iOS 16.1 is now available for iPhone 8 and newer handsets, and it comes with an interesting carbon-saving feature that helps bolster Apple's eco-friendly credentials - and the company has now explained how it works.

In a support document, Apple states that when this feature is enabled, your iPhone gains an overview of the carbon emissions being used in your area, and iOS 16.1 will charge your device during times when cleaner energy production is being used.

It's an interesting feature, and it makes us wonder how this could expand to Apple's other devices.

A reduced carbon footprint for your MacBook Pro?

iPhones are one of the most repeatedly charged devices that many of us rely on every day, but most of us don't think about where the electricity we use to charge our iPhones comes from.

At the moment, this feature is only available to people in the US, though we hope it gets a global rollout soon. If you're in the US and you don't see Clean Energy Charging in your battery settings, you need to have Location Services enabled, alongside System Customization and Significant Locations. These can all be found within in Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > System Services.

It's too early to tell if the Clean Energy Charging feature will make a big difference in carbon emissions, but if it does, could we see it come to other Apple products, such as Macs and MacBooks?  With rumors that new M2 MacBook Pros could be arriving soon, it could be perfect timing for this feature to pop up in a future macOS Ventura update.

Apple recently published a press release, calling on its supply chain to fully decarbonize by 2030 and use fully-renewable sources, so it's clear that the company is getting serious about minimising the environmental impact of its products.

We're expecting the company to go harder in its renewable-energy efforts in the near future, further showing the industry how it can thrive in a clean-energy world while we enjoy sending memes to friends over iMessage.

It was beginning to look like all the major flagship phones of 2022 had landed already, but one more has just arrived in the form of the Motorola Razr 2022. Although this isn’t an entirely new phone, as it landed in China back in August, it's finally hitting other regions, including the UK.

This is a foldable clamshell phone and as such, a direct competitor to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4, but at a starting price of £949.99 (around $1,075 / AU$1,705) it’s actually slightly cheaper, as the Z Flip 4 starts at $999.99 / £999 / AU$1,499.

So what do you get for that money? Well, the Motorola Razr 2022 has a 6.7-inch 2400 x 1800 foldable main screen, with a 144Hz refresh rate, plus a 2.7-inch 800 x 573 secondary screen with a 60Hz refresh rate. Both displays are OLED.

It’s powered by a top-end Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset and 8GB of RAM, and there’s 256GB of storage (up to 12GB RAM and 512GB of storage is available on the Chinese model). The battery sports a 3,500mAh capacity and charges at 30W, with the Razr 2022 running Android 12 out the box, with the promise of two OS updates, meaning it's a little behind the curve, with Android 13 already out there.

There are two cameras on the back – a sizeable 50MP f/1.8 main sensor and a 13MP f/2.2 ultra-wide/macro snapper: an addition lacking from this Razr's predecessors. There’s also a 32MP selfie camera punched into the main display, that snaps 8MP pictures by default.

Other specs include 5G, dual-stereo speakers w/ Dolby Atmos support, and a fingerprint scanner, while the phone has an IP52 rating; which doesn’t make for much water resistance but does surpass Samsung on certified protection against dust . It comes in satin black, and is clad in metal and glass.

So, those are reasonably high-end specs on the whole, and if you like the sound of it then UK buyers will soon be able to grab the Motorola Razr 2022 from Amazon and John Lewis. The phone is also landing in other parts of Europe, but availability in the US and Australia is still to be confirmed.

Analysis: how this compares to the Galaxy Z Flip 4

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 is the Motorola Razr 2022’s main rival, and as we noted it’s marginally more expensive – at least in the UK, with pricing in most other regions yet to be confirmed for the Razr.

The Z Flip 4 does do some things to justify the extra money – it has much better water resistance, a slightly bigger 3,700mAh battery, and a marginally higher resolution main screen.

However, it also has a lower 120Hz refresh rate on the main display, fewer megapixels in its cameras, slower 25W charging, a smaller 1.9-inch secondary screen, and specs that are otherwise broadly similar.

So, on paper Motorola has crafted a very competitive phone here, though how it will compare in practice remains to be seen. But this could well be a contender for our best foldable phones guide.

Customers have long been requesting that Walmart implement Apple Pay at its checkouts, but the retailer has not relented, instead relying on its own method for customers to pay with their phone.

Numerous complaints across Twitter lament the lack of integration, illustrating the extent to which customers are hankering for the service. Given the popularity of Apple Pay, it is hardly surprising that people are requesting its functionality at the biggest retailer in the world, boasting nearly 5,000 branches in the US alone.

Now, rather than rely on Apple Pay, the retailer has developed its own digital mobile payment system known as Walmart Pay, integrated with the Walmart app. 

Walmart Pay app

Unlike Apple Pay and a number of other mobile payment methods, it doesn't use near-field communication (NFC), the protocol that allows devices in close proximity to instantly connect and transfer data wirelessly, instead, requiring users to scan a QR code at the checkout. 

A Walmart spokesperson argued that this is a convenient way to pay, adding that Walmart has implemented other systems such as Scan & Go, available to Sam’s Club and Walmart Plus members, that allows them to “bypass the checkout altogether”. 

Interestingly, however, Canadian branches of Walmart have been equipped with Apple Pay checkouts since 2020. 

Some have speculated that there may be ulterior motives behind the hyperstore’s proprietary method, such as increasing the number Walmart app users and tracking their customers' purchases. 

Despite Apple Pay being available in more than 90% of stores in the US, Walmart isn’t the only major player to refuse its uptake: The Home Depot, Lowe's, and Kroger all lack Apple Pay integration as well.

•  Take a look at our picks for the best POS systems for your small business

Via MacRumors

OnePlus continues to solidify its “affordable yet powerful” reputation with the Nord N300 5G. It aims to improve upon its predecessor but stumbles in some places.

When the N200 launched back in July 2021, we liked its hefty 5,000mAh battery, which lasted two full days in our tests, and its decent, if somewhat limited, camera system. The N200 apparently struck a chord with consumers, so releasing a successor makes sense. 

At a glance, the N300 is a bit of a mixed bag as it builds upon what the older model had, but doesn't raise the bar in all areas. In fact, the phone actually sees a few feature downgrades. Still, this looks like a good mid-range 5G phone at a great price; not many can claim that. 

Features

Starting with the good, the N300 sports the same 5,000 mAh battery as the N200, plus it supports 33W fast charging thanks to the company’s own SuperVOOC tech. OnePlus, unfortunately, didn’t give any details on exactly how fast the phone can charge. To give you an idea of what the speeds could be, the iPhone 14 Pro can go from a dead battery to a 50 percent charge in about half an hour with a 30-watt charger. But unlike Apple, OnePlus will include a 33W charging block with the N300.

OnePlus opted for the MediaTek Dimensity 810 chipset instead of the Snapdragon 480 on the N200. The former has a “20 percent higher CPU clock speed” (2,400 for the 810 vs 2,000 MHz for the 480), according to benchmark tests. This results in faster processing, more efficient battery usage, and better-performing games. You can also expect speedy connectivity thanks to the 5G support.

When it comes to the rest of the N300’s package, it's a bit of a rollercoaster ride. The rear camera system, for example, has gone down to just two lenses (the N200 had three). At least the main lens received an upgrade. It’s now a 48MP lens for higher quality photos, whereas the N200 had a 13MP lens (the other rear lens and the front-facing camera are still 2MP and 16MP, respectively). 

At 6.56-inches, the N300's screen is a bit bigger than the one on the N200, and it offers a 90Hz refresh rate for a smoother viewing experience. The resolution, however, dropped in quality. It’s now an HD Plus resolution (1600x900 pixels) instead of the N200’s Full HD Plus (2400 x 1080). Storage is still 64 GB, but it can be upgraded to 1 TB.

Limited availability

Our other issue with the N300 is its availability; it's rather limited. You can purchase the phone (in either Midnight Black or Jade Green) in the United States for $228 starting November 3. There will be only one 4GB RAM model at launch. The N300 is also launching in Canada, but no date was given. It’s also exclusive to T-Mobile and its prepaid service, Metro.

Don't misunderstand: T-Mobile isn’t a bad carrier by any means; far from it. Earlier this year, a report from Speedtest showed that T-Mobile has the best-performing 5G network out of all the phone carriers in the US. It just would've been good to see other options available. We reached out to OnePlus and asked if there are plans to include other carriers for the N300 phone, and for details on the Canadian launch date. This story will be updated if we hear back.

If you’re interested in other cheap smartphones, TechRadar just updated its best budget US phone list for 2022. 

Most high-end smartphones aim to do broadly the same things – offering tons of power, top-tier screens, and excellent cameras; paired with a sleek design. But the new Saga phone does things a bit differently.

This handset is made by OSOM – a company made up of people who worked on the Essential Phone – and it’s been created for Solana Mobile, which is a cryptocurrency company. That makes for an unusual pedigree, and goes some way to explaining the specs of this phone, which have recently been revealed.

They include a top-end Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset, 12GB of RAM, 512GB of storage, a microSD card slot, a 6.67-inch FHD+ 120Hz OLED screen, a 4,110mAh battery, a 50MP main camera, a 12MP ultra-wide one, and a 16MP selfie snapper. The Saga also runs Android 13, and has an IP68 rating, meaning it’s resistant to water and dust ingress.

Evidently, there’s no shortage of power here and there’s loads of storage, but the screen is lower resolution than most top flagships (which tend to have QHD+ displays), the camera system is low on lenses, and the battery sounds rather small. Unusually though, it has a microSD card slot, which is a rare sight these days on expensive handsets.

Then there’s the design – the Saga phone has a ceramic back, a stainless-steel frame and titanium accents, which along with its IP68 rating makes for a premium build, yet the bezels above and below the display aren’t small, leaving it looking mid-range at best.

If this was a mid-range phone it would be a bargain for some of the specs on offer, but it’s not – the Saga is priced at $1000 (around £880 / AU$1,590). That puts it in line with the starting price of the iPhone 14 Pro – though in fairness you’ll pay a lot more than that for 512GB of storage with Apple’s phone.

Still, this is a high-end phone with an unusual mix of specs, which on paper seem a bit unbalanced. But then the Saga isn’t really aimed at mainstream audiences, as it also has all sorts of crypto credentials, with web3 features aimed at “defi pros, NFT collectors, and the most demanding crypto enthusiasts.”

So its intended audience likely has different priorities than typical buyers of an iPhone 14 Pro or Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus. Which isn’t to say they wouldn’t appreciate more cameras or a bigger battery, but they might consider this an acceptable compromise to get more specialist features at this price.

If you fall into that camp – and live in the US, UK, Canada or the EU - you can pre-order the Saga now, by putting down a $100 deposit, but the phone won’t ship until early 2023.

Analysis: an odd mix of old and new

The Saga’s microSD card slot and modest battery capacity both make it sound a bit like a phone from the past – while its crypto features and chipset point more towards the future.

But there’s another old-fashioned feature here too – a rear fingerprint sensor. The vast majority of fingerprint sensors on high-end phones now are built into the screen, but the choice to put it on the rear of the Saga phone was probably more than just a cost-cutting measure.

In-screen fingerprint sensors still haven’t been perfected – they’re often slower than more conventional sensors, and can be prone to misreads. So a capacitive fingerprint sensor on the back can in some ways be better.

Plus, this sensor has had some thought put into it, as it supports custom gestures. So – much like a microSD card slot - it’s old-fashioned, but arguably in a good way, and is something many of the best phones could learn from.

The digital dust has barely settled on the rollout of iOS 16, but another major iPhone software update is now imminent: iOS 16.1 is going to start appearing on devices from today (Monday, October 24), and there are numerous new features to look forward to alongside the usual bug fixes and security patches.

iOS 16 ushered in new lock screen customizations, the ability to unsend messages within a certain time window, a new privacy tool called Safety Check, and plenty more besides. But even with all of those upgrades now in place, Apple has been able to find even more ways to innovate with its software.

All the iPhones that can run iOS 16 can also run iOS 16.1, so we're talking about every handset all the way back to the iPhone 8 (which was launched in 2017) and right up to the current iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models. If you don't get the update immediately today, sit tight: the download and install prompt should show up within a few days.

Here are the key features that you can look forward to:

iOS 16.1 new features

Apple Fitness Plus without an Apple Watch

Apple's fitness subscription service previously required an Apple Watch to do all the necessary monitoring, but iOS 16.1 lets you sign up without a wearable (your iPhone can do some of the tracking instead).

iCloud Shared Photo Library

Apple is making it easier to share photos and videos with family and friends through iCloud Shared Photo Library. Up to six people can be involved in the same library, and every participant can view, edit and delete files in the library.

More Live Activities

Live Activities are dynamic widgets that appear on the lock screen, and third-party apps will now be able to take advantage of them – think updates on your Uber, for example, or live score updates from sports matches that you're interested in.

Clean Energy Charging

A new smart charging feature is being introduced with iOS 16.1, which will try to juice up your phone at times when the electricity grid is using clean energy. For the moment at least, this feature is only going to be available to US users.

Share keys through Apple Wallet

If you're using the Wallet app on your iPhone to get into your car or your hotel room or whatever else, the iOS 16.1 update is going to let you share those keys through other apps (such as WhatsApp) as and when you need to.

Matter accessory support

Matter is the new smart home protocol that's being backed by every major tech company (including Apple). The idea is that, at long last, all your smart home devices should communicate properly with each other, whatever the branding.

Reachability Support for Dynamic Island

The Dynamic Island is one of the big innovations added on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, and with iOS 16.1 it's going to work with the one-handed Reachability mode in the software as well.

• iPadOS 16.1 and macOS Ventura are arriving too

The last we heard from Sony and its Xperia line was the arrival of the Sony Xperia 5 IV, which was announced in September. It's a smaller version of the Sony Xperia 1 IV, with a 6.1-inch display, but a new leak suggests an even more compact device is on the way from this particular phone series.

Unconfirmed information posted to Chinese social media site Weibo, reported over at Notebookcheck.net, points to an upcoming Xperia phone with a 5.5-inch screen and a modest, mid-range set of internal specs.

The thinking is that the phone might be a successor to the Sony Xperia Ace III, which was only launched in Japan. This time, however, the rumor is that the rest of the world will be getting the handset as well.

Specs appeal

In terms of specs, the leak lists a Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 processor, 6GB of RAM, 128GB of internal storage and a battery capacity of 4,500 mAh. The 5.5-inch display is apparently going to have a 2520 x 1080 pixel resolution, with the phone also offering a wired charging speed of 18W.

If that is indeed how the Sony Xperia Ace IV shapes up, then it's a significant jump up from its predecessor. The Sony Xperia Ace III came with a 5.5-inch, 1496 x 720 pixel screen, a Snapdragon 480 processor, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, and a 4,500 mAh battery. 

The Xperia Ace III made its debut in June 2022, so the same month in 2023 seems a good bet for when the next phone might arrive – and we will of course let you know if and when Sony makes the new handset official.

Analysis: compact phones for the people

There isn't a whole lot out there for those who prefer a more compact phone. If the Sony Xperia Ace IV is indeed real and does indeed come with a 5.5-inch display, then it'll be one of the smallest handsets available on the market.

We know that there was no mini iPhone this year: the rumor is that the iPhone 13 mini just didn't sell enough units for Apple to be able to justify an iPhone 14 mini. However, it sounds as though the iPhone 14 Plus isn't shifting in huge numbers either.

Considering the vast majority of today's phones have screen sizes well above 6 inches, it would seem that consumer demand for these smaller handsets is indeed low. The success or otherwise of the Sony Xperia Ace IV would be another indicator.

Perhaps foldable phones are the answer: a nice big screen to use when they're opened up, but also something relatively small to fit inside a pocket or a bag. Now all we need is for the prices of these foldables to fall far enough to attract mid-range phone buyers.

• Here's our verdict on the Sony Xperia 10 IV

We're expecting to see a Google Pixel 7a arrive in the coming months, assuming Google sticks to its usual schedule of putting out mid-range handsets in between flagships – and the phone just got mentioned on Amazon.

As reported by GSMArena, the retail site is letting users sign up for updates on the Google Pixel 7a announcement, which would suggest that the device is indeed on the way and could appear sooner rather than later.

We don't get any information about the Pixel 7a or any images of it – and there's no real indication that Amazon has got any advance details of the handset – but it seems unlikely that you would be able to sign up for updates on a phone that doesn't exist.

Phone families

Something worth noting is that the Amazon site mentions a "family" of products – does that mean that more than one Pixel 7a device is on the way? We haven't seen that for this phone range since the Google Pixel 3a XL back in 2019.

Rumors around the Pixel 7a have been pretty thin on the ground up to this point. There has been one mention of a more compact, mid-range phone in the works at Google, but it's not certain that the handset in question is actually the Pixel 7a.

We saw the Google Pixel 7 and the Google Pixel 7 Pro get their big reveal earlier this month, and all the indications are that a Google Pixel 8 is going to arrive next year. The Google Pixel 7a would therefore fit neatly in the middle.

Analysis: getting the timing right

Assuming a Pixel 7a is indeed on the way, it's going to be interesting to see what Google does in terms of timing. The past might give us some indication: the Google Pixel 5 was announced in September 2020, and was followed by the Google Pixel 5a in the August of the following year.

Then we got the Google Pixel 6 in October 2021, and the Google Pixel 6a in May 2021 – the latter phone was actually unveiled at the Google IO 2022 event, so we should perhaps be expecting the Google Pixel 7a to show up at Google IO 2023.

Considering that the supply chain was so significantly disrupted by the global pandemic in 2020 and 2021, the Pixel 6a is perhaps a better indicator of timing rather than the Pixel 5a (which only launched in the US and Japan, don't forget).

The Pixel 7 smartphones were shown off in full in October of this year, so perhaps May 2023 is the time when the Pixel 7a is most likely to show up. Google hasn't announced any dates for IO 2023 yet, but there's little doubt that it will happen – and we will of course be covering it in depth as usual.

• Here's what we think of the Google Pixel Watch

A new report from Canalys has claimed that the global smartphone market has declined for the third consecutive time this year.

The analyst firm found sales in Q3 2022 were down 9% from the same period last year as consumers around the world tighten their belts to afford essentials. 

The bad news may also be set to continue, with Canalys saying it expects this trend to continue for the next six to nine months.

Widespread impact

Canalys found that all the top smartphone makers were impacted to varying degrees. Apple was the only company to actually see positive growth in the period, as demand for the latest iPhone models remained strong, with the tech giant now holding an 18% market share. 

Out front, Samsung still remains the most dominant player in the global market with a share of 22%, thanks to big promotions aimed at shifting inventory. The other vendors rounding out the top five - Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo - retained their market shares (14%, 10% and 9% respectively) but were reluctant to expand overseas given the economic turbulence.

Canalys analyst Amber Liu said that as the smartphone market is very sensitive, it reacts strongly to reductions in demand. This has forced vendors to sell-through inventory by offering heavy discounts and promotions to avoid stockpiles building up. 

Consumers are also being easily spooked by price increases due to the current global economic climate, forcing even Apple to price its products more carefully. This may all change with the upcoming peak trading season though, with vendors seeing Black Friday and Cyber Monday as an ideal chance to shift some stock.

Another analyst at Canalys, Sanyam Chaurasia, said that demand looks set to remain stagnant until the first half of 2023, which will mean vendors will have to plan ahead carefully with their supply chain to avoid oversupply and assess their pricing to maintain their market shares. 

She also said that as consumers are reducing their outgoing income on non-essentials, they will expect reductions on older generations of devices and bundle deals. She added that “compared to the strong demand period of the previous year, a slow but steady festive sale is anticipated in Q4 2022”.

• See our list of the best business smartphones around

The Samsung Galaxy S23 and its siblings are likely to be among the most exciting phones of 2023, and as we get closer to their launch, rumors and leaks are heating up, with the latest being a benchmark for the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.

Spotted by MySmartPrice, this Geekbench listing points to the phone having a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset. That’s no real surprise since – at least in some regions – the Samsung Galaxy S22 line used the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, but it’s good news, since the Gen 2 will probably be the most powerful chipset available to Android phones until the Gen 2 Plus or Gen 3 arrive, later into 2023.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 itself isn’t even out yet, but we’re expecting it to debut at Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Summit in mid-November, so it should be out in time for the Galaxy S23 line’s launch, which itself is likely to happen in February next year.

It’s worth noting, however, that this benchmark is for a US model of the phone, which makes the included chipset even less surprising, because Snapdragon silicon is practically always used in Samsung’s flagship phones in the region. Some other markets – including the UK – often get Exynos chipsets instead, but there are reports that this time Snapdragon will be used everywhere.

This isn’t the first time we’ve specifically heard rumors of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 being used either, with a recent specs list leak from Yogesh Brar (via PhoneWorld), for example, also pointing to that chipset.

This specs list pertains to the standard Samsung Galaxy S23, but we usually see Samsung use the same chipset across the entire Galaxy S range, so that’s no surprise. Nor are the rest of the leaked specs here because, aside from the chipset and a slightly larger 3,900mAh battery, the listed specs are exactly the same as those of the S22.

In any case, the benchmark isn’t all good news, because it also mentions just 8GB of RAM, which while plenty for most users, isn’t a particularly high amount for an Ultra phone. It’s also no upgrade on the starting capacity of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra – though pricier versions of that device stretched to 12GB, so we’d expect at least that again.

Analysis: these probably won’t be the first phones to use a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2

If the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 lands in November and the Samsung Galaxy S23 line lands in February, then Samsung’s upcoming flagships will likely be among the first phones to use the chipset.

After all, it’s only high-end phones that will be getting the Gen 2, and we’re not expecting too many of them in that window.

However, there will probably be at least one that beats Samsung to the punch, namely the Xiaomi 13. Based on past form, this may well debut in China in December 2022, and one leaker thinks it could land as soon as November.

But the global launch might be later, with the Xiaomi 12 not seeing a wider release until April of this year. Similarly, Motorola managed to beat even Xiaomi out of the gate last year, with the China-exclusive Edge X30, however, much like Xiaomi, the Edge X30's most like-minded international equivalent (the Edge 30 Pro) didn't arrive until well into 2022.

As such, it’s possible the Samsung Galaxy S23 line will still be the first to use this chipset in the US, UK, Australia and elsewhere internationally. Plus, Xiaomi phones don’t come to the US anyway, so that counts the Xiaomi 13 out there.

Unless the S23 line turns out to be drastically different from what these leaks suggest and Samsung somehow manages to drop the ball, all three of its next Galaxy S phones will likely make their way onto our rundown of the best Samsung phones. For those that can't wait that long, check out the our best Black Friday phone deals, which is being constantly updated in the lead up to Black Friday (November 25) and beyond.

We’ve been hearing for a while that Apple might change up the design for the iPhone SE 4, and now unofficial renders have shown us how that design might look.

You can see some of these renders below, created by Ian Zelbo and based on information from an anonymous source; provided to famed leaker Jon Prosser, of Front Page Tech.

They show a phone with a notch (the wider notch iPhones featured before the 20% reduction introduced on the iPhone 13 series), no home button, and small bezels. So that’s a big – but widely rumored – change from the iPhone SE (2022). The phone will apparently come in Midnight (black), Starlight (white), and Product RED shades (the only three colors available on the last two generations of SE too), all of which can be seen here, and it’s said to have a 6.1-inch screen.

You can also see that there’s a single-lens camera on the back, but no details for this were provided. It’s likely though that this new SE will rely on a 12MP sensor, given that most iPhone cameras do, outside the 48MP primary snapper on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max.

No other specs have been included either, but visually this phone will look remarkably familiar if you’ve been keeping up with Apple’s handset launches over the last few years.

Analysis: an iPhone XR with more power

Given the presence of a notch and the apparent 6.1-inch screen, the iPhone SE 4 – as shown here – has a lot in common with the iPhone 14. But where that phone has straight sides, here they’re curved, rendering it almost indistinguishable from the iPhone XR.

That phone from 2018 – which you can see at the top of this article – also has a 6.1-inch screen, a notch, and curved sides, plus a single-lens camera on the rear.

However, under the hood the iPhone SE 4 is bound to be better, since the iPhone SE (2022) already has a more powerful chipset than the iPhone XR, along with 5G support, which that older phone lacks. For the iPhone SE 4, we expect an even newer chipset, and there’s no chance that 5G support is going anywhere.

Given the visual similarities and the upgraded internals though, it seems like this could be more of an iPhone XR 2 than an iPhone SE 4. Not least because, with the rising prices of the SE line in general, and Apple’s recent trend towards pushing prices up even more outside the US, this probably won’t be as affordable as SE phones once were.

The iPhone XR itself was positioned as a budget iPhone, but it still cost a fair amount, so from pricing to design to specs, the iPhone SE 4 looks likely to follow in that phone’s footsteps. In other words, this probably won't qualify for our best cheap phones list, but it might at least sport a slightly less dated design than the current SE.

Steve Jobs may have invented the three-click rule. This rule refers to how Apple's late CEO and co-founder pushed the original iPod team to make sure that a user was always three clicks away from playing a song.

I thought about this as I was creating a new Lock Screen for when I'm traveling in the car, and how the platform's news support for Lock Screen widgets have reduced the number of taps on my iPhone to launch an app or an action without going to the home screen.

I use both Apple Maps and Google Maps for different purposes - whether that's using Apple's app to look for certain landmarks when my wife and I are away for a weekend, or using Google Maps to get from one destination to another.

Yet it's the combination of Google Maps and iOS 16's Lock Screen widgets that have been the most useful to me when driving somewhere, and I'm hoping for more by the time iOS 17 arrives.

Widgets are cutting down on the taps

When we're about to leave for a car journey, I switch the Lock Screen on my iPhone to the one above, and the Google Maps widget on the right will let me pick the destination I've previously visited, and the weather widget on the left will give me an idea as to the weather for the next few hours while I'm on the road.

This also launched the second part of setting up my iPhone for driving. As Spotify is built-in to Google Maps, it can also play a song if I need it to, but since we like to listen to a bunch of podcasts on the road, I use Apple's Shortcuts function to automate a playlist of podcasts.

As soon as I enable 'Do Not Disturb in Driving', the automation starts playing my podcast playlist in Overcast, resuming where we last left off. It's incredibly easy to set my iPhone up for driving now, and before iOS 16, I spent most of my time setting up podcasts before hitting the road.

These Lock Screen widgets aren't just for show - they can help cut down the taps to or below the benchmark Steve Jobs set over twenty years ago with the iPod. Combine that with Shortcut automation and it's already becoming a time-saver for me and surely many others.

When it comes to iOS 17, I'd love to have more widgets placed on the Lock Screen - one above and three below the time isn't enough, I want at least six to place.

For now, however, widgets and automations are a perfect combination for me when driving, both before and during, and it's why I regard iOS 16 as a great update for the iPhone.

If you’re enticed by one of the brand-new iPads then you’re probably weighing up the benefits of getting an official keyboard or an Apple Pencil for it too. Well, we’re here to tell you that’s a terrible idea – you should get Logitech’s cheaper versions instead.

Apple has finally shown off the new iPad (10th-generation) and two M2 iPad Pro tablets, and alongside them Apple has launched a brand new Magic Keyboard too. This stand-plus-keyboard hybrid makes it easier to use your iPad like a laptop but it comes at a pretty high cost. On top of the price of Apple’s tablet you’ll have to shell out $249, $299 or $349 / £279, £319 or £379 / AU$399, AU$489 or AU$579 for a compatible keyboard for the iPad (10th-generation), the iPad Pro (11-inch, M2) or iPad Pro (12.9-inch, M2) respectively.

Thankfully, for those of you after the convenience of a keyboard and case to keep your shiny new iPad safer, there’s a great solution that isn’t as bank-breaking. Logitech produces its own iPad-compatible accessories that do exactly the same stuff, for a fraction of the cost.

Right now on Apple’s official store, you can find the Logitech Combo Touch Keyboard Case with Trackpad for the new iPad Pros. While still not the cheapest accessory in the world it’ll only set you back $199.95 or $229.95 / £219.95 or £239.95 / AU$299.95 or AU$349.95 for the 11-inch and 12.9-inch compatible options respectively.

Additionally, you can head to Logitech’s own store and grab a Combo Touch for the iPad (10th generation) for $160. If you’re happy to forgo a trackpad for your iPad (10th generation) then you could alternatively opt for Logitech’s Slim Folio keyboard case ($100) or the Rugged Folio keyboard case ($140). They’re currently not available on Logitech’s UK and Australian stores but we’re finding out when and if this will change.

It’s not just cases that Logitech makes though, it also makes its own Apple Pencil. The Logitech Crayon (which is a great name by the way) promises to deliver pixel-precise drawing on any iPad with a USB-C connection, and it even uses the same tech as the actual Apple Pencil. If you want to pick up this digital stylus it will set you back $69.95 / £69.95 – it’s not currently available in Australia.

Logitech’s add-ons aren’t a must-buy for every iPad owner – some people don’t need a fancy stylus or a keyboard they just want a simple-to-use tablet – but if you’re planning to get an official iPad keyboard case or Apple Pencil then we’d seriously suggest you get one of these products instead.

Sure these accessories aren’t Apple-made, but considering they’re sold on Apple’s store they’re about as official as third-party add-ons can get.

However, if you're still dead-set on getting the proper Magic Keyboard for your iPad, then be sure to check out our guide for the best iPad Pro Magic Keyboard deals to make sure you're getting one for the best price. Plus, we've got all the new iPad preorders and iPad Pro M2 preorders info you need right here.

Apple is reportedly pausing production of the iPhone 14 Plus while it works out whether or not there's sufficient demand for the new phone.

Unlike the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13, which launched alongside the smaller iPhone 12 Mini and iPhone 13 Mini, Apple decided that for the iPhone 14 range bigger is better, and released the iPhone 14 Plus alongside the standard model. This larger version of the latest iPhone doesn’t come with all the bells and whistles of the iPhone 14 Pro, but is a more budget-friendly upgrade over the base model.

However, it appears that this option hasn't proven to be hit with customers, as Apple has reportedly paused production of the iPhone 14 Plus despite that handset having been on sale for less than two weeks (via The Information). 

Apple is said to have told a Chinese manufacturer to halt production of iPhone 14 Plus components, while two plants that assemble iPhone 14 Plus components into larger components are said to be cutting production by 70% and 90% respectively. According to the report, the pause has been put in place while Apple reevaluates demand for the phone.

Analysis: why does no one want an iPhone 14 Plus?

So why aren’t people raving about the iPhone 14 Plus? Most likely it’s because the iPhone 14 Plus is essentially just a more expensive version of the base model, albeit with a larger screen and slightly longer battery life. With the rising cost of living on everyone’s mind, if people are looking to treat themselves to a new iPhone, the Plus arguably doesn’t give people enough of a reason to shell out an extra $100 / £100 / AU$240.

If people are looking to splash out on a new plus-sized phone, then Apple has a more compelling option in the iPhone 14 Pro – a handset that feels like a next-gen device and offers way more bang for your buck.

We suspect Apple’s release strategy hasn’t helped the iPhone 14 Plus either. The iPhone 14 Plus launched on October 7, nearly a whole month after the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Max, which all launched on September 16. Rather than waiting weeks to get the 14 Plus, we reckon most people forgot about it, and just picked up one of the three options that were immediately available.

What if you want an iPhone 14 Plus? 

All of the above said, if you’re one of those people that does want an iPhone 14 Plus, there’s currently not too much of a reason to panic right now. 

For one thing, production has reportedly only been paused, rather than completely halted. Once Apple has rejigged its sales expectations, production of the iPhone 14 Plus will likely resume (though possibly at a slower rate than before). 

Additionally, the iPhone 14 Plus isn’t currently sold out at any major retailer as far as we can tell, and for now there appears to be sufficient stock that most people who want an iPhone 14 Plus won’t struggle to get one.

If Apple chooses to halt production of the iPhone 14 Plus for good then of course the situation will change – and if that does happen we’ll be sure to keep you updated so that you don’t miss out on getting the big iPhone of your dreams.

The iPhone 14 Plus clearly isn’t for everyone though, so if you’re after something different why not check out our picks for the other best phones of 2022.