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News and tips — Big Tweak

News, tips and announcements from the Big Tweak service centre.

2026-10-02

Apple HomePad release date set for October 13, claims Bloomberg

Apple is preparing a smart home hub nicknamed HomePad. According to Bloomberg, it is set to launch on October 13 alongside a new HomePod mini and Apple TV 4K with Siri AI.

New Surface Devices: Microsoft Drops the Copilot+ Brand

Microsoft has announced the Surface Pro 12-inch and Surface Laptop 13-inch. The new Surface devices no longer carry the Copilot+ branding, which according to windowscentral.com and subvolts.com marks the end of the brand.

Apple in October 2026: New Products from iPhone Duo to Mac

Apple is preparing the foldable iPhone Duo, new Macs, home devices, and updates iOS 27.1 and 27.2 for October 2026. Pre-orders for the iPhone Duo begin on 16 October.

Xiaomi 18 Pro Max: 8,500 mAh, 200MP cameras and privacy screen

Xiaomi has launched the Xiaomi 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max models in China. The larger version offers an 8,500mAh battery, Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 and a new privacy screen feature.

Googlebook Price and Release Date: Google Unveils 5 Models

After the preview in May, Google has fully announced the Googlebook laptops. Five models from Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo start at $899 and will be available in the USA on October 4.

OpenAI Denied Access to Apple and SpaceXAI Settlement

Judge Mark Pittman rejected OpenAI's request to access the confidential settlement between X/SpaceXAI and Apple, stating it is unrelated to the remaining antitrust case.

Samsung One UI 9 with Android 17 launches on Galaxy S26

Samsung has started rolling out the stable One UI 9 with Android 17. The Galaxy S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra are the first to receive it.

iPhone 18 Pro Colors: Gurman Reveals Four Shades and Details on iPhone Duo

According to Mark Gurman from Bloomberg, the iPhone 18 Pro will come in four colors. Apple is also preparing its first foldable iPhone Duo priced at $2,000.