Yes, I know it’s August, but I have September on my mind, and that’s because we’re now getting a glimpse of what’s coming down the line next month in the shape of new tech. It’s not just the Apple Intelligence infusion, which we tried this week and expect to see in all new iPhone 16 handsets when they arrive next month. The AI landscape will shift yet again in September when, at the IFA expo in Berlin, Intel unveils its new Lunar Lake chips, which are set to be the company’s response to all that high-performance, low-power, and stuffed-full-of-AI-smarts chip goodness coming from Qualcomm.
But back to the here and now that is August, and we’re a week away from Google’s big Pixel launch, at which we expect to see new phones, including a new foldable, plus a new watch and more. Come to think of it, that sounds a lot like last month’s big tech show, Galaxy Unpacked – we’re still digging through all the new products and features that came out of that event, and you’ll find must-read reviews and some great analysis articles linked below.
Aaaand… I’m back to September, when Netflix gets in on the showcase action with its Geeked Week, during which we’ll hear about new shows and other Netflixy things – the teaser video the streaming giant dropped this week has us plenty excited.
September sounds like it’s going to be wild – I wonder if we can slow August down to give us some breathing space.
Lance Ulanoff, Editor-at-Large
The week in AI
Siri is getting an overhaul courtesy of Apple Intelligence (Future)
We've been busy testing out the developer beta version of iOS 18.1, which includes the first Apple Intelligence features to make it into Apple smartphones – features which promise to transform the way we interact with our iPhones in the years to come.
TechRadar's Max Delaney wasn't sold on the potential of foldable phones until he tried the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 – but as he explains, Samsung's new flagship foldable has turned him into a believer, thanks to the versatility of the form factor.
Max has also been spending some time with the high-end Galaxy Watch Ultra, which launched alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 6 – and while the smartwatch certainly has appeal, he thinks it could struggle to replace the Apple Watch on a lot of wrists.
We're being promised "unmatched AI computing power" from Intel's long-awaited Lunar Lake laptop chipsets, and we now know that the processors are going to get their grand unveiling on Tuesday, September 3, just before IFA 2024 gets underway.
There's plenty to catch across the various streaming services this weekend, including Rebel Moon – The Director's Cut on Netflix (said directing being Zack Snyder), and the new animated series Batman: Caped Crusader, which debuts on Prime Video.
