The Morning After: What to expect from Apple’s big event next week

Deep breath, it’s Apple time again. The company is doing another remote event, this time likely to center on iPads and Apple Watches. What can you expect? All of this. But probably not new iPhones. It seems like you’ll have to wait until next month for those.

Meanwhile, it’s been a week for lots of Xbox Series X news, reviews of the Microsoft Surface Duo, Galaxy Z Fold 2 and Android 11. We have been busy.

-Mat

What to expect at Apple’s September 15th event

A new Apple Watch and iPad Air are practically a given.

Thanks to the coronavirus, next Tuesday’s event is going to be a little weird. Like WWDC, next week’s event will be virtual and (presumably) pre-recorded. More significant, though, is that Apple has already admitted it will be launching its next generation of iPhones later than usual. That means this will likely be Apple’s first September event without a new iPhone, since the tradition started with the iPhone 5 in 2012. 

Instead, expect the focus to be on other devices, like new iPads, a new Apple Watch and software. Continue reading.

Xbox Series X and Series S prices and release date revealed

And so much more.

Leaks spoiled the party for Microsoft, but it confirmed what we heard late on Monday. Its two new consoles are coming November 10th, and expect to pay $499 for the Series X and an incredibly tempting $299 for the disc-less Series S. Then there was all the other announcements, like financing options for the consoles (with Game Pass included), storage expansion and the addition of EA Play. How will Sony answer all this? Continue reading.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 review

The hardware is great, but…

You probably won’t be surprised by our verdict on the Galaxy Z Fold 2, Samsung’s third foldable smartphone. It’s better designed and both screens are bigger and better than before. Inside, it uses the fastest smartphone processor you’ll find in an Android phone today. According to Chris Velazco, who reviewed it, when it comes to hardware, Samsung did a fantastic job with the Galaxy Z Fold 2. But (and of course, there’s a but)  Samsung struggles with software when it has to lead the pack with new device form-factors. Lingering app compatibility issues mean devices like the Fold 2 still feel inconsistent. Continue reading.