A new Harvard study found that more than half of the men surveyed claimed to recognize AI leaders who were fictional, according to WIRED.
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October 2026 news
Amazon has launched two new Bee personal AI devices, with the latest report from CNET saying they process conversations into summaries, to-do lists and more. TechCrunch reports that the devices start at $75, while CNBC says they listen to conversations. Android Authority identifies them as Bee Frontier and Bee Eclipse; The Verge reports that the always-listening wearable can help users buy things. CNET advises asking people for permission before recording.
Apple confirmed it is working with LG and Schneider on a new lineup of smart-home accessories, including cameras, thermostats and a smart lock. The announcement followed Apple's confirmation that it would hold an October 13 product launch with a “Welcome home” tagline; 9to5Mac had expected the event to focus on smart-home products.
Apple unveiled HomePod mini 2, 9to5Mac reports, exactly six years after the first HomePod mini debuted. ZDNet says the new model has four major upgrades over the first generation but does not specify them in its summary.
Apple unveiled a fourth-generation Apple TV 4K at its “Welcome home” product launch event on Oct. 13, featuring an A19 chip and an updated Siri Remote. 9to5Mac reports that Siri AI will also be compatible with select older Apple TV 4K models and that the new remote can be bought separately for existing Apple TVs. The outlet also compared the new model with the third-generation Apple TV 4K from 2022.
The Verge reports that Apple’s new HomeView smart display is $10 cheaper at Amazon. 9to5Mac earlier reported that Apple’s newly announced HomeView and other home gear, including a new Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini 2, were available for pre-order on Amazon, listing HomeView at $299.
A judge granted Apple expedited discovery in its trade-secrets lawsuit against former employees, OpenAI and io Products. TechCrunch reports that OpenAI was ordered to turn over hiring records, while 9to5Mac says Apple won early access to OpenAI documents and employee testimony.
New Withings accounts must pay for a Withings Plus subscription to automatically sync health metrics with third-party apps, including Apple Health and Google Health Connect. The Verge reports the change applies to accounts created from October 13 and costs $100 a year; its report says it affects users of Withings smartwatches and scales.
Apple announced the HomePod mini 2 on Oct. 13, presenting Siri AI as a major feature, but 9to5Mac reports that the feature will not be available at launch, based on Apple’s website. The speaker is set to ship on Oct. 30.
Apple released developer beta 4 for iOS 27.2, iPadOS 27.2, watchOS 27.2 and other software, along with developer and public firmware betas for several AirPods models. Public betas for iOS 27.2 and iPadOS 27.2 also became available, 9to5Mac reports.
Apple is rolling out the fourth developer beta of macOS 27.2 Golden Gate, with the public beta also now available, according to 9to5Mac. The official release is expected in the coming weeks.
E Ink has announced Kaleido 4, a display technology for color e-readers. Engadget reports improved color reproduction and refresh rates, while TechRadar says E Ink promises brighter screens and double the colors; Android Authority reports more saturated colors, better visibility and smoother page turning.
WhatsApp users can now invite people without an account to join group and one-on-one calls, according to 9to5Mac. The Verge also reports that WhatsApp calls can include people who do not have the app.
Apple is rolling out its Detailed City Experience in Apple Maps for Austin, Texas, according to 9to5Mac. CNET reports that the maps now offer more detail for people visiting Austin, including for the United States Grand Prix.
Apple's first foldable iPhone, the iPhone Duo, is now available to preorder, with prices starting at $1,999, according to The Verge and 9to5Mac. 9to5Mac says orders are due to arrive on October 23, while TechRadar reports Australian preorders start at AU$3,499. The Verge says Apple unveiled the phone alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4.
Apple's iPhone Duo pre-orders are approaching, but the outlets differ on when they begin: 9to5Mac said they would start the next day, while TechRadar said they start today. 9to5Mac reports Apple set a deadline for completing its Get Ready process for shoppers seeking the fastest checkout; TechRadar offers four tips to help shoppers prepare and avoid disappointment.
Thai authorities uncovered a scheme involving internet cable sent across the border to keep a suspected Myanmar scam compound online, after finding two homes in Nong Lu, Kanchanaburi province, using enough bandwidth for an entire village, the South China Morning Post reports. Tom's Hardware separately reports that authorities busted a cross-border fiber-optic cable used to steal data.
Ukraine’s military drones have lost some capacity after sudden restrictions on the battlefield use of Starlink terminals, Ukrainian officials said. Tom’s Hardware reports that the new speed limits disrupted drone and logistics missions and forced some operations to be canceled. PBS NewsHour says the limits reduced the drones’ fighting capacity as Kyiv endured another night of missile attacks.
Meta launched Muse Spark Open, a new open-weight AI model, on Thursday. The company says it excels at multi-step reasoning and complex software engineering and claims it can rival or outperform similar products from leading Chinese developers. 9to5Mac says Meta describes the model as the most capable US open-weight model to date and says it is optimized for Mac Studio powered by M5 Ultra; Engadget reports that running it on Macs requires 1TB of RAM.
Newegg's AM5 combo includes a Ryzen 7 9800X3D, an MSI X870E Tomahawk MAX WiFi motherboard and 32GB of G.Skill DDR5-6000 RAM for $1,094, which Tom's Hardware says is $249 off. The deal also includes a free AIO cooler.