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• State Bank of India is investigating a suspected dark web data leak affecting thousands of customer records
• Exposed information reportedly includes personal details, loan-related data, and customer identifiers
• Bank has launched a forensic investigation but has not yet confirmed the source or authenticity of the leak

The State Bank of India (SBI) has confirmed losing sensitive data on thousands of its users, and worryingly said that it doesn’t yet know when or where the leak took place.

SBI is India’s largest public-sector bank, and one of the country’s biggest financial institutions. Its majority owner is the Indian government, and it provides services such as personal and business banking, loans, credit cards, and similar.

The company has filed a new report with the country’s stock exchange, saying it experienced “an incident involving the loss of certain data.” In the filing, it said that in mid-October 2026 it was contacted by its Threat Intelligence Service Provider, the Defence Cyber Agency, and CERT-In, in response to an alert regarding data leaking into the dark web.

Leaking PII

375,000 records were apparently made available on the dark web, among which were 3,897 bank customer records containing Personally Identifiable Information (PII).

“The exposed information reportedly included customers’ registered mobile numbers, dates of birth, names, gender, email addresses, residential addresses, branch and CIF identifiers, lead IDs, and metadata associated with loan/lead records and other related files,” the filing says.

So far, the bank does not know if the leak is authentic, who leaked it, or how they obtained the data. It kicked off a detailed investigation to determine the source and extent of the exposure, and assess any associated risks. Cyber incident response and containment protocols were triggered, and an independent CERT-In-empanelled cybersecurity agency was brought in for forensic analysis.

The bank stressed that the leak does not have a material impact on its business operations, and that it expects to continue functioning as usual.

In the meantime, an X account called CyberPulse56 flagged a dark web forum post, made on October 16 2026 by a threat actor called Siriusim. In the post, the actor claimed to have 375,000 CSV rows and 2,722 PDF documents belonging to the bank. They allegedly contained personal customer information, loan applications and supporting documents, account-opening applications, and address and other application-related details.

The Free Press Journal later established that the post was made on BreachForums, one of the most popular dark web cybercrime forums, and concluded that at least some of the data found there was authentic. It found that a WhatsApp profile picture associated with one number matched the passport-size photograph on that person’s KYC document, and it also found that the shared sample was primarily related to loans and contained KYC fields.

No clear connection to SBI

However, there was no information connecting the data to SBI, any of its subsidiaries, or third-party providers in its supply chain. Therefore, we cannot conclude if SBI was actually breached or not. There are a number of ways this data might have wound up on the dark web - it could originate from an older breach, it could be from an entirely different entity, or it could be a recycling of multiple older breaches - something cybercriminals are known for doing.

However, if the data is confirmed authentic, it could be a major risk for the bank’s customers. Information such as postal addresses, CIF identifiers, and loan records, can be used to create highly convincing phishing emails, through which the victims could end up downloading malware, or sharing vital login credentials with the attackers.

This type of stage-two compromise can then lead to ransomware or BEC attacks, which could cause severe disruptions, trigger class-action lawsuits, and result in brand erosion. SBI users should be wary of incoming email messages, especially those claiming to be from the bank, carrying a sense of urgency, or threatening account closure or funds displacement.

Via The Hacker News

Blink’s newest line of cameras includes features the brand has never tried before, but prices remain affordable starting at $50.

Democratic congressional candidate Brad Lander along with about 80 American and Israeli rabbis and activists were helping Palestinian olive harvesters when they were detained by Israeli forces.

(Image credit: Ruth Sherlock)

• Cybercriminals use antidetect browsers to disguise devices, hijack accounts, and evade fraud detection systems
• Stolen session cookies, fake identities, and AI automation help scale scams and account abuse
• Researchers warn AI-integrated antidetect tools are lowering barriers for large-scale fraud operations

Cybercriminals have started using antidetect browsers as part of their tech stack, helping them evade detection while deploying session cookies, creating thousands of fake accounts, and passing Know Your Customer (KYC) checks. This is according to a new in-depth report published by security experts Check Point Research (CPR), in which it says that Russian, Iranian, and Chinese hackers are spearheading these activities.

What are antidetect browsers?

When users log into services like Facebook or TikTok using regular browsers, they leave behind digital fingerprints - screen resolution, operating system, fonts. This information can be used to identify and track a device across online sessions, and if a single entity (for example, a digital marketing agency) tries logging into multiple accounts from the same browser, it might trigger a security alert (or simply go against certain terms of service).

Hence the need for antidetect browsers - specialized software whose key feature is the ability to create isolated profiles with different digital fingerprints, making multiple accounts appear to originate from separate devices.

They are generally used to manage social media accounts, advertising, and e-commerce accounts, or to run web scraping operations or test websites across environments.

Antidetect browsers are not malicious by design, and are mostly used by digital marketing agencies and affiliate marketers. However, just as many other good things, these browsers are actively used by cybercriminals to exploit the tech and run fraudulent accounts.

Many competing tools are available today, but a handful stand out - Kameleo, AdsPower, Multilogin, GoLogin, and Dolphin Anty.

According to CPR, underground forums are full of discussions on using antidetect browsers for different fraudulent activities. These mostly originate from Chinese, Iranian, or Russian hackers, and generally revolve around Kameleo, AdsPower, and Multilogin.

“We selected these specifically on the basis of documented references across underground forums and criminal marketplaces, indicating active adoption beyond their stated commercial purposes,” CPR explained.

Analyzing these discussions, CPR discovered that the threat actors primarily use antidetect browsers to leverage stolen session cookies. When they steal a cookie, they can inject it into a clean browser profile to assume control of the account and operate it unabated. Banking accounts and cryptocurrency wallets are the most popular targets.

AI seasoning

Besides banks and crypto wallets, threat actors are also using these browsers to test payment credentials across e-commerce platforms without triggering any alarms. They’re also using them to apply for loans under fabricated identities, and to create fake accounts in bulk, which are then used to generate advertising revenue at scale.

At the same time, Artificial Intelligence is making these operations easier to scale, CPR says. AdsPower, for example, offers integration with Large Language Models (LLM) through a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server, allowing AI-powered workflows to connect with browser profiles. Through automation marketplaces, it also offers different templates for things like commenting, liking, or sending messages across multiple accounts.

A combination of antidetect browsers, AI account management, and AI generated content creates a powerful concoction that allows threat actors to run large, coordinated campaigns with minimal involvement. This allows them to build and “warm up” fake accounts over time, which then appear more credible and are easier to use in scam and fraud attacks.

“The antidetect browser ecosystem represents a sophisticated, commercially mature, and increasingly AI-driven infrastructure that has fundamentally lowered the barrier to running scam and fraud operations, as well as coordinated inauthentic operations at scale,” CPR warns. “These commercially maintained tools are available in dozens of languages, backed by customer support teams, tested daily against the world’s largest social media platforms, and are now integrated with LLM pipelines that remove the human operator from the execution layer.”

The researchers advise security teams to look beyond account behavior and focus on the infrastructure, including residential proxies, browser fingerprint inconsistencies, and unusual session-cookie patterns. Social media platforms should start analyzing antidetect browsers to better understand how they bypass their detection mechanisms, while companies should review whether their security systems can detect account takeovers involving session cookies.

• The UK government wants more Apple Pay alternatives for consumers
• It’s proposing opening the technology up to other companies
• It also wants Apple to charge lower fees for access

If you pay for an item using the contactless tech on any of the best iPhones, you’re locked into Apple’s way of doing things. But the UK government’s competition regulator — the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) — is proposing new rules that could blast open the way you pay using your iPhone.

According to a press release on the UK government website, the CMA believes that “Apple’s fees and rules are blocking UK fintechs and other businesses from innovating and growing” and that its proposed changes are “expected to result in substantially lower access fees, helping make it commercially viable for more businesses to innovate and compete.”

The CMA pointed out that no rivals to Apple Pay exist in the UK, as opposed to in the EU, where several alternatives can be used. The CMA believes this is due to both high fees charged by Apple and restrictions placed on certain technology by the Cupertino giant.

For instance, while Apple allowed third-party companies to offer Apple Pay alternatives in the UK back in 2024, one condition was that these firms had to use Apple’s Secure Element, which encrypts important payment card information during transactions.

In the EU, however, European Union-wide rules mean that Apple must let companies use host card emulation (HCE) for free instead of the Secure Element, if they wish. The CMA wants that kind of technology to be available in the UK and says it does not believe that doing so would raise any “inherent security concerns.”

Commenting on the CMA’s move, Mattias Eld, CEO & Co-founder at contactless firm Fidesmo, said: “Buying an iPhone should not mean handing Apple the keys to your wallet. Consumers should rightly choose how they pay, and banks should choose who they work with. But for over a decade Apple has honed its domination over tap-to-pay, through the careful and deliberate stifling of its competitors. This has allowed Apple to charge banks inflated transaction fees, with the threat of exclusion from such a vast market leaving them little choice but to pay.”

Apple pushes back

(Image credit: Apple)

The CMA says that while it isn’t seeking to dictate the prices or terms that Apple must set, it wants to propose “principles for how this should be determined, with the expectation that charges would be substantially lower than Apple’s current fees while still fairly rewarding Apple for providing access.”

However, Apple has pushed back against the CMA’s proposals, telling Reuters that “We do not believe the CMA should require ​Apple to adopt an approach with lower privacy and security protections. We will continue to engage constructively to reach ​an outcome that is in the best interest of our users.”

Why does Apple restrict access to contactless payment tech? One answer might simply lie in the almighty dollar: as with the App Store, Apple charges third-party firms for access and likely doesn’t want to give up that revenue stream.

I’m not entirely convinced that that’s the main reason, however — after all, Apple is one of the wealthiest companies on the planet and makes huge profit margins on every product it sells. Is nickel and diming really such a core strategy when its iPhone revenue alone jumped 21% to $54.25 billion in the third quarter of 2026?

Analysis: Apple fears it could pay the price

To me, a stronger argument centers on something else: control. This has been an obsession for the company since the days of Steve Jobs, and Apple is acutely, painfully sensitive to how its products are perceived.

If Apple loosened its grip on something so vital to the user experience as payments and financial services and a third-party contactless provider then got hacked or scammed customers, Apple fears that that will reflect badly on itself as a company. For the perfectionists at Apple, anything that lessens the user experience due to Apple’s actions is an absolute no-go. By taking payments entirely under its own aegis, Apple reassures itself that nothing will go wrong.

There’s a degree of logic to that. Apple has proven its security credentials and works harder than many companies to keep its systems incredibly safe. Going with a third-party means trusting someone else whose track record might not be as strong. But that certainly doesn’t mean that only Apple can safeguard your payment information — or indeed that only Apple should be allowed to even try.

If the CMA gets its way, Apple might be forced to change its ways. The company has already been forced to crack open its contactless walled garden in the EU, and the UK might soon follow. The way you pay using your phone might look very different as a result.

• Two new Chicago lawsuits claim unauthorized biometric data collections
• In these cases, the biometrics are face and body scans
• Coco Robotics and Serve Robotics have denied the allegations

The backlash to what's perceived as surveillance technology continues, with two Chicago residents taking robot delivery companies to court over the alleged collection of biometric data while dropping off food and groceries.

As the Associated Press reports, the two men bringing the cases claim that robots from Coco Robotics and Serve Robotics turned up — via DoorDash and Uber Eats respectively — even though robot delivery hadn't been requested in the app.

The key allegation is that when these individuals were unlocking the robot cargo bay to get their orders, their hands and faces were scanned via camera and LiDAR technology, without explicit prior permission. If true, that would put Coco and Serve in breach of the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) of 2008.

Both class-action lawsuits claim that video and sensor data is being retained by these bots in violation of privacy law, and shared with AI companies for training purposes. Statutory damages of $1,000 per negligent violation or $5,000 per intentional or reckless violation are being claimed through the courts.

Both Coco Robotics and Serve Robotics have denied the allegations. We've reached out to both companies and will update this story if we hear back, but the AP reports Coco as saying the legal action is "frivolous", while Serve says it "does not use data to identify individuals or create biometric profiles".

'Fundamentally misunderstands our technology'

A Serve delivery robot (Image credit: Serve Robotics)

The Coco Robotics privacy policy — last updated in 2022, before it started operating in Chicago — is a little light on data retention policies, but does mention sharing data with third parties and affiliates, though most of this seems to be aggregated and anonymized before it's used.

As for the Serve Robotics privacy policy, it's been updated much more recently. It says data retention periods are determined by "contractual obligations with our delivery partners", and there's the standard vagueness about sharing information with unnamed "service providers and vendors" on occasion. There's also an explicit mention of sharing data "to train AI agents and models".

It's obviously impossible for a delivery robot to work without scanning its environment and navigating around sidewalks and pedestrians, and that's the defense being put forward here. The crux of the case will be whether the data collection involved was done without permission, and contravenes the Illinois privacy act.

"This lawsuit fundamentally misunderstands our technology, we have not collected biometric data in Chicago," a Coco spokesperson told the AP. "The data we share is navigational data used to make sidewalks safer for all users."

With complaints around Flock cameras, delivery drones, 'spy' glasses, and other tech on the rise, it does feel there's more privacy scrutiny than ever before — with Redditors describing these bots as "mobile data thieves" and "sidewalk surveillance".

• Unitree has shown off an impressive demo for its new 'kung fu' robot
• It's based on the company's H2 platform, and is designed for security
• It's unlikely to go on general sale, though, and there are no details on pricing or availability

Humanoid robots are improving at a rapid pace, and the world's biggest robotics manufacturer, Unitree, has just revealed a Robocop-esque new model called the H2-X Kung Fu Legend Guardian.

A one-minute teaser video released on X and YouTube (below) shows the H2-X in action across a series of slightly bizarre scenarios. The first few clips show the robot unleashing a series of knees and punches to cars in a scrapyard, in scenes reminiscent of a Street Fighter II bonus stage.

Beyond the robot's kung fu credentials, it isn't exactly clear what real-world roles Unitree is trying to showcase there. But the rest of the video shows that the H2-X is being billed as a personal security guard that can jump in front its owner during attempted robberies, or lift cars to release humans trapped underneath.

Unitree hasn't revealed much in the way of specs for the H2-X, with the only specifics being that it's capable of jumping from four-meter high platforms and also standing for "approximately eight hours" between charges.

However, the similar Unitree H2 robot is a 1.8-meter tall humanoid that comes with an optional Nvidia Jetson AGX Thor chip and costs $29,900 (around £22,380 / AU$42,720). We've asked Unitree for some more specifics on the specs and pricing for the H2-X, and will update this story if we hear back.

Not quite ready for security guard duty

It's fair to say that Unitree's H2-X Kung Fu Legend Guardian video is more of a tech demo than a consumer product showcase, in much the same vein as its rollerblading and iceskating demos earlier this year.

However, that doesn't mean Unitree isn't making big strides in humanoid robots, or what is often billed as "embodied intelligence". At Computex 2026 the trio of Unitree, Nvidia and Sharpa announced a collaboration to create an H2+ blueprint for next-gen robots, with Nvidia supplying the much-needed training data and its Jetson AGX Thor T5000 chip.

The H2-X Kung Fu Legend Guardian demo appears to be a different project that's focused more on physical prowess. But despite those impressive jumping abilities, the robot would find it nigh-on impossible to clear the global and national consumer certification hurdles necessary for it make it to market as a personal bodyguard.

It's possible that a version of the robot could be designed for industrial or military uses, but Unitree hasn't yet commented on its future plans. What is clear is that Unitree is keen to continue the momentum it's gained after its IPO in August 2026, which started well but then ran into turbulence last month after a 55% slump from its peak.

According to Reuters, that drop has apparently prompted China to put the brakes on a humanoid robot IPO rush, which has seen half a dozen Chinese robotics companies queuing up to follow Unitree's stock-market debut.

Still, Unitree's latest H2-X video at least keeps us dreaming that personal robot safety guards are coming, even if they might dent a few cars along the way.

Anomalith might be one of the most interesting releases of 2026. A third-person survival shooter set in a twisted, retro vision of Japan, it’s a major departure from publisher FuRyu Corporation’s usual role-playing game (RPG) output.

It looks almost like the company’s take on Resident Evil, with 17-year-old protagonist Reona Minazuki venturing into deadly anomaly zones filled with grotesque creatures at the behest of a shadowy government organization.

Real-time gun combat, managing your small inventory, and keeping track of precious ammunition form a key part of every mission. Each run unfolds in an almost extraction-shooter-like format, and between missions you can use the resources you’ve scavenged to upgrade your gear.

There’s more to Minazuki than meets the eye, though, with the hero able to harness a mysterious set of mutant powers brought on by exposure to these supernatural environments. I spoke to producer Gai Kidokoro over email to learn a little more about how this project took shape and discover some of what’s in store for players.

Expanded arsenalFuRyuFuRyuFuRyu

Anomalith is Kidokoro’s first original project, having joined FuRyu in the company’s anime division, which has helped produce hit titles like Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?, before making the leap to its gaming business to direct some licensed titles. Working on games has “always been an area I was interested in,” he says, adding that his career has been “a little different from that of FuRyu’s other producers.”

It therefore seems only fitting that he is producing quite a unique project, with Anomalith standing apart as FuRyu’s first third-person shooter. Interestingly, Kidokoro says that the genre was chosen because both he and the director “love third-person shooters and guns” and set out to create something based on the things they enjoy.

“Rather than thinking, 'Let’s deliberately challenge ourselves with a completely different genre,' it was really more about wanting to make a game in a genre that we personally love,” he continues.

This fascination with firearms seems evident in the game’s weapon customization system, which lets players “swap out a fairly detailed range of parts,” including a variety of attachments such as “sights, grips, stocks, and more.” These help you personalize the appearance of each gun, but also provide statistical bonuses to help in the field.

(Image credit: FuRyu)

The producer is also keen to highlight the player’s ability to scavenge “pieces of equipment called Artifacts that enhance your character’s stats” and change your overall build.

“These include loot-based, hack-and-slash-style elements,” he teases, “and if you manage to equip an Artifact with extremely high values, some skills have the potential to become incredibly powerful.”

The team is well aware that not everyone is going to be interested in tweaking their guns or experimenting with the nitty-gritty of their character’s stats, which is why the game offers a wealth of cosmetic options for players to outfit themselves with – some already available to try in the recent free Steam demo.

“We realized that there are quite a lot of people who don’t necessarily get the same enjoyment we do from firing their favorite, carefully customized gun,” Kidokoro begins. “We thought, 'Maybe adding character outfits and customization would make it more fun for those players,' and that’s why we ended up including such detailed character customization options. Judging from the response to the demo, I’m really glad we added the outfit customization.”

Uncanny valley

(Image credit: FuRyu)

The world design is shaping up to be a treat, with plenty of intricate detail to pore over. In fact, Kidokoro highlights this as one part of the experience that he is most excited about. “The development team has put a tremendous amount of effort into designing the Otherworlds,” he explains. “There are many areas where something may initially look like nothing more than an ordinary ceiling, but if you stop and look up, you might find something that gives you a real sense of unease.”

He describes the fundamental concept behind it all as the “anxiety and fear lurking within familiar scenery” and reveals that it was inspired by popular ideas of “liminal spaces, including things like the Backrooms,” referring to the viral meme featuring endless wallpapered corridors that recently inspired a horror film adaptation.

“Within the development team, we often use phrases like ‘give it a liminal-space atmosphere’ when discussing the visual direction.”

(Image credit: FuRyu)

This extends to the soundtrack. Aside from the game’s title theme, the music of Anomalith doesn’t feature any vocal tracks. Nevertheless, the producer argues fans “can definitely look forward to the soundtrack” and warns “many of the tracks are quite dark and unsettling.” He jokes: “I recommend listening to them during the daytime.”

Although Anomalith seems very different, long-time FuRyu fans will recognize some common elements shared with the publisher’s past games, such as the focus on a teenage protagonist. Kidokoro thinks the reasons behind this particular motif “would vary” depending on the title, but personally reckons “that it is easier for audiences to emotionally root for younger characters.”

“Watching boys and girls confront unreasonable circumstances and ultimately overcome them can also feel more hopeful and moving than a story centered on adults,” he continues. “Of course, we have been influenced by other games. However, we try to keep those influences as references rather than simply copying them. Our main criterion is always whether a particular element is necessary for players to enjoy the world and experience of Anomalith.”

We will be able to find out whether this formula pays off when Anomalith launches for Nintendo Switch 2, PC, and PlayStation 5 on October 29, 2026.

Less than two weeks before the election, Trump continues to crash through barriers that he wouldn't dare cross in his first term.

(Image credit: Anna Moneymaker)

• Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella extols virtues of "frontier ecosystem" for AI
• AI can do great things for human workers, but there still needs to be some control
• Microsoft reveals new research showing a divide between bosses and employees over the future of AI in the workplace

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has urged businesses to embrace AI even further to push on and succeed, but urged caution around giving such systems too much control in everyday work tasks.

"When I think about what keeps us grounded every day at Microsoft, it's our mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more,” Nadella told the company’s Frontier Tour London event.

Looking at what he called the "frontier ecosystem", Nadella identified three key pillars which need to be tackled - including recapturing individual empowerment, as although AI is taking charge of the dullest parts of our jobs, there is still need for a human to have control.

Frontier AI

Nadella also highlighted "the reverse information paradox" - with a digital learning system which is constantly improving itself, the challenge is for organisations to "capture that knowledge and keep it locally to yourself...in other words, you have to own the knowledge that gets created, both with the human capital that you have, as well as the token capital that you generate"

The final challenge concerns trust, as Nadella noted, “our scaling laws are producing even more powerful models that are less and less trustworthy…you need to treat these models as new forms of insiders, and create a zero-trust architecture around it.”

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

The speech came as Microsoft unveiled new research revealing something of a divide between bosses and employees over the future of AI in the workplace.

It found the vast majority (84%) of business leaders believe the UK can become a world-leading AI economy within five years, compared with just 41% of employees.

But it also noted that workers are becoming increasingly concerned about the impact on jobs and opportunities for young people, with over half (57%) of employees using AI at work afraid it will reduce opportunities for young people, while 35% fear for their own job security.

For bosses, the future was a bit brighter, with 90% of leaders claiming they had a clear AI strategy in their business, while 84% of those in organisations already adopting AI say they’ve already experienced moderate or significant changes to how their work gets done.

“Bending the curve changes what the UK can achieve, increasing productivity, business growth, better public services, and the measure of that progress is the difference that people feel in their everyday lives,” noted Darren Hardman, Microsoft UK CEO.

“We will not bend the curve unless people see a place for themselves in what comes next…the question is no longer whether you have a strategy, it’s whether AI is actually changing how work gets done.”

“For organizations here, the challenge is to turn AI's potential into improvements that people can feel in the work they do, the services they use, and the opportunities that are open to them...our role at Microsoft to bring intelligence and trust together in AI that puts your organization's knowledge to work helping people achieve more while providing the safeguards and visibility to stay in control.”

It’s been a long time since I’ve poured so many hours into Warhammer 40,000, but playing a bunch of the Dawn of War 4 campaign has absolutely captivated me, and almost made it feel like I was playing from my living room floor 30 years ago all over again.

After seeing a glimpse of the game last summer, I knew it was on the right track, but after a couple of weeks with Dawn of War 4, it’s safe to say that the series’ rip-roaring, gritty action, and moreish strategic map play is back with a vengeance, and channels all that made the first game brilliant.

My time with the chunky preview build has shown that King Art Games are an incredibly safe set of hands for the next Dawn of War game.

Going back to Kronus

(Image credit: King Art Games/Warhammer/Games Workshop)

The planet of Kronus provides the setting for Dawn of War 4, and while a part of me wonders whether it might have been more exciting to go for a brand new setting and premise, the familiar planet is still superbly executed by the new developer.

Each map is extremely well detailed and feels alive with wind-blown sand and tumbleweeds across barren landscapes, blinking lights and crumbling epic architecture in urban maps, and wonderfully icy and snowy maps providing some of the best backdrops.

No matter where you are, though, you’re always cheered on by some mega, epic battle music, and the individual unit audio from ambient mechanical whirring, distinct machine clunking, and furious fighting are all absolute chef's kiss level.

Underneath the aesthetic excellence, there is a real meaty campaign here. My preview build dived in and out of a few armies’ storylines, and the branching narrative is interesting and genuinely compelling, with twists that you can make decisions to impact through mission selection and choices (from what I’ve seen), while the accompanying cutscenes are also fantastic.

Even the in-game story moments help to give me the feeling of those excellent battle write-ups in the old White Dwarf magazines that I remember poring over for hours at a time.

Unrivaled units and chaotic combat

(Image credit: King Art Games/Warhammer/Games Workshop)

Moving your forces around that campaign is the true highlight: this is a properly meaty and fabulous strategy experience, and a 40K experience.

Taking control of the Orks or Adeptus Mechanicus in my preview, it really does feel like the perfect real-time recreation of seeing your miniatures on a tabletop. The action can be slower and methodical; or you can embrace some chaos and have fights on multiple fronts as you aim to use speed to your advantage over the battlefield.

There were multiple times in both scenarios where managing large masses of a mix of units was a genuine thrill, with each resource point captured, the mowing down of enemy infantry, or the blowing up of tanks with grenade barrages more satisfying than the last.

The power fantasy is real in Dawn of War 4

If you remember the best thing about moving units across maps in the Dawn of War games of yesteryear, then you’re in for a treat. Orks feel as wild and chaotic as they should; and the Adeptus Mechanicus have wonderful machine-focused units as well as biomechanic infantry that can pack more of a punch than you think, especially from cover.

However, Dawn of War 4 simultaneously feels more modern, and there’s an effort to streamline some controls to make things more straightforward. You can drag over a whole heap of enemies, and your units will automatically attack the ones most vulnerable to their attack type; and you can right-click on any unit’s ability so it will automatically trigger during missions.

Engaging with the units — be you a more casual player, or a really experienced one — is superb, and starts with them being a treat for the eyes. Units really look the part, and every combat encounter does too. King Art Studio’s attention to detail, with bespoke combat animations for every combination (it seems) that look genuine, and plenty of blood splatter and rag doll physics on show. Even the armor and weaponry of all units look radiant and detailed, down to the lustre on metals.

The machine endures

(Image credit: King Art Games/Warhammer/Games Workshop)

There’s a good mix of missions that keep things interesting and elevate the branching campaign, too. That’s a really great thing in a particular way, as my one ‘gripe’, if you can really call it that, is that Dawn of War 4 continues the series’ trend of sometimes being purely a numbers game.

Especially in base-building missions; if you can pace your play a bit, secure your territory, and build an army that’s massive, you’ll rarely fail. This can offset the nuances and ‘other’ factors to think about too when managing Orks and the WAAGH! that fuels them in battle, and the Adeptus Mechanicus and the Nosphere links that strengthen buildings and open up more development options.

That’s why the mix of missions is welcome: while those base- and army-building ones are heavily present, there’s usually a gauntlet or defence mission around the corner to mix things up — and I’ve probably enjoyed the latter two more on the whole.

Dawn of War 4 successfully takes me back to early 2000s LAN parties

Not that dominating a map is unenjoyable, of course. The power fantasy is real in Dawn of War 4 and can feel fantastic, but the game is also wonderfully successful at creating those ‘If I can just make it to that resource point’ or ‘if I can just hold off this enemy encounter’ or ‘if I can just create a couple of units quickly ot turn the tide here’ kind of moments, which are a thrill.

I could talk about more of the individual features in the game that make it shine, but the most important thing about my time with the game for preview is that everything adds up to an authentic Dawn of War experience and really captures the feeling and the essence of the series — as well as translating the turn-based tabletop game into a real-time action setting once again.

Dawn of War 4 successfully takes me back to early 2000s LAN parties, devouring campaigns over and over again, and building massive armies to crush my foes as I did in the first game over two decades ago — and now I just want more.

Apple iPhone Duo: Two-minute review

In the early days of the iPhone, seeing one in the wild, usually in a brave early adopter's hands, was like spotting a unicorn. The excitement was palpable. Over the years, though, as every smartphone has become a glass and metal slab, making it difficult to tell one iPhone release from another, the excitement has diminished. Where I used to keep my 'regular' iPhone review units out of sight, I now casually carry them around in a case, and no one is any the wiser.

That, though, is not the case with the iPhone Duo. In my effort to spend as much time using the new folding iPhone as possible, I carried it everywhere, including to a wedding party for my friend's son. My iPhone Duo test unit was somewhat disguised by being clad in a Taupe Folio with a Kickstand case, but as I held it aloft to photograph the newlyweds, the bride's eyes grew wide.

"Is that...?!"

My eyes darted from her to the phone in my hand, and I considered stuffing it back in my pocket, but I was intrigued by her reaction. I hadn't seen this level of interest and excitement in years.

I nodded wordlessly; the newlyweds started peppering me with questions, and as I folded and unfolded it, and they glimpsed the inner display, the bride's jaw dropped. She asked if I liked it. I mumbled, "Yes, I think so," without offering much more information.

I was determined to use the iPhone Duo's two external 48MP cameras to photograph the event, which meant this scenario repeated itself more than once.

It was obvious that, unlike every other iPhone of the last decade or so, the iPhone Duo could not travel incognito; people were, it seemed, intensely interested in Apple's first truly new iPhone form factor in basically forever.

The interest is warranted.

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

The iPhone Duo is not simply an iPhone folded in half. I'd argue it's only marginally an iPhone and more of a hybrid, splitting the difference between a sub-sized smartphone and a slightly larger, 8-inch iPad mini.

From the highly polished titanium frame to the curves and pitch-perfect tolerances, the iPhone Duo's design is Apple at its best, and while it doesn't reinvent the genre, the nano-texture finish on the main display cannily solved the chief folding phone complaint: that darn crease. It's not that the crease is completely gone, but in daily use it's virtually invisible. As an added bonus, that matte finish kills reflectivity in bright sunlight, and makes almost everything look better.

Apple includes four cameras, three of which are powerful enough to produce high-quality photos across a range of styles. I saw excellent color accuracy and low-light performance, and the ultra-wide camera feels expansive. The inner-display camera is, it appears, just 4MP, but it does a good job with casual selfies and FaceTime calls.

Apple has almost stuck the landing here, but there is a slight step backwards. I'm fairly certain its decision to move the status bar and dock to the right side of the 5.4-inch outer screen, and therefore shrink the width of most apps, will divide opinion. I like how this makes it easy to tap an app with your right thumb, but the remaining screen real estate makes some app experiences look and feel cramped.

Then there's the lack of Face ID on the cover screen, which means this is the first iPhone in ages that I have to use my finger to unlock.

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I'm also less than thrilled that a nearly $2,000 / £1,999 phone starts with just 256GB of storage; although, to be fair to Apple, the $1,899.99 / £1,699 Galaxy Z Fold 8 also starts with the same amount.

Those small nits are like pointing out the missing eyelashes on the Mona Lisa, though. Overall, this is a fantastic entry into the folding phone space, offering the dual capabilities of a glanceable and attractive iPhone that fits in any pocket or hand, and a versatile 7.6-inch tablet.

Not everyone needs two screens in one device, or wants to pay as much as they would for a home appliance for their next smartphone; but for those who feel confined by the boundaries of a typical iPhone and want to do more in less space, the iPhone Duo, which starts out smaller than your average smartphone but unfolds to reveal an almost twice-as-large tablet display, is well worth your consideration.

Apple iPhone Duo review: Price and availability

• From $1,999 in the US
• From £1,999 in the UK
• From $3,499 in Australia

Apple unveiled the iPhone Duo, its first folding phone, as its "one more thing" during the Surprise and Shine event on September 9, 2026.

The list price is $1,999 / £1,999 / AU$3,499 for the 256GB model, which is in line with most of its folding competitors from Samsung, Huawei, Motorola, and Oppo. It's available in storage configurations up to 2TB for $3,199 / £3,199 / AU$5,899.

The iPhone Duo is the most expensive iPhone Apple has ever made, but we should put this in context. Like most foldables, this is a two-in-one device: a pint-sized smartphone with a 5.4-inch 4:3 screen, and a 7.6-inch tablet. Unlike the Galaxy Z Fold 8, which has a similar passport-style shape, and even the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, which is a more conventionally sized and shaped foldable, the iPhone Duo's larger main screen supports digital pen input (this wasn't available for my testing period, but it's expected by November).

You may also be able to soften the price blow a bit with a trade-in; or you might want to look at Apple's leasing program, which will run about $57-to-$83 / £47 to £66.63 / AU$97.19 to over $161 a month for the base model.

In total, the iPhone Duo is probably better value than you think.

Apple iPhone Duo pricing

Storage

US price

UK price

AU price

256GB

$1,999.99

£1,999

AU$3,499

512GB

$2,199

£TBD

AU$TBD

1TB

$2,599

£TBD

AU$TBD

2TB

$3,199

£TBD

AU$TBD

• Value score: 4 / 5

Apple iPhone Duo review: Specs

These are the key specs of the Apple iPhone Duo:

Dimensions:

Unfolded: 164.6 x 117.8 x 5.2mm, Folded: 84.1 x 117.8 x 11.3mm

Weight:

254g

Displays:

Main: 7.6-inch Super Retina XDR, Cover: 5.4-inch Super Retina XDR

Resolution:

Main: 1878 x 2670, Cover: 1398 x 2034

Refresh rate:

1-120Hz (main and cover)

Peak brightness:

3,000 nits

CPU:

A20 Pro

RAM:

12GB

Storage:

256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB

OS:

iOS 27

Cameras:

48MP wide (f/1.6), 48MP ultra-wide (f/2.2)

Selfie cameras:

11MP Center Stage camera (f/2.2) outer, 4MP (f/1.8) inner

Battery:

4,800mAh (approximate)

Charging:

60W wired, 35W wireless

Colors:

Star White, Night sky

Apple iPhone Duo review: Design

• Polished titanium
• Exquisitely engineered hinge and folding operation
• Unfolds flat
• IP68
• Thicker and heavier than nearest competition
• No Face ID

'Satisfying' is the best way to describe the feeling of repeatedly opening and closing the iPhone Duo. It's as if Apple inadvertently created a digital fidget spinner — the more I carried around the iPhone Duo, the more I found myself absentmindedly folding and unfolding the phone.

Apple's exceptional engineering makes it possible to unfold the phone initially, with almost no effort (it almost springs open at the slightest intentional touch), before the internal torque kicks in to allow for the Duo to be opened to almost any angle between zero and 180 degrees (flat).

Lance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / Future

While you can't see the work that went into making this hinge, the effort is evident in every single touch and move. Inside are hundreds of magnets and other components that keep the phone securely closed, but never get in the way of an easy opening. More so than with any folding phone I've tested, the hinge essentially disappears when the iPhone Duo is unfolded flat.

At 5.2mm thick, the fingerprint-attracting polished titanium iPhone Duo is the thinnest iPhone ever. At least that's how Apple markets it, but that's in tablet mode; I do like the sound of a 5.2mm-thick tablet. The 7.6-inch device is thinner than the 8-inch iPad mini (6.3mm). Folded, the iPhone Duo is 11.3mm thick, almost 2mm thicker than the folded Galaxy Z Fold 8. And at 254g, the iPhone Duo outweighs the Galaxy Z Fold 8 by a noticeable 53 grams. It's even slightly heavier than the iPhone 18 Pro Max, which weighs 249g.

Lance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / Future

The upshot of all this is that while the 4.64-inch by 3.31-inch folded iPhone Duo fits in even the smallest pocket, you will feel its heft, especially if you pop, say, a Folio with Kickstand case on it.

The iPhone Duo stands out in a way few iPhones have in recent years. Folded, it's closer to square than rectangular in shape, resembling a squat iPhone Pro Max. Plus, the asymmetry — flat and square on one side and curved on the other when folded — means the Duo cuts a unique profile among smartphones.

It does feel good in the hand, though the wider body might take some getting used to. I like the Ceramic Shield 2 front and back, especially the matte-finished back, which makes the Duo almost slip-from-your-hand-proof. The large dual-camera array bump is reminiscent of the iPhone Air, though the similarities end there.

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

The volume buttons live on the top edge, another departure from the traditional iPhone, and indeed from smartphone design in general — I'm not sure I love that decision. On the right is the long Touch ID-enabled power/sleep/Siri AI button, and below that is the Action button. I often forget that last button exists on my iPhone 18 Pro Max, and I wonder if it was truly necessary here.

I appreciate the inclusion of Touch ID (I registered my index finger and thumb), but the lack of Face ID is frustrating — I had no idea how much I relied on it for quickly unlocking my phone until it wasn't there. Multiple times I've stared at the iPhone Duo's cover screen waiting for something to happen, forgetting that I have to intentionally touch the Touch ID button. A nearly $2,000 device lacking Apple's most powerful biometric security feature is close to unforgivable — I'll probably set up a workaround so that I can unlock the Duo via my Apple Watch.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 on left, iPhone Duo on rightLance Ulanoff / FutureSamsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 on left, iPhone Duo on rightLance Ulanoff / FutureSamsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 on left, iPhone Duo on rightLance Ulanoff / FutureSamsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 on left, iPhone Duo on rightLance Ulanoff / FutureSamsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 on bottom, iPhone Duo on topLance Ulanoff / FutureSamsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 on left, iPhone Duo on rightLance Ulanoff / Future

Along the bottom edge are the USB-C port (the phone ships with a charging cable but no power adapter), the speakers, and the mics.

Unfolded, the iPhone duo feels like a thin, compact tablet — I hesitate to say 'iPad' since the operating system is essentially iOS with some small adjustments for the new form factor.

Lance Ulanoff / Future

Remarkably, Apple comes out of the folding gate flourishing an IP68 rating, which means the iPhone Duo is protected against dust and even water. Naturally, I submerged the Duo under a running faucet, and it was none the worse for the experience.

Overall, I like the design and form factor, but it's different from a traditional iPhone, so it does take some getting used to. I struggled, for instance, to figure out the best way to hold the phone for photography. Do I need to turn it into landscape mode, or should I just hold it the way I hold a 'regular' iPhone? I do wonder how many will choose to unfold the phone, and shoot pictures in the same way they might with their iPad.

• Design score: 4.5 / 5

Apple iPhone Duo review: Displays

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

• Adorable and unusually shaped 5.4-inch cover display
• Industry-leading 7.6-inch foldable internal display
• Crease is canily hidden via a combination of expert engineering and a nano-etched display
• Bright, sharp, fluid screens

Credit to Apple for not skimping on either of its iPhone Duo displays. Both the 5.4-inch outer and the 7.6-inch flexible inner screens are Super Retina XDR-class OLED panels, both with variable refresh rates up to 120Hz, always-on functionality, and up to 3,000 nits of brightness.

Both displays look impressively sharp, and actually offer slightly higher resolutions than the comparable displays on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8.

The iPhone Duo's 5.4-inch cover display has a 2034 x 1398 resolution (compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 8 cover display's 1972 x 1248), and the 7.6-inch Inner display is 2670 x 1878 (compared to the Z Fold 8's 2448 x 1848 main display).

At first glance, the iPhone duo Cover screen is instantly recognizable as an iPhone, but close scrutiny reveals some interesting adjustments for the relatively short and wide display. First, the pill-shaped Dynamic Island sits in a vertical space along the right side, and when you look at the home screen, the dock is stacked vertically below the time and a status button (a single tap on it expands it to show connectivity and battery, and also drops down the full Control Center).

The Duo takes that right-hand space and rarely gives it up, which means that websites can look cramped in Safari, and some apps like TikTok, and even Apple's native ones, like Sports, can feel a bit squeezed. There are exceptions, like when you use the screen as a viewfinder in the Camera app, or look back at images in the Photo Gallery. In those cases, the imagery fills the entire screen.

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

I'm less conflicted about the glorious main screen. It's big, it's responsive, and the matte, nano-texture covering almost completely hides the crease by dispersing any light bouncing off it, instead of directing it right back to your eyes. The display looks and feels perfectly flat, plus that matte covering kills all reflections, and makes every image look almost magazine-quality. It could be argued that a tiny bit of visual punch is lost in the texture, but I really enjoyed everything I viewed and did on the screen. It feels wonderful to the touch, and I had fun playing games like PUBG, browsing the web on a big screen, watching Netflix, reviewing and editing my photos, and multi-taking (more on that later).

Unlike the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and 8 Ultra, the iPhone Duo's inner display supports a stylus, specifically the USB-C Apple Pencil. That support is not yet live, but I can't wait to start drawing on the Duo. I did attempt some Procreate Pocket sketches with my finger, and it didn't go well, which is mostly a me problem. However, I had slightly better luck with an analog stylus (see below).

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

Apple hides the 4MP inner FaceTime camera behind a handful of pixels, but they don't appear to have the exact same mix of matte and pixel density as the rest of the display, and as such are easy to spot. I wonder if Apple should have just gone with a standard, albeit smaller, cutout.

As on the cover display, Apple has positioned the status and dock vertically on the right side of the main display. I wonder why, in Tablet mode, Apple didn't simply copy the iPad and put this bar at the base of the screen. Still, I noticed that the dock disappears when you're in apps like Safari.

There's more to say about app compatibility with this platform, which I'll get into later in the Software section of this review.

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

I especially like the redesigned Standby feature, which takes advantage of the Duo's multiple displays and foldable nature. You can prop up the phone like a tent and have the Standby display appear in landscape mode. If you flip the phone up so it's standing on your desk like an open book, the Duo knows to switch Standby to the inner display. At one point I popped the Duo onto my old Belkin MagSafe charger, and used it as a nightstand clock. It's so smart and useful.

What we have here are two excellent displays with a wide array of capabilities in one device. It's both a tiny iPhone and a mini tablet, with two screens that should please both the iPhone and iPad crowds. I have my reservations about the cover screen, but as an overall multi-display package, I'm impressed with the Duo.

• Display score: 4.5 / 5

Apple iPhone Duo review: Cameras

• Two strong 48MP cameras
• Excellent 12MP Center Stage camera
• Inner camera is lower-resolution but effective for FaceTime
• No telephoto camera

It's been a long time since I've reviewed an iPhone on which camera considerations come second to design and mechanical engineering, but the excitement revolving around the iPhone Duo is about its folding capability, creaseless inner screen, and unique-among-iPhones form factor.

Even so, there's no indication that Apple has skimped on three of the four cameras. Yes, the inner camera is just a 4MP shooter that's primarily devoted to FaceTime calls, but the rest of the lenses — 48MP f/1.6 Main, 48MP f/2.2 ultra-wide, and 12MP f/2.2 Center Stage — are all excellent.

While I haven't had a lot of time with the iPhone Duo, I have managed to shoot in a variety of conditions and situations, pushing the cameras on speed, image quality, color, and low-light performance.

The two external cameras default to shooting at 24MP, which means each photo has effectively twice as much information per pixel (the process is called binning).

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

I was particularly impressed by the level of detail in the main-camera shots — just look at the specks of pollen on the marigold flower in the gallery below. That same image shows an exceptional balance of shadows and light; the sunlight bleed on the right does not overwhelm the exposure of the rest of the image.

In a challenging social-club environment, the main wide and ultra-wide cameras acquitted themselves nicely, making exposure adjustments to capture the moment without too much grain. Obviously, there was some motion blur, but I think it added to the emotional weight of the event.

With the iPhone duo, Apple has introduced Smart Take, which I liken to your own personal fashion photographer. The setting lives under the grid menu (drawer) in the Camera app, and once it's on, you can set the phone folded at 90 degrees on a desktop, start posing in front of the camera, and Smart Take will capture the 'best shots.'

When I used it, I noted that while I was trusting the phone to take some decent photos of me, I couldn't see a display to keep track of what it was capturing (Smart Take is not supported on the 4MP inner camera). Still, I started striking poses, assuming that the camera would deem those best. It kind of worked, though I think Smart Take would work best if you're able to put the iPhone Duo up on a tripod or shelf to make sure the camera is closer to eye level.

Lance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / Future

Similar to what we've seen on other foldable phones, Apple has included a camera mode, Duo Preview, that lets you use the best main or ultra-wide camera while still using the cover display as a viewfinder. It's a useful table-stakes feature that I'm glad Apple included, especially since the inner camera is so underpowered.

Apple says you get 2x effective optical zoom on the main camera, but that's a sensor crop. Yes, the pixels and image information will be real, but I prefer a proper zoom lens. To be fair, the iPhone Duo camera array is quite similar to the 50MP pair on the Galaxy Z Fold 8, which also lacks a telephoto lens.

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

I also used the cover screen Center Stage camera to shoot some portrait-mode selfies. They were, as you might expect, impressive (not the subject, just the brilliant bokeh).

The iPhone Duo's trio of high-quality cameras meets, in my estimation, the high watermark set by lenses on previous iPhones, including the iPhone 17 Pro (the 18 Pro models come with a variable aperture).

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• Camera score: 4.5 / 5

Apple iPhone Duo review: Software

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

• An iOS tablet hybrid that somehow works
• Dock position will split some
• Split screen for multitasking
• Third-party app support is a work in progress

With the iPhone Duo, iOS officially means multiple things. Where it was once a smartphone platform, it's now a multi-hardware-configuration operating system that can, depending on where it's installed, fork appropriately.

Instead of the iPhone Duo unfolding and converting into an iPad, it remains steadfastly an iPhone with tablet-like capabilities. This has resulted in some odd decisions on Apple's part, like hiding some of the ever-present status-bar information, including battery life, and rotating and moving the dock. Even the iPad doesn't put the dock on the right-hand side.

On the cover screen, the status bar and dock placement cut into screen real-estate for some apps and browser experiences; this is less of an issue on the larger inner screen.

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

Since this is not pure-play classic iOS, there is some discontinuity in third-party app support. During my testing, Gmail and LinkedIn didn't look great. The former is stretched wide but doesn't fill the full depth of the display; LinkedIn floats in the middle.

For unoptimized apps, I did have the option of using the very iPad-like 2x zoom icon, which stretched the app to fit more of the screen. In some instances, apps appeared to work, but some features were broken. When I played Asphalt Legends on the inner display, tilt-to-steer was broken, though it worked perfectly on the cover display.

Lance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / Future

Some third-party apps, including Netflix (clips looked pretty good on the Cover display), and first-party apps like Safari and Messages, look great, and effectively use all the 7.6-inch display's real estate. There are even some apps that are already custom-designed to take advantage of the dual-display setup.

Lance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / Future

One of my favorites is a game called Toastie. On the inner screen, you butter your bread, add cheese and other ingredients, then hit grill, at which point you fold the phone closed, and it gently pulses for each second of cooking. You have to decide when to stop. To see your grilled cheese sandwich, you open the phone — I did this a half dozen times before I had a virtually edible sandwich.

Lane Ulanoff / FutureLane Ulanoff / Future

Deck-Man is also a cute concept; this turns your iPhone duo into a classic cassette tape player, complete with the static you hear when the player is on but not playing a tape. When the iPhone is open, you choose a cassette and virtually put it in the player, then you close the phone to access the player controls. I especially liked how "rewinding" the tape reproduced the classic sounds of a physical tape rewinding in an old-school player.

I also played Battle Fleet, which is a Battleship knockoff, and works well when you set up the phone in 90-degree opened desktop mode.

These are all clever apps, though I wouldn't argue that any are the Duo's 'killer app.'

The 7.6-inch inner display is also a good canvas for multitasking. You split the screen by swiping up from the bottom of the display and slowly dragging an app left or right. Inside each pane, you can swipe up to choose a different app. I used this to have Messages and Safari side-by-side, and also for the drawing app Procreate on one side and a reference image from Safari on the left.

Lance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / Future

Unlike on the Galaxy Z Fold 8, you can't run three apps, though the iPhone Duo will let you add picture-in-picture video on top of two apps you have open.

The iPhone Duo is a good showcase for Apple's growing AI ambitions. Siri AI now knows more about me and my smartphone, so when I ask if there are any emails I should know about, it automatically accesses 'Priority Mail' in the Mail app, and quickly starts reading off the first crucial message. Siri AI is better at maintaining context, so I don't have to restate myself, but it's still not foolproof. I asked Siri where I had been yesterday, and it showed me a picture of myself and listed my age. Siri AI should, though, get better as it continues to index my system.

In general, iOS 27, which is more customizable that ever, has useful widgets and more powerful AI features, and is the perfect platform for Apple's biggest iPhone design leap. It may not have all the design elements right, and the app support is lagging a bit behind, but these are all minor, and I think easily adjustable or fixable, issues.

• Software score: 4.5 / 5

Apple iPhone Duo review: PerformanceLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / Future

• Powerful A20 Pro CPU
• 12GB RAM
• Smooth performance across the board

Apple smartly put the same CPU, the 2-nanometer A20 Pro, in the iPhone Duo as it did in the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. As a result, the performance on its first foldable device is equally impressive. In Future Labs benchmark tests, the A20 Pro on an iPhone Duo beat the Galaxy Z Fold 8's Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy in Geekbench 7 single- and multi-core tests, and it also edged out the Qualcomm chip in most of our graphics tests. None of this was by a wide margin, and I'd challenge anyone to notice the difference in real-world scenarios. Still, it's nice to know that the Duo is cooking with gas, just like its Pro counterparts.

In my experience, the iPhone Duo is fast and fluid. Speaking of which, it's fun to start with some third-party apps on the cover screen, and then flip open the iPhone Duo to see the virtually seamless graphics handoff from the smaller display to the larger one. It's both a software and performance feat that nothing stutters or stalls in the handoff process.

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

The larger inner screen will probably encourage many to try even tougher tasks, like editing 40K 60fps video. I used CyberLink PowerDirector to do so, and while the system and app handled the task fine, the non-optimized app couldn't properly fill the 7.6-inch display.

The back of the phone, near the camera bump, can get a little warm during gaming and other CPU-intensive operations, like recording the aforementioned 4K video, but not uncomfortably so.

Apple's A20 and the 12GB of RAM on board seem well suited to local tasks like photo editing in Cleanup, and both realistic and fanciful image creation in Image Playground.

Apple's AI-powered image cleanup is getting really good. Look at how it removed this woman from a photo of my wife.Lance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureYou never know when you're going to need a dragon riding a car in the desert.Lance Ulanoff / Future

The iPhone Duo starts with 256GB of storage, which matches the Galaxy Z Fold 8. At this price, though, I think it should start with double that. You can expect strong connectivity across the board from the iPhone Duo. Inside is Apple's C2 modem for better 5G connectivity. Plus, there's support for WiFi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Messages via Satellite.

Apple iPhone Duo benchmark scores

Apple iPhone Duo

Geekbench 7.1 single-core

4007

Geekbench 7.1 multi-core

11363

3DMark Wild Life Extreme Unlimited

7171

3DMark Wild Life Extreme (fps)

45.3

3DMark Solar Bay Unlimited

16496

3DMark Solar Bay Unlimited (fps)

6.3

• Performance score: 5 / 5

Apple iPhone Duo review: Battery

• Solid all-day battery life
• Fast wired charging

Apple reportedly squeezed a fairly large, almost 5,000mAh, battery into the iPhone duo, and is promising some pretty impressive battery-life numbers based on fairly specific types of usage. Video playback, which doesn't rely all that much on energy-draining resources, can, Apple claims, go for an eye-watering 44 hours, or 31 hours on the larger inner display.

In more varied use, Apple is claiming a full day of battery life on a charge. In my real-world tests I got around 14 hours, and in our more stringent Future Labs tests, we got 13 hours. That's commendable performance, but not as good as what the same Future Labs tests show for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, which managed 14.33 hours.

I still think the iPhone Duo's numbers are good, especially because my experience was easily cruising through a full day of phone activities, without any concern that I needed to plug in.

The phone supports fast charging and, with a 45W charger, I charged to 60% in 30 minutes. The MagSafe back also supports fast wireless charging.

• Battery score: 4.5 / 5

Should you buy the Apple iPhone Duo?Apple iPhone Duo scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

Most expensive iPhone ever but it's truly a two-in-one device and few will pay the full price upfront anyway, especially with the new leasing option.

4 / 5

Design

Beautifully designed and engineered foldable that makes the hinge and, virtually, hinge disappear. Wish it was thinner and lighter.

4.5 / 5

Displays

Sharp cover dsispl;ay and brilliant inner display that hides the crease and offered a beautiful matte finish. Everything looks good on it

4.5 / 5

Camera

Two strong 48MP lenses and an above average Center Stage selfie camera that all produce top-notch images. The inner camera is best for FaceTime only and we miss a true telephoto.

4.5 / 5

Software

Apple shows how iOS can also be a tablet platform without losing its iPhone essence. Siri AI is starting to live up to its promise. We need more app support and not a huge fan of Status and Dock placement.

4.5 / 5

Performance

An excellent A20 Pro CPU helps the iPhone Duo live up to its promises. There are zero lags, even when playing console-level games

5 / 5

Battery

All day battery life is virtually assured.

4.5 / 5

Buy it if...

You've been waiting for Apple to enter the folding race
The iPhone Duo is pretty much everything you want or could dream of from a folding iPhone

You want two screens but also cuter and pocketable
The iPhone Duo might be thicker and heavier than a Galaxy Z Fold 8, but it's right-sized for small hands and smaller pockets, and while the Galaxy Z Fold line is all flat edges and sharp corners, the iPhone Duo has curves.

You don't want to see a crease
Apple now holds the crown for best crease concealer, hiding it under nano texture finish that makes it almost impossible to spot the crease unless you really look for it.

Don't buy it if...

You want an affordable smartphone
The iPhone Duo is not just the most expensive iPhone; it's more expensive than the Galaxy Z Fold 8. Either way, think carefully before buying; not everyone needs two displays in one device.

You want a telephoto camera
The iPhone Duo's main camera promises 2X optical equivalent zoom, but that's a sensor crop, which means there's no dedicated telephoto camera.

Apple iPhone Duo review: Also consider

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8

Samsung has adapted familiar elements to make a phone that's ready to fit your lifestyle with its practical size, excellent screens, and plenty of software and performance potential. It’s still costly, and the lack of some features seems extra disappointing given the price, but what’s here gels together in a wonderfully cohesive way.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 review

Motorola Razr Plus 2026

This is currently our best flip-style foldable pick, and it might be the better device for you if you're looking for a foldable that can go the distance with its battery, and don’t mind only having a standard-sized phone screen when you open it up.

Read our full Motorola Razr Plus 2026 review

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra

Considering the minimal price difference, you might be better off saving a little extra money and getting the full-fat fold experience with more screen space, a telephoto camera, and a longer-lasting battery. The Z Fold 8 Ultra isn't as well-suited to video, though.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra review

Apple iPhone Duo

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8

Motorola Razr Plus 2026

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra

Price (at launch):

From $1,999 / £1,999 / AU$3,499

From $1899, £1699, AU$2699

$1,099, £1,000

From $2,099 £1,899. AU$2,999

Dimensions:

Unfolded: 164.6 x 117.8 x 5.2 mm, Folded: 84.1 x 117.8 x 11.3 mm

Unfolded: 161.4 x 123.9 x 4.5mm, Folded: 81.9 x 123.9 x 9.7mm

Unfolded: 2.9 x 6.7 x 0.3 in

Folded: 3.5 x 2.9 x 0.6 in

Unfolded: 158.4 x 143.2 x 4.1mm, Folded: 158.4 x 72.8 x 8.9mm

Weight:

254g

201g

189g

215g

Displays:

Main: 7.6-inch Super Retina XDR, Cover: 5.4-inch Super Retina XDR

Main: 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X, Cover: 5.5-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X

Main: 6.9-inch AMOLED, Cover: 4-inch AMOLED

Main: 8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2x, Cover: 6.5-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X

Resolution:

Main: 1878 x 2670, Cover: 1398 x 2034

Main: 2448 x 1848, Cover: 1972 x 1248

Main: 1084 x 2640, Cover: 1272 x 1080

Main: 2256 x 2504, Cover: 1080 x 2520

Refresh rate:

1-120hz

1 - 120Hz (main and cover)

1 - 165 Hz (main and cover)

1 - 120Hz (main and cover)

Peak brightness:

3,000

3,000 nits (main and cover)

Main: 3,000 nits, Cover: 2,400 nits

3,000 nits (main and cover)

Processor:

A20 Pro

Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3

Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy

RAM:

12GB

12GB, 16GB (1TB model only)

12GB

12GB, 16GB (1TB model only)

Storage:

256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB

256GB, 512GB, 1TB

256GB

256GB, 512GB, 1TB

OS:

iOS 27

Android 17 with One UI 9

Android 16

Android 17 with One UI 9

Cameras:

48MP wide (f/1.6), 48MP ultra-wide (f/2.2)

50MP wide, 50MP ultra-wide

50MP main, 50MP ultra-wide

200MP wide, 50MP ultra-wide, 10MP telephoto

Selfie cameras:

11MP Center Stage camera (f/2.2) outer, 4MP (f/1.8) inner

10MP inner, 10MP outer

32MP

10MP inner, 10MP outer

Battery:

Approximately 4,800mAh

4,800mAh

4,500mAh

5,000mAh

Charging:

60W wired, 35W wireless

45W wired, 20W wireless

45W wired, 15W wireless

45W wired, 20W wireless

Colors:

Star White, Night sky

Lavender, Graphite, Cream, Mint (Samsung Store exclusive)

Pantone Mountain View

Violet Shadow, Graphite, Cream, Green Shadow (Samsung Store exclusive)

How I tested the Apple iPhone DuoWhy you can trust TechRadar

☑️ 100s of smartphones reviewed
☑️ 15 years of product testing
☑️ Over 16,000 products reviewed in total
☑️ Nearly 200,000 hours testing tech

I used the iPhone Duo for almost a week for everything from social media to Slack and email. I perused websites, watched videos, played games, followed maps and turn-by-turn directions, and took photos. In short, I tried ot use it as my primary device

Read more about how we test

First reviewed October 2026

Apple iPhone Duo: Two-minute review

In the early days of the iPhone, seeing one in the wild, usually in a brave early adopter's hands, was like spotting a unicorn. The excitement was palpable. Over the years, though, as every smartphone has become a glass and metal slab, making it difficult to tell one iPhone release from another, the excitement has diminished. Where I used to keep my 'regular' iPhone review units out of sight, I now casually carry them around in a case, and no one is any the wiser.

That, though, is not the case with the iPhone Duo. In my effort to spend as much time using the new folding iPhone as possible, I carried it everywhere, including to a wedding party for my friend's son. My iPhone Duo test unit was somewhat disguised by being clad in a Taupe Folio with a Kickstand case, but as I held it aloft to photograph the newlyweds, the bride's eyes grew wide.

"Is that...?!"

My eyes darted from her to the phone in my hand, and I considered stuffing it back in my pocket, but I was intrigued by her reaction. I hadn't seen this level of interest and excitement in years.

I nodded wordlessly; the newlyweds started peppering me with questions, and as I folded and unfolded it, and they glimpsed the inner display, the bride's jaw dropped. She asked if I liked it. I mumbled, "Yes, I think so," without offering much more information.

I was determined to use the iPhone Duo's two external 48MP cameras to photograph the event, which meant this scenario repeated itself more than once.

It was obvious that, unlike every other iPhone of the last decade or so, the iPhone Duo could not travel incognito; people were, it seemed, intensely interested in Apple's first truly new iPhone form factor in basically forever.

The interest is warranted.

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

The iPhone Duo is not simply an iPhone folded in half. I'd argue it's only marginally an iPhone and more of a hybrid, splitting the difference between a sub-sized smartphone and a slightly larger, 8-inch iPad mini.

From the highly polished titanium frame to the curves and pitch-perfect tolerances, the iPhone Duo's design is Apple at its best, and while it doesn't reinvent the genre, the nano-texture finish on the main display cannily solved the chief folding phone complaint: that darn crease. It's not that the crease is completely gone, but in daily use it's virtually invisible. As an added bonus, that matte finish kills reflectivity in bright sunlight, and makes almost everything look better.

Apple includes four cameras, three of which are powerful enough to produce high-quality photos across a range of styles. I saw excellent color accuracy and low-light performance, and the ultra-wide camera feels expansive. The inner-display camera is, it appears, just 4MP, but it does a good job with casual selfies and FaceTime calls.

Apple has almost stuck the landing here, but there is a slight step backwards. I'm fairly certain its decision to move the status bar and dock to the right side of the 5.4-inch outer screen, and therefore shrink the width of most apps, will divide opinion. I like how this makes it easy to tap an app with your right thumb, but the remaining screen real estate makes some app experiences look and feel cramped.

Then there's the lack of Face ID on the cover screen, which means this is the first iPhone in ages that I have to use my finger to unlock.

I'm also less than thrilled that a nearly $2,000 / £1,999 phone starts with just 256GB of storage; although, to be fair to Apple, the $1,899.99 / £1,699 Galaxy Z Fold 8 also starts with the same amount.

Those small nits are like pointing out the missing eyelashes on the Mona Lisa, though. Overall, this is a fantastic entry into the folding phone space, offering the dual capabilities of a glanceable and attractive iPhone that fits in any pocket or hand, and a versatile 7.6-inch tablet.

Not everyone needs two screens in one device, or wants to pay as much as they would for a home appliance for their next smartphone; but for those who feel confined by the boundaries of a typical iPhone and want to do more in less space, the iPhone Duo, which starts out smaller than your average smartphone but unfolds to reveal an almost twice-as-large tablet display, is well worth your consideration.

Apple iPhone Duo review: Price and availability

• From $1,999 in the US
• From £1,999 in the UK
• From $3,499 in Australia

Apple unveiled the iPhone Duo, its first folding phone, as its "one more thing" during the Surprise and Shine event on September 9, 2026.

The list price is $1,999 / £1,999 / AU$3,499 for the 256GB model, which is in line with most of its folding competitors from Samsung, Huawei, Motorola, and Oppo. It's available in storage configurations up to 2TB for $3,199 / £3,199 / AU$5,899.

The iPhone Duo is the most expensive iPhone Apple has ever made, but we should put this in context. Like most foldables, this is a two-in-one device: a pint-sized smartphone with a 5.4-inch 4:3 screen, and a 7.6-inch tablet. Unlike the Galaxy Z Fold 8, which has a similar passport-style shape, and even the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, which is a more conventionally sized and shaped foldable, the iPhone Duo's larger main screen supports digital pen input (this wasn't available for my testing period, but it's expected by November).

You may also be able to soften the price blow a bit with a trade-in; or you might want to look at Apple's leasing program, which will run about $57-to-$83 / £47 to £66.63 / AU$97.19 to over $161 a month for the base model.

In total, the iPhone Duo is probably better value than you think.

Apple iPhone Duo pricing

Storage

US price

UK price

AU price

256GB

$1,999.99

£1,999

AU$3,499

512GB

$2,199

£TBD

AU$TBD

1TB

$2,599

£TBD

AU$TBD

2TB

$3,199

£TBD

AU$TBD

• Value score: 4 / 5

Apple iPhone Duo review: Specs

These are the key specs of the Apple iPhone Duo:

Dimensions:

Unfolded: 164.6 x 117.8 x 5.2mm, Folded: 84.1 x 117.8 x 11.3mm

Weight:

254g

Displays:

Main: 7.6-inch Super Retina XDR, Cover: 5.4-inch Super Retina XDR

Resolution:

Main: 1878 x 2670, Cover: 1398 x 2034

Refresh rate:

1-120Hz (main and cover)

Peak brightness:

3,000 nits

CPU:

A20 Pro

RAM:

12GB

Storage:

256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB

OS:

iOS 27

Cameras:

48MP wide (f/1.6), 48MP ultra-wide (f/2.2)

Selfie cameras:

11MP Center Stage camera (f/2.2) outer, 4MP (f/1.8) inner

Battery:

4,800mAh (approximate)

Charging:

60W wired, 35W wireless

Colors:

Star White, Night sky

Apple iPhone Duo review: Design

• Polished titanium
• Exquisitely engineered hinge and folding operation
• Unfolds flat
• IP68
• Thicker and heavier than nearest competition
• No Face ID

'Satisfying' is the best way to describe the feeling of repeatedly opening and closing the iPhone Duo. It's as if Apple inadvertently created a digital fidget spinner — the more I carried around the iPhone Duo, the more I found myself absentmindedly folding and unfolding the phone.

Apple's exceptional engineering makes it possible to unfold the phone initially, with almost no effort (it almost springs open at the slightest intentional touch), before the internal torque kicks in to allow for the Duo to be opened to almost any angle between zero and 180 degrees (flat).

Lance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / Future

While you can't see the work that went into making this hinge, the effort is evident in every single touch and move. Inside are hundreds of magnets and other components that keep the phone securely closed, but never get in the way of an easy opening. More so than with any folding phone I've tested, the hinge essentially disappears when the iPhone Duo is unfolded flat.

At 5.2mm thick, the fingerprint-attracting polished titanium iPhone Duo is the thinnest iPhone ever. At least that's how Apple markets it, but that's in tablet mode; I do like the sound of a 5.2mm-thick tablet. The 7.6-inch device is thinner than the 8-inch iPad mini (6.3mm). Folded, the iPhone Duo is 11.3mm thick, almost 2mm thicker than the folded Galaxy Z Fold 8. And at 254g, the iPhone Duo outweighs the Galaxy Z Fold 8 by a noticeable 53 grams. It's even slightly heavier than the iPhone 18 Pro Max, which weighs 249g.

Lance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / Future

The upshot of all this is that while the 4.64-inch by 3.31-inch folded iPhone Duo fits in even the smallest pocket, you will feel its heft, especially if you pop, say, a Folio with Kickstand case on it.

The iPhone Duo stands out in a way few iPhones have in recent years. Folded, it's closer to square than rectangular in shape, resembling a squat iPhone Pro Max. Plus, the asymmetry — flat and square on one side and curved on the other when folded — means the Duo cuts a unique profile among smartphones.

It does feel good in the hand, though the wider body might take some getting used to. I like the Ceramic Shield 2 front and back, especially the matte-finished back, which makes the Duo almost slip-from-your-hand-proof. The large dual-camera array bump is reminiscent of the iPhone Air, though the similarities end there.

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

The volume buttons live on the top edge, another departure from the traditional iPhone, and indeed from smartphone design in general — I'm not sure I love that decision. On the right is the long Touch ID-enabled power/sleep/Siri AI button, and below that is the Action button. I often forget that last button exists on my iPhone 18 Pro Max, and I wonder if it was truly necessary here.

I appreciate the inclusion of Touch ID (I registered my index finger and thumb), but the lack of Face ID is frustrating — I had no idea how much I relied on it for quickly unlocking my phone until it wasn't there. Multiple times I've stared at the iPhone Duo's cover screen waiting for something to happen, forgetting that I have to intentionally touch the Touch ID button. A nearly $2,000 device lacking Apple's most powerful biometric security feature is close to unforgivable — I'll probably set up a workaround so that I can unlock the Duo via my Apple Watch.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 on left, iPhone Duo on rightLance Ulanoff / FutureSamsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 on left, iPhone Duo on rightLance Ulanoff / FutureSamsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 on left, iPhone Duo on rightLance Ulanoff / FutureSamsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 on left, iPhone Duo on rightLance Ulanoff / FutureSamsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 on bottom, iPhone Duo on topLance Ulanoff / FutureSamsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 on left, iPhone Duo on rightLance Ulanoff / Future

Along the bottom edge are the USB-C port (the phone ships with a charging cable but no power adapter), the speakers, and the mics.

Unfolded, the iPhone duo feels like a thin, compact tablet — I hesitate to say 'iPad' since the operating system is essentially iOS with some small adjustments for the new form factor.

Lance Ulanoff / Future

Remarkably, Apple comes out of the folding gate flourishing an IP68 rating, which means the iPhone Duo is protected against dust and even water. Naturally, I submerged the Duo under a running faucet, and it was none the worse for the experience.

Overall, I like the design and form factor, but it's different from a traditional iPhone, so it does take some getting used to. I struggled, for instance, to figure out the best way to hold the phone for photography. Do I need to turn it into landscape mode, or should I just hold it the way I hold a 'regular' iPhone? I do wonder how many will choose to unfold the phone, and shoot pictures in the same way they might with their iPad.

• Design score: 4.5 / 5

Apple iPhone Duo review: Displays

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

• Adorable and unusually shaped 5.4-inch cover display
• Industry-leading 7.6-inch foldable internal display
• Crease is canily hidden via a combination of expert engineering and a nano-etched display
• Bright, sharp, fluid screens

Credit to Apple for not skimping on either of its iPhone Duo displays. Both the 5.4-inch outer and the 7.6-inch flexible inner screens are Super Retina XDR-class OLED panels, both with variable refresh rates up to 120Hz, always-on functionality, and up to 3,000 nits of brightness.

Both displays look impressively sharp, and actually offer slightly higher resolutions than the comparable displays on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8.

The iPhone Duo's 5.4-inch cover display has a 2034 x 1398 resolution (compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 8 cover display's 1972 x 1248), and the 7.6-inch Inner display is 2670 x 1878 (compared to the Z Fold 8's 2448 x 1848 main display).

At first glance, the iPhone duo Cover screen is instantly recognizable as an iPhone, but close scrutiny reveals some interesting adjustments for the relatively short and wide display. First, the pill-shaped Dynamic Island sits in a vertical space along the right side, and when you look at the home screen, the dock is stacked vertically below the time and a status button (a single tap on it expands it to show connectivity and battery, and also drops down the full Control Center).

The Duo takes that right-hand space and rarely gives it up, which means that websites can look cramped in Safari, and some apps like TikTok, and even Apple's native ones, like Sports, can feel a bit squeezed. There are exceptions, like when you use the screen as a viewfinder in the Camera app, or look back at images in the Photo Gallery. In those cases, the imagery fills the entire screen.

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

I'm less conflicted about the glorious main screen. It's big, it's responsive, and the matte, nano-texture covering almost completely hides the crease by dispersing any light bouncing off it, instead of directing it right back to your eyes. The display looks and feels perfectly flat, plus that matte covering kills all reflections, and makes every image look almost magazine-quality. It could be argued that a tiny bit of visual punch is lost in the texture, but I really enjoyed everything I viewed and did on the screen. It feels wonderful to the touch, and I had fun playing games like PUBG, browsing the web on a big screen, watching Netflix, reviewing and editing my photos, and multi-taking (more on that later).

Unlike the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and 8 Ultra, the iPhone Duo's inner display supports a stylus, specifically the USB-C Apple Pencil. That support is not yet live, but I can't wait to start drawing on the Duo. I did attempt some Procreate Pocket sketches with my finger, and it didn't go well, which is mostly a me problem. However, I had slightly better luck with an analog stylus (see below).

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

Apple hides the 4MP inner FaceTime camera behind a handful of pixels, but they don't appear to have the exact same mix of matte and pixel density as the rest of the display, and as such are easy to spot. I wonder if Apple should have just gone with a standard, albeit smaller, cutout.

As on the cover display, Apple has positioned the status and dock vertically on the right side of the main display. I wonder why, in Tablet mode, Apple didn't simply copy the iPad and put this bar at the base of the screen. Still, I noticed that the dock disappears when you're in apps like Safari.

There's more to say about app compatibility with this platform, which I'll get into later in the Software section of this review.

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

I especially like the redesigned Standby feature, which takes advantage of the Duo's multiple displays and foldable nature. You can prop up the phone like a tent and have the Standby display appear in landscape mode. If you flip the phone up so it's standing on your desk like an open book, the Duo knows to switch Standby to the inner display. At one point I popped the Duo onto my old Belkin MagSafe charger, and used it as a nightstand clock. It's so smart and useful.

What we have here are two excellent displays with a wide array of capabilities in one device. It's both a tiny iPhone and a mini tablet, with two screens that should please both the iPhone and iPad crowds. I have my reservations about the cover screen, but as an overall multi-display package, I'm impressed with the Duo.

• Display score: 4.5 / 5

Apple iPhone Duo review: Cameras

• Two strong 48MP cameras
• Excellent 12MP Center Stage camera
• Inner camera is lower-resolution but effective for FaceTime
• No telephoto camera

It's been a long time since I've reviewed an iPhone on which camera considerations come second to design and mechanical engineering, but the excitement revolving around the iPhone Duo is about its folding capability, creaseless inner screen, and unique-among-iPhones form factor.

Even so, there's no indication that Apple has skimped on three of the four cameras. Yes, the inner camera is just a 4MP shooter that's primarily devoted to FaceTime calls, but the rest of the lenses — 48MP f/1.6 Main, 48MP f/2.2 ultra-wide, and 12MP f/2.2 Center Stage — are all excellent.

While I haven't had a lot of time with the iPhone Duo, I have managed to shoot in a variety of conditions and situations, pushing the cameras on speed, image quality, color, and low-light performance.

The two external cameras default to shooting at 24MP, which means each photo has effectively twice as much information per pixel (the process is called binning).

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

I was particularly impressed by the level of detail in the main-camera shots — just look at the specks of pollen on the marigold flower in the gallery below. That same image shows an exceptional balance of shadows and light; the sunlight bleed on the right does not overwhelm the exposure of the rest of the image.

In a challenging social-club environment, the main wide and ultra-wide cameras acquitted themselves nicely, making exposure adjustments to capture the moment without too much grain. Obviously, there was some motion blur, but I think it added to the emotional weight of the event.

With the iPhone duo, Apple has introduced Smart Take, which I liken to your own personal fashion photographer. The setting lives under the grid menu (drawer) in the Camera app, and once it's on, you can set the phone folded at 90 degrees on a desktop, start posing in front of the camera, and Smart Take will capture the 'best shots.'

When I used it, I noted that while I was trusting the phone to take some decent photos of me, I couldn't see a display to keep track of what it was capturing (Smart Take is not supported on the 4MP inner camera). Still, I started striking poses, assuming that the camera would deem those best. It kind of worked, though I think Smart Take would work best if you're able to put the iPhone Duo up on a tripod or shelf to make sure the camera is closer to eye level.

Lance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / Future

Similar to what we've seen on other foldable phones, Apple has included a camera mode, Duo Preview, that lets you use the best main or ultra-wide camera while still using the cover display as a viewfinder. It's a useful table-stakes feature that I'm glad Apple included, especially since the inner camera is so underpowered.

Apple says you get 2x effective optical zoom on the main camera, but that's a sensor crop. Yes, the pixels and image information will be real, but I prefer a proper zoom lens. To be fair, the iPhone Duo camera array is quite similar to the 50MP pair on the Galaxy Z Fold 8, which also lacks a telephoto lens.

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

I also used the cover screen Center Stage camera to shoot some portrait-mode selfies. They were, as you might expect, impressive (not the subject, just the brilliant bokeh).

The iPhone Duo's trio of high-quality cameras meets, in my estimation, the high watermark set by lenses on previous iPhones, including the iPhone 17 Pro (the 18 Pro models come with a variable aperture).

Lance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff/ FutureLance Ulanoff/ FutureLance Ulanoff/ FutureLance Ulanoff/ FutureLance Ulanoff/ FutureLance Ulanoff/ FutureLance Ulanoff/ FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / Future

• Camera score: 4.5 / 5

Apple iPhone Duo review: Software

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

• An iOS tablet hybrid that somehow works
• Dock position will split some
• Split screen for multitasking
• Third-party app support is a work in progress

With the iPhone Duo, iOS officially means multiple things. Where it was once a smartphone platform, it's now a multi-hardware-configuration operating system that can, depending on where it's installed, fork appropriately.

Instead of the iPhone Duo unfolding and converting into an iPad, it remains steadfastly an iPhone with tablet-like capabilities. This has resulted in some odd decisions on Apple's part, like hiding some of the ever-present status-bar information, including battery life, and rotating and moving the dock. Even the iPad doesn't put the dock on the right-hand side.

On the cover screen, the status bar and dock placement cut into screen real-estate for some apps and browser experiences; this is less of an issue on the larger inner screen.

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

Since this is not pure-play classic iOS, there is some discontinuity in third-party app support. During my testing, Gmail and LinkedIn didn't look great. The former is stretched wide but doesn't fill the full depth of the display; LinkedIn floats in the middle.

For unoptimized apps, I did have the option of using the very iPad-like 2x zoom icon, which stretched the app to fit more of the screen. In some instances, apps appeared to work, but some features were broken. When I played Asphalt Legends on the inner display, tilt-to-steer was broken, though it worked perfectly on the cover display.

Lance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / Future

Some third-party apps, including Netflix (clips looked pretty good on the Cover display), and first-party apps like Safari and Messages, look great, and effectively use all the 7.6-inch display's real estate. There are even some apps that are already custom-designed to take advantage of the dual-display setup.

Lance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / Future

One of my favorites is a game called Toastie. On the inner screen, you butter your bread, add cheese and other ingredients, then hit grill, at which point you fold the phone closed, and it gently pulses for each second of cooking. You have to decide when to stop. To see your grilled cheese sandwich, you open the phone — I did this a half dozen times before I had a virtually edible sandwich.

Lane Ulanoff / FutureLane Ulanoff / Future

Deck-Man is also a cute concept; this turns your iPhone duo into a classic cassette tape player, complete with the static you hear when the player is on but not playing a tape. When the iPhone is open, you choose a cassette and virtually put it in the player, then you close the phone to access the player controls. I especially liked how "rewinding" the tape reproduced the classic sounds of a physical tape rewinding in an old-school player.

I also played Battle Fleet, which is a Battleship knockoff, and works well when you set up the phone in 90-degree opened desktop mode.

These are all clever apps, though I wouldn't argue that any are the Duo's 'killer app.'

The 7.6-inch inner display is also a good canvas for multitasking. You split the screen by swiping up from the bottom of the display and slowly dragging an app left or right. Inside each pane, you can swipe up to choose a different app. I used this to have Messages and Safari side-by-side, and also for the drawing app Procreate on one side and a reference image from Safari on the left.

Lance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / Future

Unlike on the Galaxy Z Fold 8, you can't run three apps, though the iPhone Duo will let you add picture-in-picture video on top of two apps you have open.

The iPhone Duo is a good showcase for Apple's growing AI ambitions. Siri AI now knows more about me and my smartphone, so when I ask if there are any emails I should know about, it automatically accesses 'Priority Mail' in the Mail app, and quickly starts reading off the first crucial message. Siri AI is better at maintaining context, so I don't have to restate myself, but it's still not foolproof. I asked Siri where I had been yesterday, and it showed me a picture of myself and listed my age. Siri AI should, though, get better as it continues to index my system.

In general, iOS 27, which is more customizable that ever, has useful widgets and more powerful AI features, and is the perfect platform for Apple's biggest iPhone design leap. It may not have all the design elements right, and the app support is lagging a bit behind, but these are all minor, and I think easily adjustable or fixable, issues.

• Software score: 4.5 / 5

Apple iPhone Duo review: PerformanceLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / Future

• Powerful A20 Pro CPU
• 12GB RAM
• Smooth performance across the board

Apple smartly put the same CPU, the 2-nanometer A20 Pro, in the iPhone Duo as it did in the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. As a result, the performance on its first foldable device is equally impressive. In Future Labs benchmark tests, the A20 Pro on an iPhone Duo beat the Galaxy Z Fold 8's Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy in Geekbench 7 single- and multi-core tests, and it also edged out the Qualcomm chip in most of our graphics tests. None of this was by a wide margin, and I'd challenge anyone to notice the difference in real-world scenarios. Still, it's nice to know that the Duo is cooking with gas, just like its Pro counterparts.

In my experience, the iPhone Duo is fast and fluid. Speaking of which, it's fun to start with some third-party apps on the cover screen, and then flip open the iPhone Duo to see the virtually seamless graphics handoff from the smaller display to the larger one. It's both a software and performance feat that nothing stutters or stalls in the handoff process.

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

The larger inner screen will probably encourage many to try even tougher tasks, like editing 40K 60fps video. I used CyberLink PowerDirector to do so, and while the system and app handled the task fine, the non-optimized app couldn't properly fill the 7.6-inch display.

The back of the phone, near the camera bump, can get a little warm during gaming and other CPU-intensive operations, like recording the aforementioned 4K video, but not uncomfortably so.

Apple's A20 and the 12GB of RAM on board seem well suited to local tasks like photo editing in Cleanup, and both realistic and fanciful image creation in Image Playground.

Apple's AI-powered image cleanup is getting really good. Look at how it removed this woman from a photo of my wife.Lance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureYou never know when you're going to need a dragon riding a car in the desert.Lance Ulanoff / Future

The iPhone Duo starts with 256GB of storage, which matches the Galaxy Z Fold 8. At this price, though, I think it should start with double that. You can expect strong connectivity across the board from the iPhone Duo. Inside is Apple's C2 modem for better 5G connectivity. Plus, there's support for WiFi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Messages via Satellite.

Apple iPhone Duo benchmark scores

Apple iPhone Duo

Geekbench 7.1 single-core

4007

Geekbench 7.1 multi-core

11363

3DMark Wild Life Extreme Unlimited

7171

3DMark Wild Life Extreme (fps)

45.3

3DMark Solar Bay Unlimited

16496

3DMark Solar Bay Unlimited (fps)

6.3

• Performance score: 5 / 5

Apple iPhone Duo review: Battery

• Solid all-day battery life
• Fast wired charging

Apple reportedly squeezed a fairly large, almost 5,000mAh, battery into the iPhone duo, and is promising some pretty impressive battery-life numbers based on fairly specific types of usage. Video playback, which doesn't rely all that much on energy-draining resources, can, Apple claims, go for an eye-watering 44 hours, or 31 hours on the larger inner display.

In more varied use, Apple is claiming a full day of battery life on a charge. In my real-world tests I got around 14 hours, and in our more stringent Future Labs tests, we got 13 hours. That's commendable performance, but not as good as what the same Future Labs tests show for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, which managed 14.33 hours.

I still think the iPhone Duo's numbers are good, especially because my experience was easily cruising through a full day of phone activities, without any concern that I needed to plug in.

The phone supports fast charging and, with a 45W charger, I charged to 60% in 30 minutes. The MagSafe back also supports fast wireless charging.

• Battery score: 4.5 / 5

Should you buy the Apple iPhone Duo?Apple iPhone Duo scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

Most expensive iPhone ever but it's truly a two-in-one device and few will pay the full price upfront anyway, especially with the new leasing option.

4 / 5

Design

Beautifully designed and engineered foldable that makes the hinge and, virtually, hinge disappear. Wish it was thinner and lighter.

4.5 / 5

Displays

Sharp cover dsispl;ay and brilliant inner display that hides the crease and offered a beautiful matte finish. Everything looks good on it

4.5 / 5

Camera

Two strong 48MP lenses and an above average Center Stage selfie camera that all produce top-notch images. The inner camera is best for FaceTime only and we miss a true telephoto.

4.5 / 5

Software

Apple shows how iOS can also be a tablet platform without losing its iPhone essence. Siri AI is starting to live up to its promise. We need more app support and not a huge fan of Status and Dock placement.

4.5 / 5

Performance

An excellent A20 Pro CPU helps the iPhone Duo live up to its promises. There are zero lags, even when playing console-level games

5 / 5

Battery

All day battery life is virtually assured.

4.5 / 5

Buy it if...

You've been waiting for Apple to enter the folding race
The iPhone Duo is pretty much everything you want or could dream of from a folding iPhone

You want two screens but also cuter and pocketable
The iPhone Duo might be thicker and heavier than a Galaxy Z Fold 8, but it's right-sized for small hands and smaller pockets, and while the Galaxy Z Fold line is all flat edges and sharp corners, the iPhone Duo has curves.

You don't want to see a crease
Apple now holds the crown for best crease concealer, hiding it under nano texture finish that makes it almost impossible to spot the crease unless you really look for it.

Don't buy it if...

You want an affordable smartphone
The iPhone Duo is not just the most expensive iPhone; it's more expensive than the Galaxy Z Fold 8. Either way, think carefully before buying; not everyone needs two displays in one device.

You want a telephoto camera
The iPhone Duo's main camera promises 2X optical equivalent zoom, but that's a sensor crop, which means there's no dedicated telephoto camera.

Apple iPhone Duo review: Also consider

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8

Samsung has adapted familiar elements to make a phone that's ready to fit your lifestyle with its practical size, excellent screens, and plenty of software and performance potential. It’s still costly, and the lack of some features seems extra disappointing given the price, but what’s here gels together in a wonderfully cohesive way.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 review

Motorola Razr Plus 2026

This is currently our best flip-style foldable pick, and it might be the better device for you if you're looking for a foldable that can go the distance with its battery, and don’t mind only having a standard-sized phone screen when you open it up.

Read our full Motorola Razr Plus 2026 review

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra

Considering the minimal price difference, you might be better off saving a little extra money and getting the full-fat fold experience with more screen space, a telephoto camera, and a longer-lasting battery. The Z Fold 8 Ultra isn't as well-suited to video, though.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra review

Apple iPhone Duo

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8

Motorola Razr Plus 2026

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra

Price (at launch):

From $1,999 / £1,999 / AU$3,499

From $1899, £1699, AU$2699

$1,099, £1,000

From $2,099 £1,899. AU$2,999

Dimensions:

Unfolded: 164.6 x 117.8 x 5.2 mm, Folded: 84.1 x 117.8 x 11.3 mm

Unfolded: 161.4 x 123.9 x 4.5mm, Folded: 81.9 x 123.9 x 9.7mm

Unfolded: 2.9 x 6.7 x 0.3 in

Folded: 3.5 x 2.9 x 0.6 in

Unfolded: 158.4 x 143.2 x 4.1mm, Folded: 158.4 x 72.8 x 8.9mm

Weight:

254g

201g

189g

215g

Displays:

Main: 7.6-inch Super Retina XDR, Cover: 5.4-inch Super Retina XDR

Main: 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X, Cover: 5.5-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X

Main: 6.9-inch AMOLED, Cover: 4-inch AMOLED

Main: 8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2x, Cover: 6.5-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X

Resolution:

Main: 1878 x 2670, Cover: 1398 x 2034

Main: 2448 x 1848, Cover: 1972 x 1248

Main: 1084 x 2640, Cover: 1272 x 1080

Main: 2256 x 2504, Cover: 1080 x 2520

Refresh rate:

1-120hz

1 - 120Hz (main and cover)

1 - 165 Hz (main and cover)

1 - 120Hz (main and cover)

Peak brightness:

3,000

3,000 nits (main and cover)

Main: 3,000 nits, Cover: 2,400 nits

3,000 nits (main and cover)

Processor:

A20 Pro

Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3

Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy

RAM:

12GB

12GB, 16GB (1TB model only)

12GB

12GB, 16GB (1TB model only)

Storage:

256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB

256GB, 512GB, 1TB

256GB

256GB, 512GB, 1TB

OS:

iOS 27

Android 17 with One UI 9

Android 16

Android 17 with One UI 9

Cameras:

48MP wide (f/1.6), 48MP ultra-wide (f/2.2)

50MP wide, 50MP ultra-wide

50MP main, 50MP ultra-wide

200MP wide, 50MP ultra-wide, 10MP telephoto

Selfie cameras:

11MP Center Stage camera (f/2.2) outer, 4MP (f/1.8) inner

10MP inner, 10MP outer

32MP

10MP inner, 10MP outer

Battery:

Approximately 4,800mAh

4,800mAh

4,500mAh

5,000mAh

Charging:

60W wired, 35W wireless

45W wired, 20W wireless

45W wired, 15W wireless

45W wired, 20W wireless

Colors:

Star White, Night sky

Lavender, Graphite, Cream, Mint (Samsung Store exclusive)

Pantone Mountain View

Violet Shadow, Graphite, Cream, Green Shadow (Samsung Store exclusive)

How I tested the Apple iPhone DuoWhy you can trust TechRadar

☑️ 100s of smartphones reviewed
☑️ 15 years of product testing
☑️ Over 16,000 products reviewed in total
☑️ Nearly 200,000 hours testing tech

I used the iPhone Duo for almost a week for everything from social media to Slack and email. I perused websites, watched videos, played games, followed maps and turn-by-turn directions, and took photos. In short, I tried ot use it as my primary device

Read more about how we test

First reviewed October 2026

The Justice Department's "likely" noncitizen voter list in California is "unreliable," according to officials. And, the United Nations reports a major increase in U.S. climate pollution.

(Image credit: Guillaume Lambin / Hans Lucas)

• President Trump says data center developers should offer a 'dividend' to get local community approval for campuses
• Nebius CRO says the company is "100% in principle" considering some form of local investment
• Paying local residents to approve a local data resident didn't go so well in Hazle, Pennsylvania

President Trump has told data center companies that one way to get local residents to support new developments is to “make deals” with local residents.

Trump suggested offering communities a “dividend,” adding, “I have watched the process closely, and Data Centers that were highly unpopular in a certain area, have become extremely popular when a financial deal is struck.”

“MAKE DEALS, and get them built!!! GREAT FOR THE U.S.A.,” the President wrote on Truth Social. But as one town has already demonstrated, these payments are viewed as a bribe that threaten to turn communities against each other.

Dividend or bribe?

As the November 2026 midterm elections draw closer, data centers have become a make-or-break topic for some candidates. Data center developers and AI companies have been channeling millions of dollars into political action committees in an effort to get a more favorable view of data centers.

Multiple states are considering enacting moratoriums on AI data center development, which if approved could cost developers and AI companies billions in lost investment. Environmental concerns and issues relating to noise and light pollution are high on the list for residents protesting against local developments.

NorthPoint Development is currently seeking to build an AI data center in Hazle, Pennsylvania, and offered each household $10,000 in an attempt to convince residents to get on board with having the campus approved. But the residents did not react as planned, calling the payment a bribe and turning it down over fears it could split the community in two - those who live near the campus and declined and those who live further away and took the payment.

When questioned by Trump’s proposal, Marc Boroditsky, CRO of Nebius told CNBC that the company is “100% in principle” having discussions about potential investments in local communities.

“We see it today in terms of the tax revenue that are arriving. I could see something like a benefit of some sort that’s more direct economic opportunity for the community as well,” Boroditsky said. “A dividend is being paid in different forms — investing in education, job development, overall economic development. The concept that the president identified... it’s not crazy to consider something like that"

Via CNBC

OpenAI recently introduced GPT-6, a new model of ChatGPT. You've probably heard about a lot of its new features but one that I don't think has had nearly enough attention, especially considering how much fun you can have with it, is Intelligent UI.

It allows ChatGPT to generate interactive experiences directly within a conversation. OpenAI explains: “With Intelligent UI, responses can include graphics, tappable buttons, forms, charts, and interactive experiences you can use directly in your conversation.”

What's interesting is there isn’t a single format. Which means, depending on what you ask, ChatGPT might create an interactive diagram, a calculator, a mood board, a map or even a little gaming console.

There are some genuinely useful applications here, from making complicated subjects easier to understand to building simple tools on the spot. But I was particularly interested in something a little less practical — games.

ChatGPT can now create games you can actually play within the chat window. And while there are all sorts of possibilities for educational games, quizzes and entirely new creations, I wanted to see what would happen if I asked it to recreate some old favorites.

So I started with five classic games, including Snake, Pong and Tetris. I gave ChatGPT simple prompts to see how faithfully it could recreate them. I then asked it to reinvent each game with new aesthetics, unexpected gameplay mechanics and a few deliberately chaotic twists. Think Snake in a neon cyberpunk world and Tetris with rules that change every time you clear a line.

Here's what happened when I put ChatGPT's new game-making abilities to the test.

Snake gets a neon makeover

(Image credit: Future)

The prompt: "Create a playable version of the classic Snake game directly inside this conversation."

ChatGPT got the basics right straight away. The game was instantly recognizable, with responsive controls and even a slider to adjust the speed. It looked good and, importantly, it was actually fun to play for a couple of games.

I then asked it to give Snake a neon cyberpunk makeover, complete with moving obstacles, special power-ups and a speed increase every five points. Say hello to Neon Snake.

(Image credit: Future)

There was one small hiccup. Instead of creating the new game directly in the chat window, ChatGPT initially gave me the code. Which wasn't much use when the whole point was to play it there and then.

I tried another prompt asking it if it could make it directly playable in the conversation and that worked. The results of that experiment were fun. The neon aesthetic looked good, everything was color-coded and the new mechanics gave the classic (and, let’s be honest, sometimes boring) game an extra layer of challenge.

Tetris gets new rules

(Image credit: Future)

The prompt: "Create a playable game inspired by Tetris directly inside this conversation."

This one worked really well from the start. I’d just assumed it would be a bit buggy and glitchy because there’s so much going on compared to Snake, but the controls were intuitive and responsive, and the classic block-stacking mechanic was all there.

But what if Tetris changed the rules every time you cleared a line? That was the idea behind my follow-up prompt.

(Image credit: Future)

I asked ChatGPT to introduce unexpected twists, which could include rotating the board to adding unusual block shapes or special powers that could destroy part of the grid.

And it delivered. The changing rules introduced a fun element of unpredictability to a game that's usually all about getting into a rhythm. I also came away thinking about how much further you could take this. There are so many opportunities to experiment with different rules, challenges and power-ups.

Space Invaders becomes a First Contact situation

(Image credit: Future)

The prompt: "Build me a fully playable retro arcade game inspired by Space Invaders"

Again, ChatGPT recreated the classic arcade experience surprisingly well. It looked and played like the original, with straightforward controls and all the fun of shooting at waves of approaching aliens.

But I wanted to see whether it could do something a bit more imaginative than adding extra enemies or making everything move faster. So I asked it to introduce a choice: what if I could defend Earth by fighting the aliens or negotiating with them?

(Image credit: Future)

I wanted waves of pixel-art enemies, but also decisions between rounds that could unlock weapons, stop an invasion or make the next attack more dangerous.

ChatGPT called its reinvention First Contact, which I loved. Up until this point it was calling most of the games "chaos" or "chaotic" so this felt more inventive.

It was a fun way to introduce a new dimension to a familiar game. But did it work well? I don't know, I couldn't ever make it past the first level. This experiment really suffered with my poor alien-fighting abilities.

Haunted Pac-Man

(Image credit: Future)

The prompt: "Create a fully interactive retro maze game inspired by Pac-Man that I can play directly inside this ChatGPT conversation."

This was easily my favorite of the five, but I have always adored Pac-Man. ChatGPT's first attempt was a fun, responsive maze game with the familiar mechanics of moving around, collecting things and trying to avoid enemies. Bonus points for the fact it renamed it Maze Muncher.

For the reinvention, I decided to lean into Halloween. I asked it to turn the game into a haunted 1980s arcade, with me playing a little ghost hunter instead of Pac-Man.

(Image credit: Future)

I also wanted the maze itself to change. Every ten orbs collected would trigger a surprise, like shifting walls, new passages or an extra ghost. And I asked for temporary power-ups that would let me chase the ghosts for a change.

ChatGPT handled this well but didn't wait until I'd collected orbs. It was super fast-paced and there were new ghosts, secret passages and changing mechanics from the start. It was quick, easy to control and genuinely fun to play.

Pong reinvented

(Image credit: Future)

The prompt: Build me a fully playable version of Pong inside this conversation.

Pong might be the simplest game of the bunch, but ChatGPT made a really solid version. The controls were easy, the aesthetics were nice and it even offered easy, normal and hard difficulty settings.

I decided to ruin that simplicity and asked ChatGPT to create a more chaotic version where every point triggered a random modifier. The ball could split in two, the paddles could shrink, gravity could change or an obstacle could appear in the middle of the court.

The result definitely delivered on the chaos. The familiar back-and-forth gameplay was still there, but the changing rules made each rally a little less predictable. It was also a reminder of how much fun you can have with a simple idea. You don't need to reinvent every part of a game to make it entertaining.

(Image credit: Future)

I was genuinely impressed with how well all five games worked, especially considering how simple my original prompts were.

Yes, there were a few hiccups along the way, like ChatGPT deciding to give me code instead of a playable game a couple of times. But overall, the controls were responsive, the games looked good and the reinventions were more imaginative than I expected.

What I enjoyed most was how easy it was to experiment. You could take a game you already know, change the aesthetic, introduce an unexpected mechanic or come up with something completely ridiculous and see what ChatGPT made of it.

I can imagine this being a fun way to waste half an hour, especially if you loved these games growing up. Although, after all this experimenting, I do feel like I should remind you that the originals are still out there, and they're well worth revisiting too.

• Nvidia's RTX 6060 may not arrive until 2029 a leaker claims
• They note that when there are supply issues (the current RAM shortage), Nvidia tends to drag out the release of lower-end GPUs
• They also believe it's unlikely the RTX 6060 will match the PS6 for frame rates

Nvidia's budget GPU for its next-gen range may not be released for three years yet, if a new rumor about the RTX 6060 turns out to be correct.

Wccftech spotted a post from leaker Kepler on the NeoGAF forums, who chipped in with speculation on Nvidia's graphics cards in a thread about the cost of the PlayStation 6.

Kepler was responding to a comment observing that the PS6 is going to go up against the RTX 6060 when it launches in terms of comparisons to PC gaming, and the leaker said — add seasoning with this as ever — that the "6060 will launch much later (and based on recent trends I doubt it will match PS6)".

In a further post, the leaker added: "When there's a supply shortage Nvidia tends to really drag the release of lower end cards. There's a good chance RTX 6060 comes out in 2029."

This would mean we're looking at an early-to-mid 2028 launch for the RTX 6090, 6080 and 6070, which lines up with more recent rumors. Of course, that's not a foregone conclusion, and Kepler is clearly speculating here.

Recent reports from analysts indicate that the PS6 will likely launch in 2028, though some have argued that Sony's next-gen console could appear late in 2027 (alongside other devices, perhaps).

Analysis: late, as well as short on performance?

(Image credit: Future)

Of course, what Kepler contends here is what Nvidia is supposedly planning right now, and just as with the PS6, a lot of the direction that Team Green goes in with its next-gen GPUs will depend on the memory crisis. Graphics cards do, of course, use video RAM (VRAM), and the next generation of GeForce products will be expected to up the ante on that score. (Gamers are already unhappy with Nvidia's current-gen VRAM configurations).

The problem is that there's no shortage of predictions that RAM cost inflation is going to get even worse in 2027, after it has already spiked in a big way through the middle of this year. The theorizing then runs that 2028 is also going to be a difficult year, which lends weight to the argument that the RTX 6060 will indeed be late to the GPU party.

In short, I wouldn't rule out the possibility of a 2029 arrival for the RTX 6060 as suggested, which obviously isn't great news for those hoping to score a more wallet-friendly next-gen Nvidia GPU.

It's also interesting to note that Kepler believes the RTX 6060 won't be as powerful as the PS6 for gaming frame rates, but I'd take that claim with even more salt than the rumors around timing.

Gauging hardware capabilities at this stage is obviously a trickier task, but Kepler's assertion isn't an impossibility of course. Note that the current RTX 5060 matches the PS5 Pro's gaming performance (roughly, for rasterization as opposed to ray tracing), so if the RTX 6060 couldn't equal the PS6, that would be a clear disappointment for PC gamers on a budget (particularly if the VRAM loadout again turns out lean).

Customers are randomly awarded an in-game code for either a Domino’s skin, cape or cheesy cube pet. The pizza will come in one of six Minecraft-themed boxes.

• Two in three IT leaders say their infrastructure isn't ready to handle AI and analytics
• Complex data regulations are giving them a major headache
• AI PCs also form part of the broader infrastructure considerations

According to a new report by Dell, UK businesses are struggling more than their EMEA counterparts when it comes to AI, with three in five (61%) British firms lacking a clear roadmap covering AI, data and security, compared with 46% across EMEA.

But one thing they have in common with their Europe and Middle East counterparts is that legacy infrastructure is likely one of the biggest factors slowing effective AI deployment.

Nearly two-thirds (64%) of IT leaders say their infrastructure is not yet fully prepared to support AI and analytics workloads at scale, noting substantial gaps between ambitions and reality.

Data foundations and IT infrastructure are still holding back AI

Having to coordinate compliance and regulatory factors across their entire stacks is also making it difficult for enterprises to lay out solid foundations, the report claims. More than half (55%) say security and compliance concerns have already slower or delayed their AI strategies, with 64% of leaders worried about regulation compliance when using their data for AI.

And it's not just complex IT infrastructure that's holding back widespread deployment, because even end-user devices need to be considered. Nearly all (92%) respondents agreed that modern devices help them in terms of productivity, but four in five (79%) are being held back by outdated devices.

To that tune, 86% of EMEA leaders now agree that AI PCs will play an important role in their strategies going forward. As of the beginning of 2026, AI PCs accounted for around 44% of all PC shipments (per Omdia tracking), marking a healthy ongoing rise.

"The focus is shifting from exploring what's possible to connecting the infrastructure, data, security and workplace technology needed to turn AI into real business value at scale," UK&I MD and Dell SVP Steve Young explained.

While IT leaders clearly understand some of the factors holding back effective AI deployments, at least two clear challenges are identified in Dell's report – complex regulatory environments and an expensive PC market driven by component shortages.

• UK government cracks down on people who annoy others with phone music
• Fines of up to £100 for those people
• It's cheaper to just buy these headphones

People who play music, TikTok videos or out-loud video calls on public transport probably aren't self-aware enough to know how annoying it is, but apparently the UK government does, because it's finally cracking down on so-called "headphone dodgers".

From next Monday, transport authorities will be allowed to fine rule-breakers by up to £100 if they're causing a nuisance. Prime Minister Andy Burnham is fronting the campaign, after previous governments toyed with the idea.

It's a good idea, but the success is dependent on enforcement, as transport safety officers and not drivers are expected to hand out the fines. Given how minimally-staffed most public transport services are, some (me) are dubious that the rules will make a difference.

However if you've been a 'headphone dodger' and you want to turn a new leaf (good on you), it'd make sense to buy a pair of headphones that cost much less than the £100 penalty fare.

And naturally, we've tested a few that we can recommend…

Sennheiser CX 80U

(Image credit: Future)

Starting with something nice and cheap, we've got some wired earbuds, which you can easily plug into the USB-C port on a phone and keep bundled up in your pocket the rest of the time. No Bluetooth dropouts, no losing a bud as you board the bus, no apps, none of that.

The Sennheiser CX 80U sound great, block surrounding noise quite well, and offer a nice simple design. We gave them 4.5 stars out of 5 in our review, only knocking them for some missing features of pricier buds.

Best of all, though, they're really cheap. They launched for $39.95 / £34.99 in January this year, but you can find them even a little cheaper than that on Amazon.

Sony WH-CH530 (or even the Sony WH-CH730N)

(Image credit: Sony)

If you want great-value headphones, you can't go wrong with a pair from Sony, and its recently-released Sony WH-CH530N are really affordable at $69 / £50.

We haven't yet finished testing these on-ears, they're that new, but their predecessors the WH-CH520 got 4.5 stars in our review. We praised the balanced sound and long-lasting battery, and the newer pair will likely bring improvements.

As you can see in the picture, they come in a wide range of colors, and also have noise cancellation, which isn't something you can say about all options at this price point.

Prefer over-ears? Go for the just-reviewed, all-new Sony WH-CH730N: a solid four stars and they're just under that £99 (or equivalent, in your country of residence) fine line, if you'll pardon the pun…

JLab JBuds Mini ANC

(Image credit: Future)

Last, but not least, let's look at some standard wireless noise-cancelling earbuds, which we got to try earlier this year.

The JLab JBuds Mini ANC are tiny — you can even clip the case onto your keyring — so you've got no excuse for not having buds on the bus. At $49.99 / £49.99 they won't break the bank either.

We enjoyed the non-ANC JLab JBuds Mini too, when they came out three years ago, and they're ideal for people who want lightweight buds.

Have further thoughts? Drop us a comment — or better yet, fill out the poll below this text and then add your comment!