Technologies
Apple Has No Plans to Resurrect the iPhone Mini, Report Says
The iPhone company is reportedly moving away from smaller phones to even bigger handsets.
We have some bad news for lovers of the iPhone Mini: It looks as though the diminutive device won’t make a comeback anytime soon. Apple is not planning to reintroduce the smaller iPhone model, according to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman. During a recent livestreamed Q&A session, he noted Apple has shifted away from smaller designs to go «bigger and bigger and bigger,» which in turn makes the smaller phones feel even smaller. «We’ll see what the market tells Apple,» he added.
The statements from the longtime Apple reporter, who has close ties to company sources, come as the company recently stopped selling its third-generation iPhone SE — effectively leaving no iPhone model with a display under 6 inches. The company is also reportedly working on a foldable iPhone with a 7.8-inch crease-free inner display and a 5.5-inch outer display, with a launch date of as early as next year.
The iPhone Mini, which hasn’t been refreshed since 2021, had a 5.4-inch display. The smaller model debuted with the iPhone 12 Mini in 2020.
Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Although the iPhone 12 Mini and 13 Mini developed a niche fanbase, particularly among people who thought it fit better in their hands, they failed to gain widespread traction. At the time, Counterpoint Research reported the iPhone 12 Mini accounted for only 5% of iPhone 12 sales in January 2021. Neither the iPhone 12 Mini nor the 13 Mini cracked the top 10 list of best-selling smartphones by the end of that year, according to Counterpoint.
Ramon Llamas, a director at market research firm IDC, told CNET «the writing was on the wall for this one.»
«With the trend to larger and larger smartphones — hello there, iPhone Pro Max — and the success of value-based products — iPhone SE and iPhone 16E — the iPhone Mini’s niche spot in the world has been under constant pressure from all of its other iPhone cousins,» Llamas said.
«I think a lot of people liked it, particularly for their aging parents who wanted something small and simple to handle — but rarely for themselves.»
Technologies
Surprise Twist: Apple’s Next iPhones Might Come in These 3 Unlikely Colors
Apple seems to be choosing a deep, earthy path for its upcoming phone colors.
From cosmic orange to coffee brown? Brown, purple and burgundy will be the available colors for the iPhone 18 Pro next September, if a leak out of China proves true.
Depending on your language translator, brown could mean simply «brown» or «coffee brown,» but you get the general idea. The tidbit comes from regular leaker Digital Chat Station’s post on the Chinese microblogging platform Weibo. The post also says that black will not be an available color for the iPhone 18 Pro.
A representative for Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The iPhone 17 Pro comes in cosmic orange, deep blue and silver.
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The Apple release schedule for the iPhone 18 series has been shifting, but the latest intel reports that the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and iPhone Fold will launch in September 2026. The iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e will follow in the spring of 2027.
If Digital Chat Station’s leak is accurate, the iPhone 18 Pro would be the first Pro edition in years without a color resembling black, white or silver.
Here are the colors for the iPhone Pro dating back to its introduction in 2019:
2019: iPhone 11 Pro/Pro Max: Midnight Green, Space Gray, Silver, Gold
2020: iPhone 12 Pro/Pro Max: Graphite, Silver, Gold, Pacific Blue
2021: iPhone 13 Pro/13 Pro Max: Graphite, Gold, Silver, Sierra Blue, Alpine Green (March 2022)
2022: iPhone 14 Pro/14 Pro Max: Space Black, Silver, Gold, Deep Purple
2023: iPhone 15 Pro/15 Pro Max: Black Titanium, White Titanium, Blue Titanium, Natural Titanium
2024: iPhone 16 Pro/16 Pro Max: Black Titanium, Natural Titanium, White Titanium, Desert Titanium
2025: iPhone 17 Pro/17 Pro Max: Cosmic Orange, Deep Blue, Silver
Not offering any version of black for Pro models might seem counterintuitive, since the iPhone 16 Pro Max black titanium version has been a big seller, and black has also been popular with iPhone 17 shoppers. But a lack of black has not hurt iPhone 17 Pro sales.
Technologies
These Anker Earbuds Are Down to $57 — and Even Amazon Couldn’t Resist Matching the Price
Grab yourself a solid pair of earphones that offer excellent noise cancellation and battery life.
There are plenty of earbud options out there, but finding the right ones for you can feel nearly impossible as a result. But if you’re after some of the best noise-canceling wireless earbuds and you’d like to save some money, we might have the answer for you.
Best Buy is running a one-day sale on the excellent Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC earbuds, knocking the price to just $57 — which matches the lowest price we’ve seen yet. And Amazon’s price-matching. With a 43% discount, now’s the time to grab a pair before this limited-time deal disappears.
These earbuds have 11mm drivers, as well as hi-res wireless, LDAC technology and adaptive noise canceling that should reduce noise from your environment by up to 98.5%, according to Anker. That means you can stay immersed in the music (or other content you love) regardless of what’s going on around you.
Plus, because they’re equipped with six mics, they offer good call quality, regardless of your environment. We found them comfortable, too, and loved the bass they put out.
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The Liberty 4 NC earbuds have an impressive battery life as well, offering up to 10 hours of playback per charge, with an additional 50 hours available with the charging case. And just 10 minutes of fast charging can get you up to four hours of playback. They’re also rated IPX4 water-resistant, so any inclement weather while you’re out shouldn’t cause these buds any harm.
Another great feature these earbuds offer is multipoint connection, which lets you connect to your phone and your computer at once, which is super convenient. That’s a lot of features for earbuds this affordable.
If you’re not totally sold on this model, be sure to check out our roundup of all the best headphone and earbuds deals happening now.
HEADPHONE DEALS OF THE WEEK
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Why this deal matters
These excellent earbuds are now available at their record-low price. Best Buy is limiting this discount to a one-day sale, and we expect Amazon to end the deal around the same time, so be sure to grab a pair before this opportunity expires.
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Technologies
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 Just Got Its First Proper Discount, but It Won’t Last Long
The latest rugged smartwatch from Apple is yours for just $700 right now.
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 has only been on sale for a few weeks, but it’s already available for its first real discount. Getting one of the best smartwatches money can buy isn’t going to be cheap, but this deal saves you $99 off the usual asking price. But be warned, we don’t expect this early Black Friday deal to last long.
The result? You’ll pay just $700 for your new Apple Watch Ultra 3, with a couple of colors and band combinations available. These prices often fluctuate, so we suggest checking out all available pairings before placing your order. Apple Watch Ultra 3 deals are likely to come and go quickly.
All Apple Watch Ultra 3 models come with cellular modems inside so you can connect them to your carrier — assuming it supports the Apple Watch’s eSIM. That’ll allow you to stay connected even when you don’t have your iPhone with you.
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The Apple Watch Ultra 3 comes in a large 49mm size, so it’s easy to read. Despite that huge display, Apple Watch Ultra 3 owners can expect long-lasting battery life. In fact, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 can run for up to 42 hours in normal mode and a whopping 72 hours in its low-power mode.
This being an Apple Watch, it comes with all of the usual health and fitness monitoring features, as well as sleep tracking. It can monitor your heart rate, track your progress thanks to its precise dual-frequency GPS, and do a whole lot more.
If the standard Apple Watch models can’t quite live up to your busy, active lifestyle, this is the model for you. Be sure to order your new smartwatch before this deal expires.
SMARTWATCH DEALS OF THE WEEK
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$329 (save $100)
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Why this deal matters
The latest Apple Watch Ultra 3 is the best of its kind. It has a new display that’s designed to be easier to read and has an impressive battery life. It isn’t the cheapest smartwatch on the market, but if you want the best that Apple has to offer, now is the time to place your order — before this deal ends.
Looking for savings on other models? Check out all the best Apple Watch deals happening now.
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