Technology
iPhone 18 Pro arrives with variable aperture and price hike; Meta's Muse AI and Sony's budget headphones also debut
Apple's latest flagship phones feature refined cameras and battery improvements, while Meta's free AI agent and Sony's revived budget headphones offer alternatives in the crowded tech landscape.
The Verge
Apple has rolled out the iPhone 18 Pro line this week, marking a year focused on incremental but meaningful updates rather than revolutionary changes. The new flagships bring a variable-aperture main camera lens, improved battery longevity, a fresh processor, and new colorways—including a striking black option. However, the company has raised starting prices by $100, a move that also extended to older iPhone models, potentially cooling enthusiasm among price-conscious buyers.
Key iPhone 18 Pro upgrades#
The refined camera system stands out as the main draw for potential upgraders. A variable-aperture main lens lets photographers adjust depth of field in real-time, offering creative flexibility previously unavailable on iPhones. Beyond the camera, the extended battery life may alone justify the jump for heavy users, while the new silicon delivers expected performance gains. The expanded color palette also gives existing owners a reason to consider trading in their current devices.
What else launched this week#
Apple's AirPods 5 introduce improved active noise cancellation for casual listeners. The pricier variant adds on-stem volume controls, matching capabilities available on the AirPods Pro line. At a starting price of $129, they present a middle ground between entry-level and premium options.
Meta's Muse AI agent brings conversational AI to a broader audience at no cost (subject to usage limits). Users can chat with Muse, request web searches, and connect it to services like Instagram and Gmail. Early testing reveals impressive speed but also notable hallucination issues—the agent fabricated song lyrics during demonstrations.
Sony unexpectedly revived its XM4 headphones with a second-generation refresh following the original's discontinuation last year. The updated version retains the familiar design while introducing a refined sound profile and upgraded Bluetooth 6 connectivity. At $299.99—roughly $150 cheaper than the XM6—these represent a compelling value proposition, though active noise cancellation now reduces battery life to 27 hours.
What's ahead#
Beyond these marquee releases, the week brought announcements for Philips Hue's Play Screen Sync camera ($119.99), Dbrand's minimal smartphone accessories, the Ugreen MagFlow Pro power bank ($149.99 with liquid cooling), and a fresh designed to unify sports following and live game commentary.
