“I’m super excited that they did this,” said Karen Kovacs North, a clinical professor of communication at the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California.

“People are very excited about AI and about the potential of AI,” she told TechNewsWorld. “But the question that some people have always had is, what does it do to critical thinking if people rely on it for problem solving or to think through issues?”

“MIT decided to take the bull by the horns and actually look at the critical thinking issue and found what a lot of people fear, which is that relying on AI might interfere with the development of critical thinking,” she continued. “They rightfully point out, this should be a cautionary tale.”

Mark N. Vena, president and principal analyst at SmartTech Research in Las Vegas, acknowledged the significance of the findings but pointed to the study's limited sample size. Only 54 people participated initially, with just 18 included in the follow-up.

“Its early release underscores urgency — but peer review is pending,” he told TechNewsWorld. “It highlights potential weakening in memory and critical thinking with heavy AI use, yet stops short of proving long-term harm.”

“The study’s reveal is provocative,” he added, “but limited in scope and duration. It’s more of an early warning than a conclusive finding. Further research, especially long-term studies across age groups and use cases, is critical before drawing sweeping conclusions about AI’s impact on cognition.”

Could AI Dependence Affect Professionals Too?

The concerns may extend well beyond classrooms. Experts say excessive dependence on AI could potentially affect professionals whose work depends heavily on reasoning, judgement and problem-solving.

“The concern around cognitive atrophy applies to all AI users — but the legal field offers a particularly sharp example,” said Boaz Ashkenazy, co-founder and CEO of Augmented AI Labs.

“When young lawyers rely on AI to generate arguments or summarize case law without first developing their own reasoning, they risk bypassing the deep, foundational learning that comes from doing the work manually,” he told TechNewsWorld. “The same pattern can show up in other professions, where over-reliance on AI risks dulling human judgment, problem-solving, and strategic thinking.”

Researchers See a Possible Cognitive Feedback Loop

David Bader, director of the Institute for Data Science at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, described the findings as particularly significant because they offer neurological evidence supporting concerns that have circulated around excessive AI dependence.

“As a data scientist who has spent decades analyzing complex systems and their emergent behaviors, I find these MIT findings particularly significant because they represent the first neurological evidence of what many of us in the field have suspected — that over-reliance on AI systems may fundamentally alter human cognitive processes,” he observed.

Bader acknowledged that the research remains preliminary and limited, but said the EEG findings showing reduced neural connectivity among ChatGPT users appeared consistent with theories surrounding the distribution of cognitive load.

“What concerns me most is the progressive nature of the decline over just a few sessions, suggesting that cognitive offloading to AI may create a feedback loop where users become increasingly dependent on external processing power at the expense of developing their own analytical capabilities,” he told TechNewsWorld.

Rob Enderle, president and principal analyst with the Enderle Group, said he had witnessed similar effects through his own observations.

“I’ve observed this myself,” confessed Rob Enderle, president and principal analyst with the Enderle Group, an advisory services firm, in Bend, Ore. “The more you depend on AI, the less you do yourself, leading to skill degradation, if you don’t work to improve your prompting skills instead.”

“So this means we need to be very careful with AI or we could significantly degrade our own unique capabilities,” he told TechNewsWorld.

Ryan Trattner, CTO and co-founder of StudyFetch, went even further, arguing that AI could undermine the very process of learning when students surrender too much of the work to chatbots.

“This study offers empirical evidence of what we already knew,” added Ryan Trattner, CTO and co-founder of StudyFetch, an AI educational platform in Los Angeles.

“ChatGPT is not a learning tool,” he told TechNewsWorld. “Quite the opposite. It is a hindrance to true learning, and unrestricted use is killing critical thinking skills and students’ creativity.”

“ChatGPT is the best — and worst — group project partner in history,” he declared. “It does all the work and never complains, but the group member who never shows up for meetings also doesn’t learn anything. Students are using ChatGPT as an AI co-worker to do all of the work and have no ownership of the result.”

AI May Be Repeating an Old Technology Debate

John Bambenek, president of Bambenek Consulting and author of “Lies, Damn Lies, and AI,” argued that the concerns surrounding generative AI resemble earlier warnings about other transformative technologies.

He pointed to the internet and social media as examples of technologies that have also been blamed for altering attention, information consumption and cognitive habits.

“The invention of the internet and blogging also led to warnings ‘don’t believe everything you read on the internet,” he told TechNewsWorld. “ChatGPT, in particular, superficially allows people to query a huge body of knowledge and get credible-looking answers.”

TED speaker, entrepreneur and AI investor Pedro David Espinoza was even more blunt about the broader impact of technology on cognition.

“AI is accelerating this cognitive decline on steroids. Exponentially. Sadly,” he told TechNewsWorld.

Bambenek argued that education could be particularly vulnerable because students are expected not merely to reproduce information but to understand concepts and develop independent thinking.

“The real byproduct of a student writing a paper is the growth of understanding in the subject that the exercise produces,” he said. “Getting GenAI to write the paper for you — which is increasingly getting harder to detect — means the true product of understanding isn’t achieved, only the superficial product, a paper.”

“The biggest problem,” he continued, “is that absent requiring test taking to occur in strict proctored environments or going back to oral exams, there is little to nothing that can be done to stop cheating.”

‘You Can’t Learn to Write Except by Writing’

Dan Kennedy, a professor of journalism at Northeastern University, said the biggest concern may not be students using AI for routine assignments, but those allowing it to take over more sophisticated creative work.

“There’s no question that AI is going to be used more and more for mind-numbing tasks like rote essays,” added Dan Kennedy, a professor of journalism at Northeastern University in Boston. “I’m more worried about students and others who will use it for higher-level creative tasks, producing work that is dull and unimpressive but that appears to fulfill the requirements of the assignment.”

“You can’t learn to write except by writing,” he told TechNewsWorld. “To the extent that AI takes away from that, then yes, we ought to be very worried about its use in education and everywhere else.”

Apple iPhone 16 Available For Rs 36,005! Check Exchange, Bank Offers And How To Grab The Deal

Gargi Chaudhry — Fri, 04 Sep 2026 16:17:19 +0530

Owning Apple's latest flagship just became significantly more accessible. By combining qualified exchange and bank deals, buyers wishing to buy Apple's iPhone 16 on Flipkart may lower its effective price to Rs 36,005. The highest exchange benefit plus an applicable bank discount can significantly reduce the final effective cost of the iPhone 16's 128GB model, which is presently priced at Rs 67,900.

How Does The Deal Work?

The 128GB iPhone 16 is presently priced at Rs 67,900 on Flipkart, while its MRP is Rs 69,900. Depending on the smartphone's model and condition, buyers may be eligible for an exchange reward of up to Rs 27,000. Customers who qualify and use a Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card might receive an extra discount of Rs 4,895. The effective price drops to Rs 36,005 after applying the bank discount and maximum exchange advantage.

The Rs 36,005 effective price depends on receiving both the maximum Rs 27,000 exchange value and the Rs 4,895 bank discount.

Buyers who do not qualify for the maximum exchange amount will pay more, making it important to check the final exchange valuation and applicable card terms before completing the purchase.

Offer Details

Model: Apple iPhone 16 (128GB)

MRP: Rs 69,900

Current Selling Price: Rs 67,900

Exchange Benefit (up to): Rs 27,000

Flipkart Axis Bank Discount: Rs 4,895

Effective Price: Rs 36,005

Note: The final exchange value depends on the condition, age and model of your old smartphone. Bank offers are subject to eligibility and payment terms.

What Does iPhone 16 Offer?

The A18 processor from Apple powers the iPhone 16, which also has a twin camera setup, USB-C connection, and Dynamic Island. Additionally, the device provides Apple Intelligence functions in languages and countries that are supported.

Customers who have a smartphone that meets the requirements for the maximum exchange value and can take advantage of the corresponding bank-card discount may find the offer especially pertinent.

'Almost Nothing': Apple CEO John Ternus’ Bare LinkedIn Profile Sparks Branding Debate

Shweta Kumari — Sat, 05 Sep 2026 11:40:25 +0530

Apple CEO John Ternus has sparked a debate online not because of an elaborate professional profile on LinkedIn, but because of how little his page reveals. Ternus assumed the top job at Apple on September 1, succeeding Tim Cook after spending more than 25 years at the tech giant. Yet, despite becoming the head of one of the world's most influential companies, his LinkedIn profile still identifies him as Apple's vice president of hardware engineering.

His profile also provides scant details about his extensive career at Apple, despite his association with major products including the Apple Watch and AirPods.

For a top leader of a global technology powerhouse, Ternus' understated LinkedIn presence has surprised users accustomed to curated profiles packed with polished headshots, elaborate biographies and carefully documented achievements.

What is missing from John Ternus' LinkedIn profile?

John Ternus' LinkedIn page contains surprisingly little information about his professional trajectory. The profile lists his tenure at Apple and a four-year stint as an engineer at Virtual Research Inc. It also notes that Ternus holds a mechanical engineering degree from the University of Pennsylvania. Beyond his profile photograph and Apple being listed among his followed interests, however, there is little else to explore.

Even after taking over as Apple's CEO from Cook on September 1, Ternus' LinkedIn profile had not been updated to reflect the leadership transition.

Apple's own internal pages, meanwhile, were updated following the change at the top.

iPhone 18 Pro Pre-Order Date Leaked: Here's Why Apple May Open Orders On September 12

Gargi Chaudhry — Fri, 04 Sep 2026 10:28:32 +0530

The Surprise and Shine Apple September event is set to take place on September 9, 2026, starting at 10:30 PM Indian Standard Time (IST) in India. The iPhone 18, iPhone 18 Pro, and iPhone Ultra—Apple's first foldable phone—are the three new phones that will be unveiled that day. The pre-order date for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max has appeared online in a recent round of leaks. On that note, here is everything that you need to know about the same, along with specifications and cameras.

Apple iPhone 18 Pro Pre-Sale Date

A Macwelt report claims that Apple will begin taking orders on Saturday, September 12, 2026, after delaying pre-sales by one day. September 11 is a day of commemoration and sadness in the United States, thus this will take place. Apple may potentially alter the commencement time. Pre-orders are anticipated to start on September 12 at midnight PT and around 12:30 PM IST, instead of the customary 5:30 PM (IST) launch.

Apple iPhone 18 Pro Expected Specifications

A 6.3-inch OLED panel with a refresh rate of 120 Hz might be found in the Apple iPhone 18 Pro. The Apple A20 Pro chipset, which is based on a 2nm technology, may power it. According to leaks, the chipset will likely run 15% quicker and provide about 30% more energy efficiency. A 5100mAh battery that supports MagSafe wireless charging is another option for the phone.

Regarding photography capabilities, the Apple iPhone 18 Pro may include three rear cameras: a 48MP main camera, a 48MP ultra-wide-angle sensor, and a 48MP telephoto sensor. The gadget could include an 18MP camera on the front for taking selfies and making video calls.

Vivo V80 Lite: 10,000mAh Battery, 50MP Sony Camera and 120Hz AMOLED Display

Richa Barua — Fri, 04 Sep 2026 17:19:39 +0530

Vivo is all set to launch its new V80 Lite model in Malaysia, and it's packing a massive 10,000mAh battery. Pre-orders for the phone have already started on Vivo Malaysia's official website. The phone will be officially launched in Malaysia on September 3rd. This Malaysian variant is quite different in design and features compared to the V80 Lite model that was recently launched in Pakistan.

Vivo V80 Lite Variants

The new Vivo V80 Lite will be available in three options: 6GB RAM + 128GB storage, 6GB RAM + 256GB storage, and 8GB RAM + 256GB storage. You can get the phone in Pink, Green, and Black colours. The company hasn't announced the final price yet. The website currently shows a placeholder price, but we expect the full details to be revealed at the launch event on September 3rd.

Special Gifts for Pre-booking

Pre-bookings for the Vivo V80 Lite will be open until midnight on September 3rd. The company has said that customers who pre-order will receive special vouchers. Vivo hasn't released the full spec sheet yet, and the pre-order page only lists the key features. Details about the processor and other display specs are still under wraps.

From what we know so far, the phone will have a 1.5K resolution OLED display, a 50-megapixel Sony primary camera, and a 32-megapixel selfie camera. It also comes with IP68 and IP69 ratings for dust and water resistance. But the biggest highlight of this phone is its 10,000mAh BlueVolt battery, making it one of Vivo's first major models with such a large battery.

How is it different from the Pakistan model?

The Vivo V80 Lite that launched in Pakistan had a 6.83-inch 120Hz curved AMOLED display. That model was powered by a 4nm MediaTek Dimensity 7360-Turbo processor. It came with 8GB of RAM and options for 128GB or 256GB of storage. For cameras, it had a 50MP primary camera, a 2MP depth camera, and a 32MP front camera.

Moreover, the Pakistan version had a smaller 7,050mAh battery with 44W wired charging support. That model was very similar to the Vivo S2 released in India. However, the new V80 Lite launching in Malaysia is completely different in many aspects, including its design and especially its battery capacity.

Inside SHIELD: India's Invisible Drone Killer

Girish Linganna — Fri, 04 Sep 2026 16:09:27 +0530

In an Indian laboratory, a powerful microwave lamp will be switched on. Small electronic brains placed in front of it will freeze, restart, or die. That is the whole point. Before India can protect its radars, command posts and aircraft from a microwave attack, it must first create that attack on purpose, measure it honestly, and learn from it.

That idea is called SHIELD — the S-band High-Power Microwave Integrated Evaluation System for Lethality and Damage. DRDO has asked Indian companies to build it under the Technology Development Fund: here is the problem, invent the machine in India. The Fund is meant for Indian firms, especially small companies and startups, so this hardware is made here rather than bought abroad.

What is a high-power microwave?

A kitchen oven uses a few hundred watts of the same waves that carry Wi-Fi and radar to heat food. An HPM system takes that idea and makes it fierce, throwing much stronger pulses through open air. When the field over a target becomes large enough, a chip gets confused, a computer restarts, or the electronics are ruined. Soldiers call this a soft kill. The drone may look unhurt, but its radio, camera and flight computer have stopped thinking. Against a swarm this matters: a laser must stare at one drone until it burns, while one microwave pulse washes over several at once.

Why S-band?

That is the slice of radio from about 2 to 4 gigahertz. It is a crowded neighbourhood: home Wi-Fi, some satellite phones, airport radars, and the remote-control links of cheap drones. If energy arrives at a frequency a device already uses, it slips more easily into antennas and cables. So this test machine asks a blunt question: if a real attack came in this band, which box would stumble, which recover, and which never wake again?

The key number is a peak electric field of at least 3 kilovolts per metre, measured at a distance where the beam has settled, not right at the antenna. Imagine 3,000 volts stretched across a one-metre stick. That is huge next to the faint field around a phone. It is still a laboratory strength, used to study weakness, not the fiercer field of a finished weapon beside its target.

The machine will fire in short bursts. Engineers call the on-and-off pattern the duty cycle — the fraction of time the transmitter is actually shouting. Keep that fraction low and the heat stays under control, while each burst hits like a hammer. Without cooling plates and heat sinks, the chips inside would overheat and fail.

The heart of SHIELD is a Gallium Nitride solid-state amplifier. Older high-power machines used vacuum tubes such as magnetrons and klystrons, which still produce enormous bursts. DRDO's own S-band prototype in Bengaluru is publicly described as peaking around 450 megawatts and knocking down small quadcopters at about one kilometre. Solid-state GaN is a different road: no long warm-up, instant start, blocks stacked like Lego, and if one chip fails the rest keep working. A huge tube weapon usually needs a truck. A GaN unit can be built small enough to hang under a drone, which is why the tender mentions drone mounting.

The most important line: SHIELD is not a battlefield gun. It is a measuring instrument. Scientists will use it to see how badly a microwave field breaks radios, sensors, computers and flight controllers. India is already working on HPM weapons separately, including tests against swarms. What was missing is a repeatable bench — a standard lamp — against which shielding, cable layout, filters and spare computers are judged before they fly into a real fight.

A student with a physics book hears several chapters at once: how field strength falls with distance, why an antenna's focus matters, why a chip dies when a sudden voltage punches through the thin layers inside that act like switches, and why cooling is half the job in high-power electronics.

For everyone else the meaning is simpler. Today's wars are full of cheap flying computers. Shooting a missile at every small drone is a bill no country can keep paying. Directed energy offers a magazine made mostly of electricity. But no country can field such systems, or harden its own radars, unless it can first switch the threat on in a lab.

If SHIELD works, India will not only own a test machine. It will own people who can design these transmitters, handle violent bursts of power, keep dense electronics cool, and turn field readings into protection rules. The drone-mountable line points to the next chapter: lift this lamp off the workbench into the sky, where movement and the routes the energy uses to sneak into wires and antennas no longer look like a textbook — they look like war.

(Girish Linganna is an award-winning science communicator and a Defence, Aerospace & Geopolitical Analyst. He is the Managing Director of ADD Engineering Components India Pvt. Ltd., a subsidiary of ADD Engineering GmbH, Germany.)

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not reflect the views or stance of the organization. The organization assumes no responsibility for the content shared.

iPhone 17 Price in India: Amazon vs Flipkart vs Croma—Which Has the Best Deal?

Richa Barua — Thu, 03 Sep 2026 15:28:23 +0530

Want an iPhone 17? Getting the best deal today means watching offers from India's top retailers like a hawk. Shoppers are finding the A19-powered base iPhone 17 well below its launch price. Croma often shows the lowest prices, with Flipkart and Amazon close behind. This guide shows how to use bank discounts, exchange values, and special sales to snag your next iPhone for less.

September 19, 2025 — that's when the iPhone 17 series first arrived. The lineup includes standard, Air, Pro, and Pro Max models. The 256GB base model launched at ₹82,900. Since then, online and offline stores offered many discounts and bundles.

Croma Takes the Lead with Aggressive Offers

Croma recently showed some of the strongest pricing for the iPhone 17. In June 2026, during its 'Everything Apple Sale', Croma offered the 256GB iPhone 17 for an amazing effective price: just ₹44,768. How? Croma combined a 2% coupon, up to ₹23,500 in exchange value, an extra ₹8,000 exchange bonus, and Tata Neu coins worth up to ₹4,974. That's a big discount.

August 2026 brought more Croma deals. Without an exchange, Croma sold the iPhone 17 for ₹71,500. They did this by combining a 4% Airtel app discount with a 10% Tata Neu Infinity Plus cashback and other store offers. Croma's Independence Day sale in August 2026 also lowered iPhone 17 Pro effective prices to ₹75,900. It showed Croma's strong pricing. Buyers also found the iPhone 17 Pro from ₹77,900, with up to 42% off and EMI options then.

Flipkart's Competitive Edge with Bank and Exchange Deals

Flipkart stays a key player — especially with bank offers and trade-ins. Currently, Flipkart lists the 256GB iPhone 17 at ₹80,900. That's a small drop from its original price. But use an eligible Flipkart Axis Bank or Flipkart SBI credit card, and the price drops to ₹78,067. That's a ₹4,833 saving.

Exchange offers give the big benefit. Trade in an old device, like an iPhone 13 (128GB) in top shape. You can receive up to ₹22,250 in exchange value. Combine that with bank offers, and the iPhone 17's net price drops to ₹53,817. For the iPhone 17 Pro, Flipkart applied a flat ₹5,000 price cut, listing it at ₹1,29,900 (down from ₹1,34,900). Additional bank discounts further reduce the Pro model's effective price to ₹1,20,900, while the Pro Max reaches ₹1,35,900 with maximum bank offers.

Amazon's Dynamic Pricing and Past Offers

Amazon doesn't push specific recent deals for the base iPhone 17 as much. But the platform offered big discounts in the past, particularly on Pro models. In October 2025, Amazon offered the 256GB iPhone 17 Pro for ₹70,155. This deal combined a large trade-in value (up to ₹58,000) with an additional discount for Amazon Pay ICICI Bank credit card users.

These pricing tactics — coupons and bank discounts — show Amazon stays a place for future deals. But availability fluctuates. Some reports said Amazon didn't have the iPhone 17 during its Great Summer Sale in May 2026.

Making an Informed Purchase: What to Consider

Making an informed choice demands scrutiny. The current market gives you compelling chances to save on an iPhone 17. The price differences between Flipkart, Amazon, and Croma often come from direct discounts, specific bank tie-ups, and varying exchange policies. Croma often offers good bundled deals and cashback, while Flipkart is strong with credit card and trade-in incentives. Amazon's deals — when active — are very competitive, especially on Pro variants. Always cross-reference offers. Pay close attention to eligibility for bank cards, the condition of your trade-in device, and the exact terms and conditions of each promotion.

An infographic would show these prices clearly. It could detail base prices, bank discounts, exchange values, and final costs across Flipkart, Amazon, and Croma. That would really help buyers choose.

iPhone Ultra vs iPhone 18 Pro vs iPhone 18 Pro Max: Expected Specs, Price & Key Differences

Richa Barua — Thu, 03 Sep 2026 16:18:20 +0530

September 9, 2026. That’s the date Apple has marked for its next big reveal. The tech giant readies its latest flagships: the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and the much-anticipated foldable iPhone Ultra. This launch will reshape India's super-premium smartphone market. These new devices, especially the Ultra, will directly challenge established Android flagships.

Industry chatter suggests the iPhone Ultra—Apple’s first foldable—will carve out an entirely new, higher pricing tier. Its arrival sparks debate. Will this innovative form factor and hefty price tag dominate? Or will it merely snag a niche in India’s cutthroat market?

Ultra's Bold Entry and Pricing Strategy

The iPhone Ultra will cost between $2,000 and $2,500 in the United States. This makes it the most expensive iPhone ever. In India, expect a launch price around ₹1,89,990. Such aggressive pricing reflects the complex foldable display and advanced components inside.

₹1,39,900. That's the expected starting price for the iPhone 18 Pro in India. It could even hit ₹1,50,000 or more. The iPhone 18 Pro Max might begin at ₹1,59,900 to ₹1,69,900 for its 256GB version. Higher storage options mean higher costs, naturally. These price hikes—an estimated ₹5,000–₹20,000 over previous models—stem from rising component costs and inflation. TSMC’s 2nm chip manufacturing process is a factor. Competitors like Samsung and Google also recently raised smartphone prices. This sets a clear precedent.

Comparing Specifications and Features

Powering both the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max will be the new Apple A20 Pro chipset. It uses a 2nm process, promising better performance and efficiency. The iPhone 18 Pro may feature a 6.3-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. Meanwhile, the Pro Max will likely sport a larger 6.9-inch LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED panel. Big screens for big ambitions.

Photography will see major upgrades. Both Pro models will include a triple 48MP rear camera system. The Pro Max could get a variable-aperture main lens. This offers greater control over light. A larger 5,567 mAh battery will also power the iPhone 18 Pro Max, an improvement on its predecessor. All models will feature 12GB of RAM.

The iPhone Ultra, though, represents a different kind of leap. It will feature a 5.5-inch outer display. It unfolds into a 7.8-inch inner OLED display, offering an iPad-like experience. To achieve its incredibly thin design—around 4.5mm unfolded—the Ultra reportedly makes sacrifices. No telephoto camera, no Face ID (it opts for Touch ID in the side button), no MagSafe, no Action Button. This unique feature set positions the Ultra as a direct challenger to Android foldables, specifically Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold series.

Will Indian consumers bite? The iPhone Ultra, with its premium price, will test their appetite for high-end foldable tech. Pro models will strengthen Apple’s hold on the conventional flagship segment. But Ultra’s success hinges on its unique design and features. Apple aims for competitive pricing for the iPhone 18 Pro models. Despite increases, this maintains their appeal against Samsung and Google rivals.

Can it truly resonate with a market increasingly hungry for innovation?

September 12, 2026. Pre-orders for the iPhone 18 Pro Max could open then. General sales reportedly begin around September 18. Observers will watch closely. The performance of these new iPhones—especially the Ultra—will dictate Apple's standing in India's dynamic super-premium smartphone market in the coming months. A lot is riding on this launch.

iPhone 18 Pro Max: Cosmic Orange ‘Bhagwa iPhone’ May Be Discontinued on September 9; Read ON

Richa Barua — Thu, 03 Sep 2026 12:17:35 +0530

Apple is poised to wind down sales of the Cosmic Orange finish on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max as theiPhone 18 Pro makes its debut on September 9, 2026. Multiple reports indicate the colour will be retired with the launch, leaving a short six‑day window before the Apple Event for anyone set on that specific shade.

If you have been eyeing what many in India call the “Bhagwa iPhone,” timing now becomes the deciding factor. Apple typically stops selling older Pro models—and their exclusive finishes—once the latest Pro series is announced.

In place of Cosmic Orange, Apple is expected to introduce Dark Cherry. It is described as a wine‑toned red with purple undertones, deeper and moodier than the bright orange it replaces.

Cosmic Orange out, Dark Cherry in

The full iPhone 18 Pro palette is tipped to include four colours this year—Dark Cherry, Light Blue, Dark Grey, and Silver—up from three last year. That shift would restore a fourth option for buyers who favor the Pro lineup’s understated finishes.

Apple’s strategy here is familiar. Each Pro generation tends to feature one standout colour, and it rarely survives to a second year. The iPhone 12 Pro had Pacific Blue, the iPhone 13 Pro had Sierra Blue, and the iPhone 14 Pro offered Deep Purple. None returned for a repeat run.

Cosmic Orange was a different story in one respect: it became genuinely popular, particularly in China, where it picked up a distinctive nickname.

Buyers in China reportedly nicknamed it "Hermès orange."

What buyers should expect after September 9

Some reports also suggest a few units developed a subtle rose‑tinted colour shift over time, a quirk that may have factored into the decision to move on.

Once Apple announces iPhone 18 Pro on September 9, it typically pulls outgoing Pro colours from its online store almost immediately. While some inventory can linger at retail partners for a short period, continued availability is not guaranteed.

If Cosmic Orange is exactly what you want, consider buying now. After September 9, the used or refurbished market is likely to be the best route to finding one new‑ish in that retiring finish.

iPhone 18 Pro To Come In Dark Cherry, Sky Blue? Fresh Leak Challenges Black Rumour

Gargi Chaudhry — Fri, 04 Sep 2026 17:43:04 +0530

Less than a week remains until Apple's iPhone 18 Pro debut event, but there is new uncertainty around the hues of its next Pro models. Apple tipster Sonny Dickson posted a fresh image that seems to show SIM trays in Dark Cherry, Sky Blue, and Silver. At its presentation on September 9th, Apple is anticipated to present the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max in addition to its first foldable iPhone, which is purportedly known as the iPhone Ultra. Although a significant leak from a few weeks ago appeared to show the burgundy/Dark Cherry option, the manufacturer has not verified the colour selection.

The latest iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max are available in Cosmic Orange, Deep Blue, and Silver, with Cosmic Orange being the most distinctive colour of the generation. On the iPhone 18 Pro, that function is anticipated to be taken over by the new Dark Cherry, which is the name of the stunning burgundy hue. The first significant source to reveal that Apple was testing a deep-red colour for the upcoming Pro models was Mark Gurman of Bloomberg. Leaks suggested a combination of burgundy, deep purple, and brown tones, but later sources identified the colour as Dark Cherry.

There could be an early hint in Apple's invitation to the event on September 9. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the artwork's light-blue backdrop and luminous Apple logo may allude to the Sky Blue iPhone 18 Pro finish. He has also connected the glowing appearance to reports that the iPhone 18 Pro Max may have a mechanical aperture.

pic.twitter.com/9KJjoiPMbh

— Sonny Dickson (@SonnyDickson) September 2, 2026

Silver, Dark Cherry, and Sky Blue are suggested by the most recent Dickson leak. This contradicts the assertion made by Weibo leaker Fixed Focus Digital yesterday that full mass manufacturing of the iPhone 18 Pro has begun in Dark Cherry, Sky Blue, and Black. Silver would probably not be given, according to the leaker. Different combinations had been proposed in previous papers. Dickson's previous mock units displayed Black, Silver, Dark Cherry, and Light Blue; Macworld reported Light Blue, Dark Cherry, Dark Grey, and Silver, which is what the SIM tray leak confirms. Instant Digital, another leaker, said that Apple could forego Black.

For anyone considering an iPhone 17 Pro right now, waiting a few days makes more sense. The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are expected to be announced next week, and their final colours and pricing should soon be clear. The new models are also tipped to receive a modest price increase, making the price difference an important factor alongside the new finishes.

iPhone 18 Pro Max Launch On September 9: Check India, US, Dubai Price, Colours And More

Gargi Chaudhry — Sun, 06 Sep 2026 12:20:28 +0530

The iPhone 18 Pro Max is anticipated to be a standout model in the September 2026 range as Apple prepares for its next significant iPhone release. The September 10 "Surprise and Shine" event has been formally announced by Apple. The event will start at 10:30 PM IST, according to Apple's India website, although 10 AM PT is listed as the start time on Apple's developer page.

There is yet no official announcement regarding the iPhone 18 Pro Max. Nonetheless, a number of leaks and predictions indicate that Apple may reveal the gadget on September 9. Additionally, there are rumours that the firm may unveil the iPhone 18 Pro and a new foldable iPhone at the event.

iPhone 18 Pro Max Launch Dates For India, Dubai, and the US

The following timetable is anticipated based on the most recent reports:

Launch date: September 9, 2026

Event time in India: 10:30 PM IST

Event time in Dubai: 9:00 PM GST

Event time in the US: 10:00 AM PT

Pre-orders are anticipated on September 12.

Anticipated retail release date: September 18

Pre-orders may start on September 12, according to many reports. The pre-order and sale dates have not, however, been formally verified by Apple.

iPhone 18 Pro Max Price in India, UAE and US (Tentative)

The cost of the iPhone 18 Pro Max has not been disclosed by Apple. According to leaks, the next model may cost more than the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

India: Rs 159,900 to Rs 170,000 (anticipated)

US: $1,299 to $1,399 (anticipated)

Dubai/UAE: AED 5,950–6,350 for the 256GB model, AED 6,950–7,450 for the 512GB, AED 7,950–8,500 for the 1TB, and AED 9,900–10,600 for the 2TB (anticipated)

These are unofficial estimates derived from analyst reports and leaks. At launch, Apple is anticipated to reveal the exact cost.

Apple is reportedly planning to retain the triple-camera setup and flat-edge design. The iPhone 18 Pro Max could be available in blue, silver and a new dark cherry or burgundy colour.

iPhone 18 Pro Max Price In India, US, UK, UAE: Expected Starting Price, Pre-Orders September 12

Gargi Chaudhry — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 19:29:11 +0530

The iPhone 18 Pro Max will soon learn the hard way that memory chips do not care about your holiday spending. The official start time for the September 9, 2026 launch event is 10 AM PT. You will receive a preview of the first Apple iPhone foldable and the iPhone 18 Pro Max. For the time being, prices are still Apple's best-kept secret. However, industry analysts predict a significant increase in the price of the iPhone 18 Pro Max in India. The industry has been silently altering spreadsheets due to a persistent scarcity of memory chips.

Here we provide exactly what you need to know about the iPhone 18 Pro Max price in India, US, UK, and UAE plus the pre-orders date. Expectations by industry analysts indicate iPhone 18 Pro Max price in India may start at Rs 154900.

iPhone 18 Pro Max Price in India, US, UK, UAE

There is just no consensus among analysts over the magnitude of this iPhone 18 Pro Max price increase. The cost of the iPhone 18 Pro Max is anticipated to increase significantly in India. The cost of the iPhone 17 Pro Max is Rs 149900. The pricing of the iPhone 18 Pro Max in India might range from Rs 154900 to Rs 159900 (256GB). Additionally, the price of the iPhone 18 Pro Max in India may go to Rs 180000, depending on storage. Depending on the version, some analysts have even put the anticipated price increase at Rs 20,000.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman predicts that Apple will bear a portion of the expense, limiting the price increase for the iPhone 18 Pro Max in the US to about $100 and £100 in the UK. IDC concurs. Accordingly, the price of the next iPhone 18 Pro Max might be between £1299 and £1499 in the UK and between $1299 and $1499 in the US for the 512GB model (a $100 to $300 increase).

Meanwhile, Jeff Pu of GF Securities has alternated between two forecasts. The first one predicted that the price of the iPhone 18 Pro Max may increase from $1199 to between $1449 and $1499. A more recent remark, however, suggests that while Apple renegotiates memory arrangements elsewhere, costs may remain unchanged.

iPhone 18 Pro Max price in UAE might see it climb from Dh 4955 to somewhere around Dh 5135, and even possibly touching Dh 6399, per some estimates. So, as far as iPhone 18 Pro Max price hike is concerned, treat every figure with a fistful of salt until Apple weighs in during the launch event on September 9, 2026.

iPhone 18 Pro Max: Pre-Order Dates

Pre-orders for the iPhone 18 Pro Max are anticipated to commence around September 12, 2026, following Apple's standard procedure in the US, UK, UAE, India, and other countries. Retail units are anticipated to enter stores around September 18 or 19, 2026.

Dubai customers may probably anticipate a similar wait this time around, since the UAE notably maintained the same pre-order-to-launch gap with the iPhone 17 Pro Max last year. Remember that this is all based on claims from media and industry analysts, and September 9 is still the only date that really counts.

iPhone 18 Pro Colours Leaked Ahead Of September 9 Launch: Apple May Bring Back Black, Drop Silver

Gargi Chaudhry — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 17:33:30 +0530

Apple’s upcoming iPhone 18 Pro lineup could see a notable change in colour options, with the company reportedly considering a darker palette for its next flagship models. According to the most recent information, Apple may discontinue some of the iPhone 17 Pro's hues while reintroducing a well-known hue.

The iPhone 18 Pro has started complete mass production and is anticipated to be available in Dark Cherry, Sky Blue, and Black, according to Weibo leaker Fixed Focus Digital, which MacRumors quoted. Additionally, the source stated that there has been no indication of a silver model in China and that a silver variation is unlikely to be included in the final lineup.

The final selection is yet to be confirmed and could change before launch. However, the reported options give you an idea of what Apple could offer when it unveils the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max at its September event next week, alongside other major hardware announcements.

Dark Cherry Could Be Standout Shade

If this is true, Apple will replace all three of the available colours with the iPhone 17 Pro instead of sticking with Silver, as some previous sources had indicated. The expected signature colour has been described differently by various sources. It was earlier described as dark cherry by Macworld and deep crimson by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Instant Digital, another source, characterised the colour as a blend of coffee, burgundy, and deep purple.

Earlier dummy models shared by Sonny Dickson showed Dark Cherry, Light Blue, Black and Silver. Leaked SIM tray photos also showed Dark Cherry alongside Light Blue and Dark Grey. The iPhone 17 Pro's trademark hue, Cosmic Orange, may be replaced with Dark Cherry, according to the most recent source. Black and Dark Grey are still options, but Light Blue or Sky Blue could also be used.

Black is uncertain, though, since Apple apparently explored steel grey and black for the iPhone 17 Pro before deciding against both.

iPhone 18 Pro vs. Pro Max: What Indian Buyers Should Know Before Launch

Richa Barua — Fri, 04 Sep 2026 15:07:26 +0530

September 9 looms. Apple's big event. Indian iPhone hopefuls stare down a tough choice: iPhone 18 Pro or Pro Max? The standard iPhone 18 won't even arrive until Spring 2027. Early adopters here must eye only the Pro versions. Expect prices higher than before. Value for money is the key question.

Apple confirmed the date: September 9, 2026. That's when it will unveil the iPhone 18 Pro series. But don't hold your breath for the standard iPhone 18. Reports say it, and other models, won't debut then. Apple will release them early next year.

Pricing for the Indian Market

₹1,00,000 – that's the absolute floor for Indian buyers this September. You'll only get a Pro model.

The iPhone 18 Pro? It should start around ₹1.34 lakh, possibly ₹1.39 lakh. The bigger iPhone 18 Pro Max carries an even heftier tag – ₹1.55 lakh to ₹1.70 lakh. Go for more storage? You might hit ₹1.80 lakh. Apple hasn't confirmed these numbers. But reports point to a price hike. Rising component costs and fatter memory requirements drive this.

Performance and Display Upgrades

Performance matters. Both iPhone 18 Pro models will pack Apple's new A20 Pro chip. Manufacturers use a 2nm process. This advanced processor should boost graphics by 18%. It could also improve power efficiency by 30%. All Pro models will get 12GB of RAM. As for displays, the iPhone 18 Pro keeps its 6.3-inch OLED screen. The Pro Max carries a 6.9-inch OLED display. Both screens will offer a 120Hz refresh rate. They also get brighter LTPO+ tech and a smaller Dynamic Island cutout.

Camera Innovations and Battery Life

Cameras get serious upgrades. Both Pro models will feature a triple 48MP rear camera setup. They also get a 24MP front camera. One big innovation: a variable-aperture main camera. This might be exclusive to the Pro Max. It gives photographers better light control. Battery life is another major point. The iPhone 18 Pro Max should pack a much larger battery — perhaps up to 5,425mAh. That means longer use. The standard Pro model? It sees only a tiny battery bump.

Making the Right Choice for You

Which one to buy? Indian buyers face a choice. Your needs and budget will decide. Want a bigger display, more battery, exclusive camera tricks? The iPhone 18 Pro Max demands its higher price. But the iPhone 18 Pro gives you a compact design. It still offers most of the same great performance and display upgrades.

Want to save cash? Wait for the basic iPhone 18 — Apple should launch it by Spring 2027, around ₹88,990. Not chasing the bleeding edge? Older iPhone Pro models offer solid features for less. Apple confirms final specs and India prices only at launch.

iPhone 18 Pro: Get Ready for 3 Stunning New Colours, Here’s What We Know

Richa Barua — Thu, 03 Sep 2026 13:32:17 +0530

Apple's next premium smartphone series, the iPhone 18 Pro, could hit the market this month, according to new reports. The new series will likely include the iPhone 18 Pro and the iPhone 18 Pro Max. All eyes are on Apple's 'Surprise and Shine' event on September 9 at Apple Park, where these new models are expected to be unveiled.

Along with the iPhone 18 Pro series, Apple might also launch its first book-style foldable phone, the iPhone Ultra. Ahead of the launch, a lot of information about the phone is doing the rounds online. The latest leak suggests that the iPhone 18 Pro series might come in three brand-new colours.

Burgundy, Black, and Sky Blue

A tipster named Fixed-focus Digital Cameras shared this information on Weibo. The post included a picture supposedly of the iPhone 18 Pro, showing four colours. However, the tipster claims that the Titanium colour will be dropped, and the phone will be available in the other three shades: Burgundy, Pure Black, and Sky Blue. These colour names are based on a translation of the original post, which was in Chinese.

Last Year's Colours Might Be Dropped

With the arrival of new colours, Apple might discontinue the three shades introduced with last year's iPhone 17 Pro series. The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max were launched in September 2025 in Cosmic Orange, Deep Blue, and Silver. In the new series, the Sky Blue colour appears to be a much lighter shade of blue. The leaked images also suggest that the Burgundy colour has a deep red tone. Meanwhile, the black colour might be making a comeback to the Pro models with the iPhone 18 Pro series. Reports say this new 'Pure Black' will be a darker shade than the black available on the standard iPhone 17.

Apple Event on September 9

Apple's 'Surprise and Shine' event is scheduled for September 9 at 10 AM Pacific Time, which is 10:30 PM in India. The event will take place at Apple Park in Cupertino. Along with the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, the iPhone Ultra might also be launched here. Reports suggest the iPhone Ultra will be Apple's first book-style foldable phone. The event could also see the announcement of the Apple Watch Series 12 and AirPods 5.

New Camera Setup

Leaks suggest that the iPhone 18 Pro series will keep the design of its predecessor. However, the rear camera platform might get bigger to house a new triple rear camera system. The iPhone 18 Pro series is also expected to be powered by the new A20 Pro chipset. However, Apple has not officially confirmed any of this information yet. As the launch date gets closer, we expect more details about the iPhone 18 Pro series to be revealed.

Apple CEO John Ternus Salary: New Boss To Get Rs 551 Crore, Tim Cook’s Pay Also Revealed

Gargi Chaudhry — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 15:14:16 +0530

Apple has just kickstarted a new era with John Ternus taking the reins from Tim Cook. Apple has revealed the new compensation packages for John Ternus, the company's CEO, and Cook, who is assuming a new position. Tim Cook will be paid around $47 million (nearly Rs 446 crore) as executive chairman, while Apple's next CEO is expected to get approximately $58 million (roughly Rs 551 crore) this fiscal year.

Apple revealed the increased compensation packages for Ternus and Cook in a new filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Tuesday. The file was submitted on the same day that John Ternus started working for the firm as CEO.

To put it simply, Ternus' compensation consists of a $3 million yearly salary plus stock awards that are expected to reach $55 million the next year. A $2 million yearly salary and anticipated stock awards totalling $45 million in fiscal 2027 are part of Cook's deal. Remember that Tim Cook earned $3 million in his role as CEO. Last year, the former CEO of Apple also made around $74.3 million. In other words, as executive chairman, he is bringing home a far lesser payout.

According to Apple, Ternus will also be awarded a prorated restricted stock unit, or RSU, for about $2.5 million during the fiscal year 2026, which ends in September. Of his bigger fiscal 2027 equity reward, 25% will be time-based RSUs that vest in equal semi-annual installments over four years, and 75% will be performance-based RSUs linked to Apple's total shareholder return in comparison to other S&P 500 firms.

To put it simply, the majority of Ternus' stock award will be determined by Apple's performance in comparison to other major US listed businesses, with the remaining portion vesting over time. Although Ternus' compensation as senior vice president has not been made public by Apple, it is thought that he made about $25 million (approximately Rs 237 crore) in his prior position.

Cook's fiscal 2027 equity award, on the other hand, will be split between performance-based and time-based RSUs that vest over a four-year period. Cook receives a smaller share of performance-based prizes than Ternus.

Tim Cook had a $74.3 million compensation package in 2025 as CEO, which included a $3 million salary, $12 million in cash rewards depending on performance, and $57.5 million in stock awards.

With Cook's transfer to Ternus, Apple has only had two CEO changes this century. In August 2011, Tim Cook took over as CEO of Apple, replacing Steve Jobs, the company's co-founder. Cook contributed to raising Apple's worth from $350 billion to over $4.5 trillion over his 15 years as CEO.