Mobile News 24 Hours

Last updated: September 21, 2026, 10:03 PM ET

Vivo X500 Series Launches in China

Vivo unveiled its X500 series in China today, bringing three models built around the Dimensity 9600 Pro chipset, with the X500 Pro Max positioned as the flagship camera phone of the lineup. The X500 Pro Max debuted with a 200MP telephoto sensor that immediately stakes a claim as the camera phone to beat in the Chinese market, and the company confirmed the device will make its way to international markets A hands-on review of all three variants found the Pro and Pro Max share the bulk of their imaging hardware, with differentiation coming primarily in display size and battery capacity. Alongside the phones, vivo launched the Watch, a titanium-cased wearable with a sapphire crystal display and a 505mAh battery that the company says delivers multi-day endurance. The company also rolled out its global Origin OS 7 software, available today through a Preview Program for early adopters ahead of a broader rollout.

Xiaomi 18 Pro Sets Launch Date

Xiaomi has confirmed that its 18 Pro series will launch on September 23, with the headline feature being a hardware-level privacy screen that dims the display when viewed from off-axis angles. The privacy screen takes direct aim at one of the standout features of Samsung's Galaxy S26 Ultra, effectively borrowing a marquee Galaxy capability and shipping it first on a competing flagship.

Apple's iPhone 18 Pro: Camera Advances, Repair Headaches

The iPhone 18 Pro's variable aperture camera represents the first such system on an Apple device, but a teardown has revealed the mechanism in close-up detail, and the picture is not entirely flattering. The variable aperture is proving extraordinarily difficult to repair, raising questions about long-term serviceability even as it promises better photographic control. Separately, durability testers have put the device through a bend test following its Friday release, with the results now circulating among prospective buyers. Apple's foldable ambitions are also coming into focus, as the iPhone Duo's software makes substantial changes to iOS to accommodate the foldable form factor, diverging meaningfully from a standard iPhone experience.

Siri's AI Overhaul Arrives — With a Waitlist

Apple's iOS 27 brings the most significant Siri overhaul in years, with the assistant gaining access to personal context that lets it draw on messages, calendar data, and on-screen content to answer queries more intelligently. Users who have long dismissed Siri may find the new capabilities worth a second look. Not everyone will get in immediately, however: Apple has instituted a waitlist for Siri AI in iOS, meaning access will roll out gradually rather than to all users at launch. The AI push extends to the home as well, with a Siri-powered home hub device that would compete with Amazon's Echo Show reportedly nearing readiness.

Apple Pay Heads to India

Apple Pay is reportedly set to launch in India next month, according to a new report, marking a significant expansion for Apple's payments service into one of the world's largest and most competitive digital payments markets. The move would put Apple Pay in direct competition with entrenched domestic players including UPI-based services.

Googlebooks Arrive: Pre-Orders Open, Snapdragon and Media Tek Inside

Google's long-rumored laptop platform is now real: the first Googlebooks are up for pre-order today, with units arriving on October 4. The pitch centers on a laptop that works better with your Android phone, offering synchronization features that Google hopes will differentiate the platform from Chromebooks. The first wave of hardware is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite, with machines built around the chipset from the major PC OEMs. Pre-order details cover everything from Android sync to AI features and pricing, giving buyers a full picture of what the platform offers at launch. A first-impressions roundup of the new Googlebooks from Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP and Lenovo found a variety of sizes and configurations on offer. Media Tek is also entering the fray with its Dimensity CX C10 Max, the company's first high-end laptop chip, built on a 3nm process and aimed at fanless, AI-first Googlebook designs.

Google's $20 AI Bundle Wins on Value

Google has assembled what amounts to the best $20 AI subscription available, and notably it works for everyone — including iPhone users. The pitch is that unlike many subscriptions that seem like no-brainers but quickly go unused, this bundle sustains its value across Google's AI services.

Amazon Blocks Meta's Muse AI From Shopping

Amazon has barred Meta's Muse AI from shopping on its site, claiming the agent represents a safety risk. The move sets up a confrontation between two of the largest technology companies over the terms on which AI agents may operate on third-party commerce platforms.

EU Moves to Force Data Center Disclosure

The European Union has proposed a sustainability labeling system that would require data centers to disclose their energy and water use, a precursor to bringing in minimum standards for the sector. The proposal lands as AI-driven demand for compute capacity pushes data center construction to record levels across the bloc.

X Adds Transparency for Law-Driven Visibility Limits

X has added a feature that tells users when local laws have reduced the visibility of their posts. The latest addition to X's Under the Hood tool could help the platform stave off claims that it suppresses content without explanation.

Bungie: 'Not Done With Destiny'

Bungie leaders have told players that the studio is not finished with Destiny, while also promising that Marathon will keep growing and improving. The dual commitment comes as the studio seeks to reassure both communities about its long-term plans.

Paramount Settles Antitrust Suit, Clearing Warner Bros. Path

Paramount has settled the antitrust lawsuit brought by US states, clearing the way for its acquisition of Warner Bros. The mega-merger of the year will apparently go forward, removing the most significant legal obstacle standing in its path.

Tesla Expands FSD Supervised to Czech Republic

Tesla will soon roll out FSD Supervised in the Czech Republic, growing its foothold in the EU even as larger countries remain wary of the technology. The approval marks another incremental step in Tesla's European expansion of its driver-assistance system.

Verizon Offers Free Pixel 11 Pro

After a few quiet weeks, Verizon has brought back its best Google Pixel 11 deal, offering a free Pixel 11 Pro 256GB with no trade-in required when paired with unlimited plans. The promotion represents one of the more aggressive carrier offers on Google's flagship in recent months.

Gmail Adds One-Tap Verification Code Copying

A small Gmail update now lets users copy verification codes with a single tap, eliminating the fiddly process of selecting and copying six-digit strings from email. It is a minor change that addresses a daily annoyance for millions of users.

One Plus 16 Design and Colors Revealed

One Plus has officially revealed the design and color options for the One Plus, though a launch date has yet to be announced. The reveal gives prospective buyers their first clear look at the device's exterior ahead of its formal debut.

Realme 16 Pro Harry Potter Edition Ships With Color-Changing Tech

The Realme 16 Pro Harry Potter Edition is now official, featuring quadra light-sensing color-changing technology that shifts the back panel's appearance based on ambient light. The special edition leans heavily into the franchise's aesthetic while showcasing a novel material treatment.

Lava Virat Curve Debuts With Dimensity 7100

Lava has made official the Virat Curve, powered by the Media Tek Dimensity 7100 SoC and equipped with a 6,000mAh battery. The launch follows last week's teaser and positions the device in the mid-range segment with battery life as a headline selling point.

Apple's Mac Lineup Gets Pricier

Apple's Mac Studio has become significantly more expensive, driven largely by soaring memory and storage prices, though other factors are also contributing to the climb. A review of the Mac Studio M5 Ultra found that at $11,299, the M5 Ultra's extra performance over the M5 Max model is only worth the premium for a narrow set of buyers. The Mac mini M6 review reached a similar conclusion from the other direction: at $899, the new model loses the fun factor and affordability that defined previous generations.

Viture Pro 2 XR Glasses Hit Record Low

An early October Prime Day deal has knocked the Viture Pro 2 XR glasses back to their lowest price ever recorded, a 21% discount. Viture has become a leading manufacturer of versatile smart glasses, and the deal raises the question of how long the price will last.

Petivity's Smart Feeder Tracks Cat Eating Habits With AI

Petivity has introduced a smart feeder that uses AI to track cat eating habits, a device that could prove genuinely useful for multi-cat households where monitoring individual intake is otherwise difficult. The product asks the question: what if Flock, but for cats?

Nintendo's Game & Watch Origins

The Game & Watch line, one of Nintendo's most successful early game projects, was inspired by a calculator and a dose of boredom. The origin story sheds light on how a moment of idle observation led to a product line that helped define handheld gaming.

Engadget Indie Pitch: Dressmaker

The viral indie game Dressmaker hits Steam today, accompanied by a Q&A with its developers. The feature is part of Engadget's Indie Pitch series spotlighting independent titles.

Guides and Explainers

Engadget examined whether wired versus wireless keyboards make a real difference in performance, concluding that wireless convenience comes with tradeoffs that matter for some users. A separate guide walked through turning off Google location history, noting that Maps' Timeline feature is useful for revisiting past travels but raises privacy considerations. On the browser front, an explainer asked whether Safari's privacy features actually make iPhone users safer, finding that Safari is more private than many alternatives by default but not without caveats. For connectivity, a guide covered choosing a USB to USB-C adapter and the range of charging and data options they unlock, while another explained the differences between USB-A and USB-C, including how USB-C eliminated the right-side-up plugging problem. A networking guide addressed what to consider when buying an Ethernet switch for a home network. For productivity, a how-to explained using an iPad as a second screen for a Mac or Windows PC. And for the thrifty, a guide suggested turning an old Android tablet into an Android Auto head unit using the Open Headunit app rather than discarding it.

Buying Advice and Comparisons

Engadget compared the PS5 and PS5 Digital Edition, noting that the right choice depends on whether you need a disc drive. A separate piece weighed trade-in versus selling an old phone, finding that one route may get you more value. On the wallet front, a comparison of Google and Samsung digital wallets laid out the key feature differences between the two platforms for storing cards and passes. And an explainer on smartphone data usage identified what typically consumes the most data for users who are not on Wi-Fi all day.