We had (almost) front row seats at Apple's iPhone 14 launch event, with TechRadar's Lance Ulanoff and me, Gareth Beavis, bringing you all the information as it happens.

While the main keynote is over, with a raft of product announcements, we're not finished yet. As we're at Apple's HQ in Cupertino, California, we'll be grabbing some hands-on time with as many new products as we can, so keep this page open to find out our instant reaction and exclusive photos of the new iPhone 14 range, along with exciting new Apple Watch versions and new AirPods as well!

These are all the new devices that Apple announced:

• iPhone 14
• iPhone 14 Pro Max
• iPhone 14 Plus
• AirPods Pro 2
• Apple Watch Series 8 
• Apple Watch Ultra
• Apple Watch SE 2
• iOS 16
• watchOS 9

That's certainly a huge amount of products, and from what Apple showed off, these devices will bring some exciting new innovations.

We also have info on how much they cost and when they go on sale, so read on to find out more, and we'll be answering all your questions from Twitter if you ping us over on @techradar... go do it!

Currently running this live blog is:

Currently running this live blog is:

Gareth Beavis

Gareth is TechRadar's Global Editor in Chief, running the site for the last four years and covering the iPhone launches for 15 years now. He's also capable at live blogging whatever's happening at a speed of, apparently, 4,000 words per minute.

OK, so we're ten minutes from the launch, I've been outside in the sweltering heat for too long and am starting to crisp... but this is one of the big, tentpole moments of the year - being in the Steve Jobs Theater to see new iPhones being launched.

And this is more special as it's been three years since the last one of these - man, I'm going to enjoy it.

Or weep at the speed of having to type. Lance is just next to me taking pictures and having a lovely time... I hope he starts doing something useful in a moment.

Ok, he's already given me some good info - Lance has been checking out the crowd and has 'spotted nobody interesting yet'. Not sure who he's loking for to be honest, but he's looking hard.

He did just run into Phil Schiller, so that's nice.

The lights just dimmed, and we were told to prepare for the event to start. We're both near a restroom, but there's zero chance of us doing that. Game time. Here come Tim!

We've just been told: "hope you enjoy the film..." does that mean this is going to be a pre-record?

Looks that way - Tim is now on the video, telling us that we're going to be seeing new iPhones, AirPods and Apple Watch, and how the headphones connect the two.

This is showing that three devices are becoming more of a simple situation where you need to do things like setting destination on their Watch and pick it up on the go.

I've never seen Apple so clear about what a launch is going to be about - and 'this is something that only Apple can do.'

OK, so we're starting with the Apple Watch. Is this going to be the shortest launch of all time? Or is it just there will be so many things coming.

Ah, the old video talking about how Apple Watch saved a life or two.

These are some nice stories. A plane crash, a bear attack, being stuck in a trash compactor, a Watch that spotted a heart issue... inventing something that managed to save a single life has to be a good thing to have made, right?

Right, we're going to hear about 'what's next' now.

It's the Apple Watch Series 8 to start - what's going to be different though?

We've heard about the extra robustness on the front, making it swim and dustproof... but I don't know if that's actually anything new.

Right, the temperature sensor is in there, and it's to help women's health. It's good to see a proper reason to put this in.

This new sensor will able to help further with menstrual cycle tracking, and the extra features will go deeper into things like ovulation - and there's a lot of push on how this data is secure and private. That's pretty clear.

There are two sensors, one on the back and one on the front, with the wrist able to retroactively spot ovulation - and it'll check every 5 seconds while you sleep, and it'll show changes to things down to 0.1 degrees of temperature.

It's good to see this being done on the wrist - new and automatic ovulation estimates and notifications of possible cycle deviations, like prolonged periods or spotting that could be a separate health symptom.

Again, more talking about privacy here - meaning that Apple can't decrypt the data and can't read it. Only with explicit permission can it be shared... all of this is clearly designed to make sure women worried in the US since Roe vs Wade are able track things securely.

Now, we're onto car crashes...

OK, you're going to be getting Crash Detection, which can alert close contacts and emergency services.

There are two new sensors in the Watch 8, with a g-force accelerometer, with over 200G of impact able to be spotted. And it can spot them four times faster, so the notifications can come quicker.

Apple has been studying many different kinds of crash testing, from head-on to rolling, and used machine learning to add in the sensor to GPS and microphone listening and work out when you're crashing - and only processes data on the Watch when you're driving and only in a crash situation.

This launch is whipping by now... there's a lot coming I feel.

Oh, still got an 18-hour battery life. But this time we're finally getting Low Power Mode, which will boost things up to 36 hours, while still allowing fitness tracking and fall detection, but dropping always on display and auto-workouts.

This will come to older models as well (we both missed how long back it'll go).

There are four colors, midnight ,starlight, silver and red. Plus silve, gold and graphite for the stainless steel models too.

New Nike+ versions again, with 'Just Do It' woven into the band, and there's new (and very expensive) Hermes bands coming too.

That's not a huge update to this - but it's starting at $399 for GPS only, and $499 for the cellular model. You can order it today and then get it from September 16.

I wonder how many people go for the Nike+ and Hermes bands... actually, enough of that chat. We're onto the Watch SE.

It's coming in silver, midnight and starlight in aluminum - with the back case made of 'nylon' composite that match the color of the case.

That's a quick overview.

There's nothing here that's really news - 30% larger than the Watch 3 seems to be the same as the previous model, but it is coming with the new chip inside the Watch 8, making it 20% faster than previous.

The watch will cost $249 for GPS and $299 for cellular - and again, you can order from today and get it on September 16.

And here comes the Watch Pro...

This is a Watch 'years in the making' and designed for higher endurance. Here comes a video...

It's a lot of mist and close up images of the new Watch. There's the new button on the side, there's the bulge on the right-hand side...

It's being shown in hot and cold temps, in the desert. Apple Watch Ultra!

Didn't see that name coming., 

It's made from titanium, and that extends around the sapphire display, which protrudes from the top.

It's got the biggest and brighest display - with the 'action' button on the side in orange.

The digital crown is larger and has larger grooves to be easier to use - there's a second speaker for higher volume for voice calls in windy conditions.

And every Watch Ultra has a cellular connection, and it can last for 36 hours or 60 hours if you use a new battery optimization setting coming later this fall.

There's Night Mode too - the UI turns red for better visibility in the dark. 

A new band set has been made - the Alpine Loop has a titanium hook that slips in. The Ocean Band has a longer, stretchier fit for over a wetsuite and a buckle secures it.

The Trail Loop has increased elasticity, and a quick tab for making adjustments. It's for 'accomplished athletes and explorers' primarily... how much is this thing going to cost?

There's an improved GPS set on here for when there are tall buildings or in less-hospitable enviroments.

A new fual-frequency GPS solution, with L1 + L5 GPS... it's 'the most accurate GPS of any smartwatch on the market' in certain situations.

Now the Action Button. You can instantly transition through triathlon, or automatically detect when you're on a track running, or using the button to track laps better.

Using the new low-power workout setting you should be able to do an Iron Man (interesting that wasn't named in there).

The new watch faces for Watch Ultra are exciting if you're needing things like BackTrack, better compass recognition on the face or getting help when you're lost on the hill.

There's an 86dB siren on there for people being able to hear you from 600 feet away... and man, that's an annoying (but hearable) sound.

And there's also a new auto-depth app when you go diving, so you'll be able to see where you are  underwater.

And it's supporting EN13319... whatever that is. But it's more powerful and able to withstand water than before. 

I'll tell you what - this is what Samsung should have done if it was serious about the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro.

It's a 49mm case, 6000 nits of display brightness and all the other features of Series 8 as well... looking forward to seeing this on the wrist.

But how much is it?

All the models of the Watch Ultra will be starting at $799, which is cheaper than I expected. It's something you can order from today, but it'll be available from a week later on September 23.

Apple does a really good job of making it seem like these things are going to solve everything for the outdoor user - the key thing is whether they'll actually be useful for people who like to dive, climb mountains and more.

They're showing people in snowdrifts up snowy hill, lost in the desert... would you want a Watch that lasts only 36 hours at launch? That's an open question... a louder loudspeaker is a great idea, and the bigger button is useful.

I think that's Apple Watch over. Tim is back and he's very excited about the Ultra... but we're going to AirPods.

Next up, the most 'advanced AirPods yet' - they've still got the stalks from this video. You can also dance in silhouette... not sure if that's a feature.

Oh man, I've got a blister on my finger already. This has never happened to me before.

Inside the new AirPods is the new H2 chip inside, which helps to improve the audio performance with new drivers and amplifiers too.

Spatial Audio is here, and the TrueDepth camera to make a personalized tuning just for you.

Active Noise Cancellation is improved too, with 'advanced computational audio' with twice as much noise cancelled over the original AirPods Pro. 

There's a new extra-small ear tip - which our audio writer Becky Scarrott will be in love with.

The touch-sensitive area of the AirPods Pro has a capacitative sensing layer so you can control volume by swiping up and down.

Finally.

There will be 6 hours of listening time on a single charge, with 30 hours using the case.

The new AirPods Pro, if you misplace the charging case, precision finding will help you navigate to it. And there's a speaker to play louder tones, with pairing, low power and when charging has starting. Plus you can use the Apple Watch charger finally.

Oh, and there's that lanyard clip! I didn't think that would be there if there was no chat about the AirPods Pro 2 being good for hearing disability.

Coming from $249, you can order from Friday 9 September, and buy them from 23 September.

Right, it's new iPhone time.

There we go, there's going to be a purple color. And it's confirmed: iPhone 14 Plus.

The iPhone 14 will have a 6.1-inch display, with the iPhone 14 Plus will ahve a 6.7-inch display too.

There's a speeding through this section - I feel the cool stuff is going to be kept for the iPhone 14 Pro soon.

The iPhone 14 is 'designed to last' - both models have ceramic shield on the front, and water and dust resistance... what's going on here, there's very little that's being shown off that's new?

Apart from a new blue and lavendar color. Oh, wait, here we go - the best battery life in a smartphone... because it's got the larger battery size inside.

We're hearing about how the iPhone 13 Pro A15 chip that's coming to the iPhone 14 - it's faster than last year's model, but it's still the same chip. Basically, a bit better.

There is a new camera in there, with a larger sensor and faster aperture, with 1.9 micron pixels and an f/1.5 for better results when things are darker or more 'challenging'.

There's a new True-Depth camera, with an f/1.9 (I think) aperture and autofocus on there too... we've been waiting for that for some time.

Hearing more about Deep Fusion right now - with more improved performance from the new 'Photonic Engine', with the images taken all combining to make an even better photography experience... and this will work on older phones too.

So basically this is another step where the phone takes better photos without even improving the sensor.

Video will be more stable in 'Action Mode', so when you're running around you can toggle it on without needing to add a Gimbal, and it supports Dolby Vision and HDR.

Now we're onto connectivity: 5G is the big buzzword here. There's the eSIM option in there, where you don't need to pop a new card in your phone... allowing you to do it digitally and the ability to have multiple SIMs or contracts.

There's a lot more chat about this feature this year... what's this about? Apple says it has improved things.

Whoa - all US models won't have the SIM tray. That got a WOW in the room... 

Lance is just shaking his head next to me. How will people upgrade easily to the new model if they buy it SIM free?

The iPhone 14 line-up has the same high-speed sensor inside it, so if you're in a car crash it'll alert the emergency services on the go - working with the Apple Watch 8 if you've got both on.

Now we're talking about how things can connect when you're 'off the grid'... satellite connectivity?

That eSIM change is going to piss off a lot of people in the short term, I think. Unless it's a super slick changeover.

We're being shown an image of someone being found on a mountain top - through the 'Emergency SOS via satellite' functionality - the satellite rumors were true.

The idea is that connectivity in areas like complete backwaters or high mountains means that no connectivity is available. You'll need to be outside and with a clear view of the sky.

Apple has 'invented' another way, so that iPhone 14's antennas can connect with satellite frequencies... and there's a new software experience to show you where to point your phone and keep things connected.

The messages have been shortened massively, down to three times as short - with all the key questions answered quickly so as little information as possible is needed to be sent over satellite.

This service can also be used in other ways - you can share your location via satellite on the Find My app (and has been part of the development cycle for years).

You'll get this free for two years, it'll be coming to November first and only in the US and Canada to start.

Apple Fitness+ is coming to iPhone users later this year too, while we're here.

The iPhone 14 will start at $799, the same as the iPhone 13, and the iPhone 14 Plus will cost $899.

You can order both from September 9, but you'll only be able to get the iPhone 14 on September 23, with the iPhone 14 Plus from October 7... the rumors of the delay were indeed true.

OK, here come the new iPhone 14 Pro models. A lot of fanfare here... and confirmation of the notch becoming the single lozenge at the top.

Whoa, it moves! It becomes longer, shorter and wider to show notifications. That's unexepected.

Right, here are the colors - gold, purple, black and a graphite color.

The notch is changed, and this is clever - all the sensors are in the screen and the new experience will make it a space that shows up background activity in an interesting way.

It's called the 'Dynamic Island' - that got a laugh here.

The idea for this means you don't need to be distracted or having notification shades coming down, with each alert having a different character, tapping iPhone on location, or using FaceID, or the music app moving up there.

There's a lot on the Dynamic Island stuff here - it's a clever way to distract from the notch completely - it can even split between two apps if they're running in the background.

The iPhone 14 Pro also has a new display, coming with 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch displays. They're brighter than before, with a peak of 2000 nits and that's twice as much as before.

And, as expected, here comes the Always-On Display. It keeps the essential information on there -that's because it can go as low as 1Hz, meaning the whole screen can dim easily.

The time, widgets and live activities are always going to be available as a result, and you'll still see your wallpapers too.

As predicted, the iPhone 14 Pro Max will have the A16 chip inside, with it being (apparently) 40% faster than any other chip on the market, but that has to be proven.

Apple has boosted the core efficiency too - meaning that when it's in low power mode, it's even lower than before.

The CPU, GPU, neural engine and ISP all work together in concert to help support the new Pro camera system.

There are the three camera sensors on the back again, but they're new - a 48MP sensor that's 65% larger than the one on the iPhone 13 Pro. It's got a 24mm focal length too.

By combining four pixels together, you'll be able to get night mode performance that's twice as good as last year.

The new sensor is designed to work with each pixel individually - and there's a new 2x telephoto option as well, using the larger pixels to optically grab that image without any loss in performance.

That's a good move - the difference between 1x and 3x felt like too much.

It's easy to forget about ProRAW, but it's actually a pretty cool feature of the phone - I've taken some much better photos when I want to play with my images a bit more.

There's a new UltraWide camera  - with larger pixels although still only 12MP. It means that the macro mode has been improved too.

The flash has been redesigned, with 9 LEDs that can be twice as bright as before with  more uniformity of flash. The front-facing camera is twice as good in low-light too, thanks to the new computation photohgraphy.

Righty-ho, that's everything about the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max - we must be getting to the end of this event soon.

We still don't know the price yet...

Prices aren't as high as expected: $999 for the Pro, and $1099 for the iPhone 14 Pro Max, which is the same as last year, with both phones available to pre-order now and can be purchased from September 16.

That looks like it for now - the days of 'One More Thing' are all gone, in favor of far clearer outlines of what's coming.

Tim Cook is just running through what we're getting from the new devices... although saying the iPhone 14 is full of innovation is a bit rich. 

I'm going to have to sprint and go look at these new phones - here's hoping the scrum isn't too bad.

Right, that's it. Thanks for being here today with me - it's been lots of fun talking to you and we're out!

It barely feels like we've come off WWDC when straight away, it's time for the (highly likely) iPhone 14 launch at the Apple 'Far Out' Event happening at 10AM PT / 1PM ET / 6PM GMT on September 7, live from the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino.

And the rumors regarding the iPhone 14 have been coming thick and fast - the 14 is hugely likely to be joined by the iPhone 14 Plus, the iPhone 14 Pro and the iPhone 14 Pro Max.

And ho, no! The fun doesn't stop there when it comes to the leaky rumor mill: there will also apparently be an Apple Watch 8 to replace the Series 7, a Watch SE 2 to take the place of the years-old Watch SE... and an Apple Watch Pro to stick it to Samsung's Galaxy Watch 5 Pro and the premium Garmin smartwatches.

Think that's enough? Well, the flood of reported products coming hasn't finished: how about a dessert of the new AirPods Pro 2?

Hopefully that's all that Apple launches - we're going to be live and feverishly tapping away in Apple's dedicated show space in just a few hours, so stick with us as we live blog all the build up and everything that happens during it.

If you'd rather actually watch the event, head on over to our dedicated Apple Event page where we'll have the feed embedded for your viewing pleasure.

(And remember - if you want to get in contact you can get me on @superbeav over on Twitter... I'll be posting all the very best Tweets from the Twitter Swamps here too).

Well, we might be starting early with this live blog, but there's a sense that this is going to be one of the bigger Apple launches - both in terms of fanfare and the amount of things we're going to be seeing.

I'm going to be with you the whole way - we've been live-blogging the top rumors that have emerged this week, so if you bookmark this page you'll get all manner of insight, analysis and the latest leaks as the event draws near.

We'll start off with some topline information on each of the new products that we're expected, build up with all the latest leaks as they occur (and, we know, they will... although we doubt Apple will accidentally Tweet out the phone as it did with the iPhone 7) and obviously... let you know when Tim Cook wakes up.

Let's start with one of my favorite leaks: the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max, and the fact they won't be coming with the notch, but instead two cut outs, one in the shape of a small pill and the other in the shape of a punch hole for the camera.

I was a bit dismayed at the asymmetry of this when I first saw renders, but recent 'insider developer information' from the MacRumors forums has pointed us to this above image from Anonymous A.S., who claims that software will join the two holes together, and the space used will be able to show notifications lights to let you know when the mic is in use, for instance.

The same leaker also suggested that this smaller cutout would see a return of the 'original' battery percentage... we can but dream, eh? Rather than just guessing how much is left based on a small picture.

It's worth pointing out these are very much renders based on a description, but they're some of the better ones we've seen.

Shall we move onto the Apple Watch Pro, the device I'm personally most interested to see? Set to come in either 47mm or 49mm sizes (which would make it rather large on the wrist, but would allow for a 1.99-inch screen) you can see in the renders from 91 Mobiles (and there are more through the link that it's got an extra bump on the side too.

And, for the eagle-eyed of you who clicked through, there's another button on the other side too. Let's not get ahead of ourselves, as these are renders based on 'industry sources' so it could be nothing more than whispers.

But the larger device with the easier-to-press buttons does dovetail with the running watches that I'm constantly testing - you can't gave flush keys when you're trying to stop the clock the second you think you might have got a 5K PB.

Good morning - or afternoon, depending on where in the world you are. It's so nearly iPhone 14 launch day (which is September 7, if you've managed to forget and are desperately pawing at the walls hoping to guess when it's coming).

The thing is... there's a lot happening. The iPhone 14 will be the star, probably backed up by the iPhone 14 Pro Max. Then there's the Apple Watch 8, the Watch 8 Pro... and maybe even the AirPods Pro 2 as well.

In short, there's a bumper amount of stuff happening, and if you're just wondering whether the new iPhone is going to be the one for you, then that's what we're (well, I'm) here for today: telling you the key leaks that you should be thinking about, and welcoming any thoughts you might have on Twitter - catch me on @Superbeav and I'll add your thoughts to the discussion.

Right, let's get to it. What's the number one thing you're interested in with the new iPhone 14?

Are you angry about the battery life? The sharp sides too steep? Are you hoping for bigger screens or less notch? We've spent the last 15 goshdarn months looking at rumors regarding this muthaflippin' phone, and we've got a pretty good idea of what's going to be coming. 

But, as I said in the intro - this is all about you. Tweet me any questions and I'll answer them, based on TechRadar's analysis, right here and now.

OK - I've got a hot-off-the-press 'leak' to talk you through from TimesNowNews in India... and I'll warn you, there are many things here that are making me question how legit this is.

However, the listing - which doesn't have a source other than applepriceleak (and it's not clear which forum that user name is from) - does touch on a lot of things that we're expecting, so it's an excellent kicking off point.

The first thing you'll notice there is that the iPhone 14 Plus is being mentioned over the iPhone 14 Max... that's the strong rumor at the moment, that Apple will split the naming to avoid confusing things between this larger phone and the iPhone 14 Pro Max.

But that's not what I'm confused about...

The thing that's really getting to me about that 'leaked' listing is that it shows the battery sizes. If this truly was a leak from Apple itself - perhaps one that was sent out as embargoed marketing material - then it wouldn't have that info on.

Apple will obviously collaborate with key third-party vendors on things like cases and such, ahead of launch. But it would never release the iPhone 14 battery size as it wouldn't make a difference - so I feel like this document is an aggregation of the leaks published online at the moment.

That said, the battery sizes are dovetailing with what we're expecting: the iPhone 14 Pro to have a larger power unit that the 13 Pro, adding in an extra 200mAh, but the iPhone 14 Pro Max to stick with something similar to the iPhone 13 Pro Max.

And while, again, we shouldn't read this leak as gospel, I really do hope that the iPhone 14 Plus does match the battery size of the iPhone 14 Pro Max - that's a phone that will be cheaper but will still have the gargantuan longevity that appeared with the new iPhone 13 range last year.

Hello, and welcome our iPhone 14 leaks live blog. We're trying something different here, a chance to talk expected release date, price and specs of the new phones, with a sprinkling of chat about the latest rumors - such as the possible iPhone 14 price hike.

Give this page a bookmark, and remember that if you want to stay up to speed on everything iPhone, also bookmark our iPhone 14 hub, where we round up all the latest rumors, leaks and news in one handy spot... all the way until the expected launch date on September 13.

Key iPhone pages to check out

New iPhone 14 - our one-stop shop, constantly updated throughout the year, with all the leaks and rumors dissected and filed in easy-to-read sections. Immerse yourself in it and look like an in-the-know genius with friends.

iPhone 14 Pro Max - what's the biggest phone of the year for Apple? The 14 Pro Max, we think - both in terms of size and expected impact on the market. This is where all the good rumors come to be sorted.

iPhone 14 Max - Bye bye iPhone 14 Mini, it's all about the Max this year - a non-pro version of Apple's largest handset.

Apple Watch 8 - this is the other thing we're likely to see at the September event... a new thing from Apple to strap to your wrist.

Apple Watch 8 Rugged Edition - anything you can do, Samsung, Apple can do... better? Let's see with this round of rumors on Apple's Watch 5 Pro rival.

Right, so here we are - our first live, on-the-go dissection of some of the top rumors we've seen in the last week (and a fair smattering of the stuff we're pretty confident of seeing next month, based on the consistent leaks over the last year).

I've been writing about and covering iPhone launches since 2008, and one thing that's clear is that since the iPhone 6 or so, we've seen far more leaking of key elements of the phones in the build up to the launch, a far cry since the days of the iPhone 4 being found in a bar and everyone losing their minds...

Right, let's start with a live one: the iPhone 14 price. Recently, respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo pointed to some strong results from one of the iPhone suppliers, stating they believed that it was going to be making a vast majority of the iPhone models.

That manufacturing company, Hon Hai / Foxconn, has suddenly increased its financial outlook, which leads Kuo to confirm his belief that the iPhone will increase in cost around 15%.

What would that mean for you, if you're looking to buy one of the new iPhone 14 models?

Based on the fact Apple likes to keep its iPhone prices ending $49 or $99, I suspect the new iPhone 14 will start at $799 and the smaller iPhone 14 Pro to hit $1099. This is just an educated guess at this point though - the ASP (average selling price) mentioned means that it could be Apple spreads the cost through the range to keep it balanced.

Talking of live ones, we've just published a story that Apple is expecting no hit to its orders of the new iPhone 14 range, despite the cost of living going up so much in recent months.

That right, despite the mooted 15% increase in price, Bloomberg is reporting that Apple has ordered 90 million units of its phones, clearly confident it can shift them over the course of the year and anticipating no slow down in demand.

That's surprising and touches on something I'll discuss in more detail later on: the expected absence of the iPhone 14 mini. To keep orders up at that level, which reportedly is in line with previous years, shows real confidence at this point - and means Apple must have new features that it feels are going to resonate with consumers.

We did some good analysis recently on the iPhone 14 release date - let's go over it again here because I've got a pretty good gut feeling on this one.

My prediction is that the iPhone 14 launch date will be September 13, and then - regular as clockwork - on September 23 we'll see it on shop shelves.

I can say this because I've attended all the physical iPhone launches since iPhone 6, many years ago - and they've always been on or around my birthday. The rumored September 6 launch date doesn't jive with that, therefore it has to be the week after.

I once complained to a fellow journalist that I always had a disrupted birthday because of the iPhone launch, and he looked at me with sadness and told me he'd missed his entire 40th birthday day because he crossed the date line and the day just disappeared to come to an iPhone unveiling.

I shut up after that.

OK, next up for disucssion is your friend and mine: the iPhone 14 Max.

I can't tell you excited I was when I started hearing glimmers of this phone begin to leak late last year, as it was the phone that I've thought Apple should make for years.

What is it? It's the iPhone Pro Max without the Pro bit - so my expectation is that the 14 Max will have the A15 Bionic chipset inside (from 2021) and only two lenses on the rear, with the 14 Pro Max having the best of everything.

Wait! Don't dismiss it yet - the thing I've enjoyed using the 13 Pro Max for is simply the battery life, and a larger 14 Max would be able to have that without the cost of the Pro Max.

Sure, the best camera is a brilliant thing - and I've got some wonderful snaps from the 13 Pro Max - but in these most cost-conscious times, I think the 14 Max is going to be a winner.

That means we'll see the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Max, iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max - that's some lovely symmetry there.

While we're on the subject, one of the strongest (and most believeable) rumored changes for Apple this year is that the iPhone 14 and 14 Pro models (and the related Max devices) will have different chipsets.

The new iPhone 14 will stick with the A15 Bionic chipset, where the iPhone 14 Pro will have the A16, and likely a touch more RAM inside.

While you could see that as Apple making the iPhone 14 worse (and, I suppose it is, given until this point every iPhone has always had the very best CPU inside) I see it as a good thing in helping consumers decide.

Because while the Pro range is always marketed at high-power creatives and people that need loads of power, in reality they're popular because they just are the best iPhone.

So making it clearer that the Pro range is really the phone for the professional - much like the MacBook Pro vs MacBook - will simplify the choice for many.

However, that brings us back to price - unless Apple keeps the cost of the iPhone 14 the same as the iPhone 13, because of a similar engine, then it's not going to be fair on the customer.

Sure, make the iPhone 14 Max more expensive than the iPhone 13 mini - it's bigger and all the larger components cost more - but otherwise let's hope for parity.

Maybe the A15 will disappear after all - I just came across an interesting idea from a sometimes-correct leaker speaking to Forbes.

LeaksApplePro has suggested that the iPhone 14 WILL come with an A16 Bionic chipset - but it'll be a rebadged A15, and the iPhone 14 Pro will pack an 'A16 Bionic Pro' chip.

Now, Apple does have precedent here: the S6 chip in the Apple Watch 6 was essentially just rebadged as the S7 for the Watch 7, albeit with capacity for faster charging.

Would Apple do something as bold with the iPhone 14? This brand has been at great pains to say how powerful it silicon is, and to skate over that with a minor upgrade would be a big change.

Let's break (briefly) from the question over how the iPhone 14 and 14 Pro might differ - there's a lot more to go over there - and speak about a key upgrade that might help offset the cost of the new 14 Pro: larger storage.

A note in June from research firm Trendforce forecast that the iPhone 14 Pro will start at $1,099, but would pack in 256GB of storage to begin with, rather than the 128GB on offer for the 13 Pro. 

Both will still go up to 1TB of storage, but for the 'average' pro having that extra on-board capacity, allowing you to build out more 8K video (if that comes to pass) will be a big boon.

Let's all lean back and wander through more scurrilous rumor paths now, where we 'investigate' the leaks on the new iPhone 14 colors.

This is far more shaky ground, because the leaks are often rampant in the build up but have so often proved to be false, so what we 'know' so far could be utter balderdash, to use a heavily British phrase.

This is what's rumored: the iPhone 14 Pro range will drop the green and Sierra Blue options (which would be awful, as the blue looks great) and will replace it with a purple option.

The iPhone 14 models will continue with white, black, red and blue, will lose the pink and green choices, and also come in hard with a purple offering.

The basis of this rumor appears from a posting on Chinese social network site Weibo that's since been deleted, so read into that what you will - it's from a few months ago too, so even it was true at the time it could have all changed by now.

Shall we talk cameras next? A few things here to get through, so strap in. The iPhone 14 and 14 Max are set to continue with two 12MP snappers on the back, used to capture ultra-wide and 'normal' snaps. 

I predict that the ultra-wide camera will get the macro mode that's present on the current iPhone 13 Pro Max - currently the hardware is similar on the iPhone 13 models, but the cheaper phone can't capture really close up photos like the Pro phones can.

It's not clear exactly why that is, but it's certainly annoying - the macro mode is really good, as you can see below.

Where the iPhone 14 Pro Max will likely shine is in the image quality if the rumored 48MP camera comes to pass. 

Apple has been taking great snaps with 12MP sensors for years now, so a jump to 48MP has to come with clear improvements - I predict it will be in both sharpness and the ability to record in 8K too, both of which would be real boons for flimographers. 

Here's a final one before I sign off for the day - although check back in tomorrow as we spring this conversation back to life.

(And if you want to ask any questions, come and find me on Twitter over @superbeav - I'd love to hear from you).

So... is it bye bye to the notch?

When we're talking about clearer differences to the iPhone 14 and 14 Pro models, it seems likely there's going to be one key difference: the notch, or lack thereof.

Now, if I told many, many of you lovely readers that the notch was going away, then you might be feeling like that's a good thing. So many other phone brands have managed to develop under-display cameras to make it an all-screen handset, so it's great news that the notch is going away, right?

Well, in my opinion, what's highly likely to come instead is worse. While the notch might be large and in the way, at least it's symmetrical. The iPhone 14 Pro is likely to have a 'pill and punch display', as in a hole and a pill-shaped space, as you can see in the picture above.

This is to minimize the amount of screen removed for the camera, FaceID camera and speaker as possible, but the images we've seen look a bit skewed.

I have been hoping this isn't going to happen, but the volume of leaks around it mean, unless Apple has a last minute design change of heart, we're going to get a radically different-looking iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max.

Right, I'm off for the night - but this has been a blast so far, and I'll leave you with this render that sees the 'iPhone 14 Pro Max' spinning through the air in a very fancy kitchen... that's not going to be a feature, sadly.

Probably wrong on the starting storage, but the rest looks pretty accurate - let me know what you think.

Welcome to the heady world of iPhone leaks: the contradiction and why you should never assume what analysts say as gospel.

Not because they're lying - the good analysts are among the very best people to follow on Twitter (get Ming-Chi Kuo on your follows from today if you care about the latest info...) but because things can change so easily.

So when one analytical firm spoke to people in the supply chain a few months ago, and based on the volumes of components reportedly being ordered, it surmised that the iPhone 14 Pro will come in 256GB as a the base model.

However, that doesn't seem to be the case any more: according to analyst Jeff Pu from Haitong International (speaking via MacRumors, I've not been able to see the research note myself, so read into that what you will), the Pro versions of the iPhone 14 will follow the lead of the current iPhones: specifically, 128GB, 256GB, 512GB and 1TB.

To start with, that doesn't seem to make sense. Those that will be doing high-end video or taking RAW pics (things the iPhone Pro range are great for) will fill up that storage quickly, right?

Let's put the cynical hat on for a moment: what happens when you decide that you won't use that much, then find out you're wrong and run out of storage on the phone? You shell out for iCloud, and Apple sells more virtual storage. Or you decide to not take the risk, and buy a more expensive iPhone.

Let's see what happens on (probably) September 13, shall we?

I think we can all agree that the design of the iPhone 4 was pretty revolutionary and interesting to look at - thanks, in part, to the rounded buttons on the side.

A lot of people will be talking about the fact the bezels are perhaps slightly thinner, or that the punch-hole-with-pill has replaced the notch on the iPhone 14 Pro... but I'm just sad that one of the earliest rumors of the iPhone 14 hasn't come to pass: that the new iPhone will have rounded buttons again.

Want to know what's been announced at Samsung Unpacked 2022? Well, we've got all the information you'll need in one place - as there was a lot of new devices announced, which we've been lucky enough to hold already.

The launch was a burst of information in one place, with the new Galaxy Z Flip 4, Galaxy Watch 5 and Galaxy Buds 2 Pro all bundled together.

Then, after a short interlude where Samsung sort of talked about its plans to be more sustainable and make its boxes smaller, we got an in-depth look at the new Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Watch 5 Pro devices... these are the ones that bring greater innovation for Samsung.

Scroll down and see all our coverage, hands on reviews and insights as we keep this event recap going for a few more hours... and thanks to everyone who joined us live.

Galaxy Unpacked: everything announced

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, everything you need to know - as the biggest phone to launch from the event, we've put together this lovely explainer for you to digest all the price, release date and features run down in one simple place.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, release date, price and features - as we've not been able to put these cute little earbuds through our proper audio testing, we've not given them a proper hands on review. But, you can see our hands on pictures and lovely images of us wearing them, as well as all the detail you need if you're thinking of a pre-order.

Samsung clearly wants a piece of Garmin's pie - if you want some instant insight into what Samsung is doing with a Watch 5 Pro, our resident Fitness Editor has been poring through the data and thinks he's found the answer.

Hands on reviews

Hands on: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 review - The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is a foldable phone that more than ever looks and feels like a ‘regular’ flagship device. It's thinner, lighter, and has a larger cover screen that can all but make you forget about the giant foldable inside.

Hands on: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 review - Samsung has addressed some the Z Flip 3's biggest pain points with its 2022 successor; mainly with a larger battery that fits into a more compact form factor.

Hands on: Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 review - The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 looks to offer small but considered improvements, with a focus on battery life and a slightly hardier design, but that might have been all the company needed to do stay competitive.

Hands on: Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro review - The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is meant for outdoor fitness enthusiasts who want more than your normal Samsung watch can provide, although Garmin converts are unlikely to be swayed.

Hello hello! The sun is shining (well, depending on where you are and what time of day it is) and it's time to get ready for one of the tentpole events of the year: the August edition of Samsung Galaxy Unpacked.

Spoiler alert: we're going to see some new foldable phones today. That's not me giving you the inside scoop or anything... it's just that Samsung has been so obvious about it that if it didn't launch the new Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4 today, I'd be utterly and completely shocked.

Let's start things off with something of an interesting rumor: while I don't think this is going to come to pass, leakers have tipped that the Z Flip 4 and the Z Fold 4 are going to come as just the Flip 4 and the Fold 4, as the Z is being used as a military symbol in Russian attack on Ukraine.

I doubt that will happen at this point as so many leaks have tipped them to still pack the 'Z' - but it's an interesting note for how brands need to react to outside events when considering how their naming conventions will go down.

It's important, when discussing leaked information, to always point to when the brand in question - in this case, it's Samsung - pretty much just shows a video of one of the devices it's showing off in an upcoming launch.

Now, I'm no forensic expert (I do know a thing or two about phones...) but you don't need a degree to see the new Galaxy Z Flip 4 in this teaser from Samsung:

I had a dream last night that I was jogging down some stairs, jumped onto the banister, slid down a bit and then did a pretty good spin onto the floor. 

A man looked at me, smiled and gave me the finger guns. I felt good about it.

That's all - it was just a pretty nice dream.

There have been a number of leaks about the new Z Flip that we'll be seeing today - and while you can never be sure of the validity of a leak until the device is actually shown off on stage, we can be pretty confident that what's leaked out is likely to be legitimate.

The first leak came from Amazon in the Netherlands, where the specs of the phone were unleashed onto the world. Now, we traditionally ignore these, as a retailer can sometimes put a product listing in its system in readiness, and do 'best guess' specs just to have something holding.

Those can sometimes go live, and therefore are seen as fact when they're not. But what looks more realistic with Amazon's leak is the pictures - and there were a lot of pretty accurate-looking marketing materials published.

It seems a number of these have been redacted of late as Samsung seems to be shutting them down - but we can see said Dutch imagery over on Telegram if you want to check out some of the dimensions.

There's one thing I'm really excited about - as TechRadar's Running Man of Tech - to see today.

In a recent blog post about innovation in wellness, TaeJong Jay Yang, EVP and Head of Health R&D Team at Samsung Electronics said the following when referring to the upcoming Galaxy Unpacked event:

"Samsung is excited to continue expanding our Galaxy Watch lineup to better cater to the many unique needs of our users — especially those with a passion for the outdoors."

Now, you could easily think that means the new Watch 5 is going to have enhanced fitness elements, or a slightly bigger bezel or something. But that's not really going to change the game - Samsung has been making 'pretty good' fitness watches for a while, and 'expanding' that means making something better - and that means a device that properly takes on Garmin.

So the rumored Galaxy Watch 5 Pro or Galaxy Watch 5 Rugged is where I think this is going - and that could be something to take on Garmin. It'll need a bigger screen, much better battery (my Fenix 7 can last 28 days without a charge in smartwatch mode) and improved GPS features.

So, come on Unpacked - let's see what you've got...

Right, let's turn our attention to the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro (well, I assume they'll officially  be called the Buds2 Pro because why not, eh, Samsung? Why bother with proper syntax?)

I've recently bought the Galaxy Buds Pro, and they're... fine. Decent active noise cancelling, OK fit, battery life isn't bad, sound is more than passable.

So what can we expect from the next models, a year on, should they appear?

"An updated Bluetooth codec would open the door (potentially) to 24-bit hi-res audio," says Becky Scarrott, our Senior Audio Writer. 

"If Samsung can achieve 24-bit hi-res audio with its proprietary codec wizardry, the Galaxy Buds2 Pro might finally put Sammers on the map as a key player in wireless earbuds – but only if they can also work on that disappointing battery life".

Oh, I thought the battery life was OK... shows what I know. ^😒

While we're talking of massive leaks, how about this one? Nearly everything from today's event has leaked out in some form or another so there's not much that will surprise, but a few days ago we got a supposed official marketing image from WinFuture (although we won't know until Unpacked unfurls) and some battery capacities too.

This is what's excited* me:

"The 40mm Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 will apparently have a 284mAh battery, the 44mAh model said to have a 410mAh battery, and the 45mm Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro apparently getting an enormous 590mAh battery."

A 590mAh battery for the Watch 5 Pro? Given high-end Garmin watches have a (roughly) 400-500mAh battery inside, this could be game-changing. However, it's likely that the display on the 5 Pro will be far more power hungry, so let's not expect miracles here.

But that's a big boost, and it sounds like we're about to see a chonky little monster.

*Yes, I'm an absolute fun palace at parties.

Shock of the century, there's been a last-minute leak from the Flip 4. Regular a clockwork, these are. 

This time it's from two sources: Slashleaks has published a dummy unit of the Z Flip 4, with the front and the back shown in white and black.

The leak from noted tipster Roland Quandt over at WinFuture (they've clearly got a good in with someone in the Samsung food chain...) gives far more detail - noting a thinner bezel, a smaller and more compact hinge, strong aluminum used in the construction and, crucially, a bigger battery to make the most of the high-endQualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset, wtih 8GB of RAM.

That's a meaty phone indeed - is it one you'll be buying though?

Let's go again team - and this time, we're already seeing the standard efforts to try and generate some buzz. Some hype. Some thrash metal fun, over on Twitter.

It's done the standard thing for a social media presence to do: run a poll. 

So... are you Team Fold or Team Flip?

At the time of posting, Team Fold is ahead, 60% to 40%. But, then again, only 254 people have voted... but I get the feeling that ratio will hold.

There was an excellent article over on The Verge recently around the fact that Samsung is pulling far into the lead in the foldables space, which is why it can afford to  make incremental changes to its phones.

It's an interesting point - but the fact is that, without the massive marketing spend Samsung thrust on its foldable range with the Z Fold 3, it wouldn't have sold 10 million units last year, and it would be back duking it out with Huawei, Oppo and (sort of) Microsoft right now.

Speaking of the Microsoft foldable world, let's not forget the Surface Duo was actually a pretty decent phone and was much-loved by those that reviewed it... but more in an affectionate way, than an overly-impressed one.

While we're here talking about foldable phones, remember Microsoft's Courier from all the way back in 2009? It was like a proto-foldable... well, it didn't even fold at all, it was two Windows PCs without a keyboard welded together. 

You interacted with a stylus, it sounded mega, you could move things across from one screen to the other in a note-taking manner... it's clearly the grandmother of the Surface Duo phone, but man alive, I wanted it so much.

Let's talk cameras - something that's usually a strength of Samsung here. The brand will always be putting high-end snappers into the mix, partly because it develops the sensors itself, but the Fold and Flip series have never had the best-quality out there.

Will that change this time around? The rumors are clear that the new camera will be headlined by a 50MP sensor with optical image stabilization and a pretty-modern f/1.8 aperture sensor too.

That's a far cry from the three 12MP sensor for last year, and could yield much better pictures as Samsung continues its campaign to make foldable phones 'a thing'.

One of the things that really puts me off buying a new Z Fold phone is the crease down the middle - I used the Galaxy Z Fold 2 for a few months, and I'll admit I stopped noticing it after a while, but whenever I open it back up it's there, staring me right in the face.

It's like when I got my eyebrow pierced - I know that it didn't hurt that much to get it done, but when I thought about having it done again I couldn't bring myself to have someone push metal through my skin.

Same with the Fold 4 - I don't want to spend well over $1,000 if I'm going to be greeted with sadness the first time I open it up - even though I know I'll get used to it.

It depends if the rumors of a 'reduced' crease really are true or not - only an hour to go now to find out...

OK, we're T-minus one hour from the launch of the new slew of Galaxy Z Fold and Flip phones, and (probably) new watches and headphones too. 

Make sure you're ready to watch with our How to Watch Samsung Unpacked guide, and remember that this page autorefreshes regularly, so when everything starts going nuts and I need to type faster than ever, just let the page do its thing - you don't need to press F5 (although it will give us more page views, which is nice).

There I am, popping some gnocchi and sausage in my mouth to get energized for the main event, and I'm browsing Twitter for some down time before I try and rub my fingers to nubs on the keyboard for you, dear reader.

I find a Twitter thread of Kimi Raikkonen adverts - the most morose, anti-media ex-F1 star doing ads? Yes please.

So color me surprised when the second one down is not only advertising the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3... but he's actually animated in this one! It must be because his wife, a well-known celebrity in Finland, made him jazz up for it.

Anyway, watch it. It's brilliant. Then folllow the thread - but be back here in 35 minutes. This is a school trip, not a rodeo.

OK, just under 5 minutes to go - let's do a quick run down of what we're expecting:

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 - the most powerful and large device announced today, we're expecting this to come in around a whopping $1,799 / £1,599 / AU$2,499, with a large 7.9-inch screen when unfurled and enhanced cameras.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 - Set to cost about $999 / £949 / AU$1,499, it'll have thinner bezels, a stronger hinge and more power thanks to a top-end Qualcomm chip. It's still expensive for a phone that folds in half, though.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 - This one is set to cost around $349 / £349 / $549 if our estimates are right. This will be the first watch to land with Wear OS, and that's a big deal. Not a massive change expected, but one that might well appeal to many.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro - This is the big one for me - no idea on price, but with a whopping battery and likely better GPS skills, I think this will be the one to watch out for. Haha watch out. It's a watch. Man, I'm funny.

Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro - Again, little idea on price here, but with 24-bit sound these could be real winners. Slimmer design and better battery life will mean I truly regret my recent purchase of the Buds Pro.

OK, we're off! Let's go.

It's a video joke to start, and I'm worried that I'm missing something - it's two people trying to explain how they'll market the new phones... how they both want to put in acrobats to show things off. 

This is weird. 'Reimagining the hybrid experience' or something. Who cares.

This is an international event apparently, and that's how we're seeing two people playing with bread and having an argument and then they spill some wine and then something about a reflection. 

This is going to be a hard live blog.

TM Roh, the head of the MX Business at Samsung is on stage - and he's talking up the fact that these phones unleash 'freedom, progress and wide-open possibilities'.

The chat is about how Samsung has gone from the first fold, which took 8 years to get to the market... and now it's going mainstream.

It's the fourth generation of the Samsung Galaxy foldables - this is Unpacked. (I'm quoting here).

Right, so here's the thing. We might have had hands on with these devices under embargo... 

Actually, we did. Here they all are:

• Hands on: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 review
• Hands on: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 review
• Hands on: Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 review
• Hands on: Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro review
• Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro: everything you need to know

OK, let's get back to the action. We're hearing about the Galaxy Z Flip 4 now, with the front and back cameras working together - Adam from Meta / Instagram was on talking about how Instagram Reels are so much easier with this device, but it wasn't clear how.

Oh, I do like this: Samsung has just higlighted how snapping the Flip shut says you're ready to pay attention and are back in the room - that's precisely what flip phones used to offer, and it's great that the brand is really leaning into that.

The cover screen doesn't seem to have change, but there's a stronger metal frame, with four matte finish colors: purple, graphite, white and blue.

Ah, there's BTS. Samsung always loves a bit of K-Pop and this boyband... although, really, they've transcended the K-Pop genre and are just pop now. 

Anyway, I digress. They've all in white suites, having lots of fun in a desert on a sofa and they're being watched all on the Z Flip 4.

Oh, that's it.

The new Flip 4 has an Aluminum Armor display, thin and powerful glass and an IPX8 rating... all of this was leaked in the build up.

I think we're done with the Flip 4 now - we're seeing a promo video.

Oh wait, no - it's the Galaxy Z Flip 4 Bespoke Edition now. We've seen these before, finding ways to add color and features (for a cost) to make it your own version of a Samsung phone.

This will bring more options, allowing you to change five body colors and three frame colors, which means (gets out fingers) 15 options of color combos.

Now we're talking about the wireless earbuds. This is going to be all about the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro - and 24-bit audio has been indeed included, as we predicted.

Samsung developed its own codec - in a similar way that Apple is rumored to be doing - this will allow for more effective sound, with 360-degree sound coming in...

Sounds a lot like Spatial Audio, doesn't it?

Active Noise Cancellation has come in, and if you start speaking, the earbuds will dial back and allow you to hear through - a bit like on the recent Sony over-ears too.

By the way - if you want to get pre-ordering the phone, here's the place you need to go, our Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 pre-order deals... and you can already get up to $999 off.

Back to the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro - showing now how they connect to your phone and TV simultaneously (Samsung phone and TV, natch) and will allow you to transport the sound to either rather simply.

Again, this is very Apple, but that's great - Samsung should be making more of its ecosystem rather than just being a partner to others.

Wow, we're moving on again - the Galaxy Watch 5 is being shown off now. Four different colors, sapphire screens to keep things clearer and less scratch-y.

Sleep tracking has been improved with blood oxygen and heart rate throughout, brought together in Samsung Health too.

There's a larger heart rate sensor underneath and the same 'Bio-active sensor' that can track heart rate, body composition and sleep tracking all together, in one place. Again, it's not ground-breaking, but there's also a temperature sensor in there which is new.

The new infrared temperature sensor will enhance what the Watch can do, and Samsung will work with developers to allow user to benefit in the near future... so this isn't ready as a new feature.

It's weird that nothing has been mentioned at all about the Galaxy Fold 4 so far... if we hadn't seen it already, I'd be thinking that it's not coming.

Why are we back to the Z Flip 4? Well, the good news is that it costs $999, and the Buds 2 Pro will be $229, and the Watch 5 will be $279. 

Onto stopping climate change now... this is whistle stop, isn't it?

Samsung is using discarded fishing nets in the new Galaxy range, and now we're hearing more about sustainability too.

Nothing on the Watch 5 Pro either, I've just realized.

Sorry - back to the video - 90% of the Galaxy devices have some element of recycled materials... that's pretty vague. The brand will 'continue to invest in eco-conscious materials...' but what does that mean?

There's 100% recycled paper in the packaging in the Galaxy phones, and the size of the boxes has been reduced by 50%. Does that mean even fewer components inside as well?

There are a lot of promises here, but not a huge amount of clear numbers right now, other than being 'on target' and continuing to improve.

We're back with TM again - who is talking up the next evolution of the foldable - with sustainability in mind.

The most durable and powerful Galaxy Foldables yet - this seems to be more about the Fold 4, finally.

Here it comes - a fancy marketing video with harsh-but-relaxing music in the background. 

'Since the first launch, the Fold series has been the epitome of innovation', croons the voiceover.

Let's dig in more - starting off more with the new hinge... no longer gear designs, but a newly-designed hinge that allows for slimmer and lighter chassis.

That engineers have improved it, but also removed weight... which is good, because those things have been CHONKY.

Samsung has made things lighter by changing the display design, by reducing elements from the screen - stiffening the layers and removing the metal layer and adding in sponges to allow for more display vibrations to come through without it breaking anything.

The word 'sponge' has been used far more than I expected in this unveiling.

The marketing is all about the 'strongest and lightest' Z Fold ever... that's clearly something that came out of the marketing focus groups.

The outer display is also wider and better-looking - the outer display looked poop on the Fold 2, so that's needed.

The display has been improved inside once again, with the under-display cameras being improved too, and it's got Android 12L as well as One UI 4 together... Samsung and Google getting further into bed again.

There's a lot being made of the S Pen being available here, and using the phone in split screen really helps improve productivity.

I've heard the word 'productivity' and 'productive' so many times... even more than sponge.

Microsoft Teams is involved as usual, which shows Samsung has a big draw for brands that are usually rivals (in the sense of Google being integrated too).

Now we're off to the camera - improved night cameras and Space Zoom to follow objects better - but these are the features of the S22 Ultra that are being brought across.

Samsung is whipping through all the features - being able to use tabs more efficiently on a mobile (as in, you can 'compare prices' easily... in the sense you can look at multiple websites) and game while chatting at the same time.

It all looks a bit much, in the way it presented - a gaming console, PC in the pocket and the latest multimedia technology all together.

Oh, we're back to Google - web browsing on Chrome, video chatting on Meet, and expanding the Wear OS platform to Samsung watches.

And today we're hearing about something else from Google...

Right, Wear OS now - Google is bringing more apps to the platform like Deezer, a Google Assistant for Galaxy Watches and Spotify too.

You can say 'Hey Google, play my workout playlist on Spotify'... and later in the year, you'll be able to access offline maps without your phone on your watch.

That's not coming now. Why not?

And later this year there's an improved home page and app bundles too... this feels like it's not coming at launch and that sucks a bit.

Still nothing on the Watch 5 Pro.

Oh, ha - here it is.

The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is here - I was worried it was going to be a footnote, but here it is as one of the main events.

The marketing video is all about cycling and running and being active in a rather aggressive, flashing-light kind of way. THERE'S THUNDER IN THE BACKGROUND.

What's going to make it fitness-friendly though?

Well, new watch faces to show you the sunset, and a compass that keeps you hiking in the right direction.

The Watch 5 Pro has a new, turn-by-turn directions through voice and vibrations. Friends and your workout friends can share GPX files too, which is helpful.

The Track back feature means you can head back on the route you took, which has been a feature of Garmin and Polar watches for years.

The screen is also sapphire, coming in two colors, black and gray. And there are sporty and design-led buckles too.

It's coming on August 26, and it'll cost $449 - I'll need to dig into that one a little harder, as that doesn't seem like it's worth another $170 over the Watch 5.

There's a Golf Edition too... what? Just put the golf features on the main Watch 5 Pro!

I think we're winding down now - that's a lot of new product that's been launched. Thanks for sticking with us - do check out our hands ons of the new products and stay tuned to TechRadar as we have a lot of extra content to bring you.

Whew - there was a lot packed in there. Samsung is a curious fish when it comes to the launches, focusing less on spec and more on lifetstyle impact.

I feel like I got to see all the products, but nothing was really explained in depth. In years gone by, when the events were physical, we'd have someone demonstrating the new features on stage, or showing us how a new function would work.

This time, it was all glitzy, showy videos without really revealing much about the products themselves - how long do the Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro last? What's the key, real-world differentiator of the Fold 4 screen? 

Is the Z Flip 4 really any better than last year - what does the Aluminum Armor shell really offer?

We're going to dig into all of this and more in the coming days - stay tuned.

Something that Samsung didn’t talk a lot about was the fact that the Z Fold 4 suports the S Pen, but doesn’t, once again, have a slot for it.

Given that Samsung has said that the Fold range replaces the Note model from yesteryear, it seems odd there’s no slot for the S Pen.

However, you can get a case with a stand and a slot for the S Pen - combine that with a Bluetooth keyboard and you’re basically looking at a full tablet substitute… or even rivalling a Chromebook.

It’s not cheap though - costing $89.99 directly from Samsung, although it’s interestingly been reduced to £55 in the UK, from £79 already.

Apple's WWDC 2022 kicks off today, with Apple CEO Tim Cook's eagerly-anticipated keynote, at 10AM PDT / 6PM GMT.

It's an exciting moment in Apple history for many reasons. This is Apple's first partially in-person World Wide Developers Conference since 2019. While the majority of people will watch the event and attend sessions virtually, a small group of developers, analysts, and media (including our own Lance Ulanoff and Matt Hanson) will be in attendance at Apple Park in Cupertino, California.

As for the keynote and two-day conference, it will be packed to the gills (maybe more so than ever) with platform update announcements and surprises. We'll almost certainly learn more about iOS 16, a new iPad OS, macOS 13, watchOS 8, further updates on Apple TV,  very likely new MacBooks and even a new mixed reality headset (although that doesn't seem as likely any longer).

iOS 16 could bring a world of change to your iPhone with redesigned stock apps, updated notifications, and always-on screen support.

macOS 13 will get a cool name (many expect Mammoth) but, aside from more features that help it work with iPad OS and other mobile apps, we may not see a world of changes on the Mac desktop.

Of greater interest for desktop and laptop fans might be the introduction of the M2 chips, the follow-up to Apple's M1. Apple Silicon is now a major player in the CPU (desktop and mobile) space and that's largely due to the incredible performance of the M1 lineup. Expect exciting things from M2 - if it does arrive.

If we see an M2 chip, it has to go somewhere, and our money is on a new MacBook Air.

watchOS 8 could bring some interface adjustments and maybe even hint of health-related features to come with the next Apple Watch, but few are expecting significant changes.

Perhaps the biggest what-if of the WWDC keynote is realityOS and Apple AR glasses. Many now believe we'll see the glasses for the first time during the keynote and learn a lot about what is expected to be Apple's bespoke VR/AR platform for both its AR glasses and a possible VR headset.

However, the latest news suggests this won't be the case, with 2023 the new date to see Apple's next big hardware jump.

Whatever happens, you have come to the right place. Just sit back and find out how close our guesses match Apple's upcoming development reality - and you don't even need to do anything as this page refreshes automatically.

Good morning! Gareth Beavis here, bringing you all the key news and info as we build to the big WWDC keynote.

The day is finally here, and an in-person Apple event is going ahead. We've missed heading out to Cupertino to see all the big changes Tim Cook is unveiling in person - and we're going to be there in full force.

A recent Developer Center open house from Apple suggested refreshments will be available - that's good to know.

I suppose we should get the Big Bad News out of the way first: the augmented / virtual reality (AR / VR) headset that Apple is (almost certainly) developing isn't going to be appearing today. 

That's because, according to the NY Times, the battery life issues are holding it back from being market ready, and Apple is looking to get it right.

We're still going to see loads about AR at the keynote today, because Apple loves it - but we won't get to see the hardware that will make this constant excitment about an augmented world finally make sense.v

I'll tell you a secret: I was thinking of buying the aging iPhone XR recently when I was deciding whether I should go for a new iPhone 14 or just spend very little on one of the best iPhones I ever tested - albeit years ago..

I decided against it - mostly because I'm finishing a longer-term test of the iPhone 13 Pro Max and I'm intrigued as to what's coming with the iPhone 14 Max

Then I read, to my dismay, about possible delays to the 2022 Apple handset line-up, especially the new Max. But then I found myself wondering: would such a slowdown really be a bad thing? 

After all, the iPhone XR was heavily delayed, and that sold well over the years, so it's not necessarily a problem for Apple if there are issues this year, too.

Let's rewind slightly: Since last year, rumors have constantly suggested that Apple was going to struggle to get its new iPhone 14 series out on time, especially as a Covid outbreak in Shanghai had caused certain manufacturers of its handset, such as Pegatron, to halt production for a short while.

This would obviously have a knock-on effect for anyone hoping for a plentiful supply of new iPhones on launch day - the chances of that are slimmer if they can't actually be made rapidly at the moment.

Is that a bad thing though? Consider the case of the iPhone 13, launched last year. The ripple effects of Covid and the chip shortage meant that 2021's iPhone line-up wasn't being made at full capacity until February 2022, and yet it was one of the best-selling iPhone lines of all time.

How can that be the case when production wasn't at full capacity? Even in December 2021, months after launch, one would still struggle to get some of the iPhone models, with the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max constantly unavailable for in-store pickup and subject to long delivery times.

While I'm sure Apple wasn't limiting stock on purpose, we only have to look at the fervor generated by the lack of PS5 restock to see the mania that sets in when something appears to be out of stock.

Even now, I still hear of someone buying a PS5 and nod approvingly, like they've scaled a treacherous peak or won the lottery, where in reality the stock is more plentiful these days.

The psychology of the empty shelf is well-recognized: according to a study from the University of Alberta, shoppers will naturally respond to empty shelves with more mania than if they see plentiful supply:

"A lack of stock for common items can indicate to consumers that a store is not managed properly because supply wasn't ordered properly. 

"But for newer items, stores can use it as a message: it wasn't that they didn't order enough, it may be that the product was just selling so fast that nobody could anticipate it, so buy it while you can." said Paul Messinger, professor at the University of Alberta's School of Business, whose study looked at the sale of numerous items including ski passes and wine.

The illusion of lust

So if Apple does have a shortage of product when the iPhone 14 launches, it will likely ensure that the stock sells out more rapidly, and creates a sense of urgency in those that thought they might want one but previously weren't decided.

The study also gives us a clue as to why the iPhone 13 was such a hot-seller, despite not being leagues ahead, critically, of previous models:

"Sold-out products create a sense of immediacy for customers; they feel that if one product is gone, the next item could also sell out," added Messinger.

That's a real selling point for Apple too. The rumors suggest that it's the new iPhone 14 Max that's at risk of not being fully available at launch, which would give a two-fold boost to consumers looking to upgrade: while many might wait for the intriguing new model (which would be cheaper but lower on power compared to the Pro Max, yet would still have the larger screen and bigger battery), others might be so caught up in the excitement of "new phone day" that they'd opt for one of the available models.

With a similar thing happening with the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 models, the sales suddenly make a lot more sense. Maybe now is the time to get an aging iPhone XR second-hand, after all.

Good morning - are you ready for Google IO 2022 today? We're going to be taking you through all the information as it arrives from 10AM PT / 1PM ET / 6PM BST.

What are you going to get from us? Well, let me tell you: everything you'd want to know about the event as it happens, and a boat-load of buildup, insight and dissection of the key rumors we've been hearing as the event nears.

What will Android 13 bring? Will the Pixel Watch appear? The Pixel 6A seems nailed on - but will it be one of the 'good' mid-range Google phones or a damp squib again? What about Pixel Buds Pro, privacy or the world of Nest? There's so much to think about.

If you want to see the livestream (and if you do, keep the liveblog open as your pal alongside for said analysis) then we've got you covered there: here's our how to watch Google IO piece that will show you all you need to know about viewing the event.

And while I'm going to be taking the rumored devices and announcements apart piece by piece during the day, if you want a look at what's likely coming up and how to register for the event, you can pop on over to our Google IO 2022 hub, which contains all the juicy information.

Goooooooood morning, tech fans! It's that time of year when stuff starts to get announced again, things begin to happen and we get ready for another round of launches, unveilings, and big events.

The iPhone 14 launch isn't too far away. Amazon Prime Day is just around the corner. The Samsung Galaxy Fold 4 is coming in a couple of months.

And I get to chat to you once again through the medium of a live blog - isn't that swell? 

But I'm getting ahead of myself - today is all about Google, and Mr Pichai will be on stage in the Mountain View campus later today to tell us certainly about Android 13, probably about the new Pixel 6a and Pixel Watch (and some weird privacy and search features you never knew you needed) and maybe around some things tablets, headphones and the like.

It's in the not knowing that the excitement lies - let's get going throughout the day.

The upcoming iPhone 14 line is almost certainly going to be a powerful step forward - and the iPhone 14 Pro will be the flagship device in the lineup.

The Pro is set to come with powerful cameras, the faster, modern processor and the best screen technology - where the iPhone 14 ‘base’ model will come with an older CPU and likely less-capable cameras to save money where users might not need every high-end spec.

However, the latest rumor has given me pause: according to ‘unnamed sources’ from iDropNews, the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max will feature the same upgraded Lightning Port that debuted on the original iPad Pro, which used USB 3.0 tech to deliver far-greater speeds than the aged USB 2.0 port that iPhones still use.

While that’s a big upgrade - it could yield up to 10 times faster data transfer - it’s still a world away from the speeds that the USB-C ports used on the current iPad Pro and iPad Air tablets could offer.

Apple has been steadfast in sticking with the Lightning port since it launched in 2012 - while EU regulations state that it will have to start using USB-C ports eventually in its iPhones, there’s no firm date on when that will happen and Apple will likely resist as long as it can.

Why? Because it makes so much in licensing its tech to allow manufacturers to make Lightning-friendly accessories. It’s built an ecosystem of compatibility that any brand would be reluctant to shed. So, with that in mind, an iPhone with the same USB-C connector found in the iPad Pro seems highly unlikely.

Pro-found issues

However, that reluctance (if true, and it’s a big if when we’re working with ‘unnamed sources’) will give me a real issue if it comes to pass.

This year looks very likely to be the first to see iPhones launched on different chipsets (well, you could point to the iPhone 5C, which came alongside the iPhone 5S, but they were very different phones) and that would be clearest indication yet that Apple is trying to set the iPhone 14 Pro apart from the cheaper model.

That’s fine - and honestly, it makes a lot of sense. The iPhone Pro line has been too close in performance and spec to the base models for many years, with only the camera and more RAM providing the key differences.

Making the high-end, expensive phone more powerful and desirable for creatives and those that need more grunt in their device, especially if it delivers capabilities the iPhone 14 cannot, will make the Pro a far easier upgrade for people like film-makers, who will want all the power and camera prowess to get their jobs done more easily.

So if the rumors are true, and Apple does stick with the Lightning port, then it’s missing a real trick. The USB-C connection would deliver much faster speeds for those that need it for their jobs, and wouldn’t be a lure for those that just want a good phone - ie, the masses that will keep buying Lightning accessories.

Those that would need the USB-C sporting iPhone 14 Pro - such as the creatives mentioned - would also have the right equipment to make the most of the upgraded speeds, where many others wouldn’t really benefit from the higher speeds. 

I tested the iPhone 13 Pro Max (with the older Lightning connector) against the new iPad Air 2022, which has USB-C.

The former managed to transfer a 320MB file at 8.25MB/s, where the latter got up to 10.5MB/s, both connected to a USB-C port on my laptop. 

That’s not a massive difference (although will still result in many minutes saved for a 20 minute 4K file being copied) but better equipment - with high-end Macs and better connections, like those that creatives often invest in - would see a greater disparity in the read speeds.

Another reason Apple should ape the iPad Pro and bring the USB-C connector to the iPhone 14 Pro.

Of course, it’s not going to happen, mostly for the reasons listed above. And that’s a real shame, as an iPhone 14 Pro with USB-C would have been a real leap forward and made it a truly attractive phone for professionals.

Not to mention the ease that it would bring to many people's lives. USB-C is becoming a common standard the world over (including for iPads, which many iPhone owners will have) and losing the Lightning cable would take away one more headache for users.

Today's Wordle answer is proving... tough, to say the least. Obvious spoiler warning - we're going to be discussing today's solution in depth here.

If you haven't found out today's secret word, then head over to today's Wordle hints and answer page first, then come back to this live blog as we discuss whether this is the hardest answer of all time, some alternatives you can try if you failed, and our hints on how you can defy the puzzle and survive when so many are failing.

And yes, there's also an element of catharsis about it too - I failed hard at 12:30AM today, and I need to share the disappointment with you.

Right, if you're struggling with the answer, need a hint or just to comiserate, then let's get into it.

As I've said above, while this live blog is designed primarily to help you, I also want to use it as a way to get around the deep frustration at today's answer. I'll be looking through the reactions online, offering up hints to help you, pulling in information from around the web and sharing some of our top articles to help you try other things in the meantime.

Let me take you through the issues that I faced last night - the high of feeling so smug that I worked out that the word likely ended in _ATCH, following my logical steps from my first word DANCE.

I figured out the combo at the end. I realized a vowel couldn't live after the A. I had a great shot at doing it in two, but dang it, that wasn't the right answer. Surely I'd do it on the next attempt, right...?

• Is this the biggest Wordle answer miss of all time?

If you're on Twitter today, the top trending term today is 'Wordle 265 X' - which tells you the story that you need to know.

Let's take a look at some of the top bits of 'feedback' for the situation today:

Here's something interesting already: Google Trends for the UK suggests that this isn't the huge fail that many people are reporting on Twitter - it seems that the outrage on the social media platform is far greater than Google Trends' information is pointing out.

But let's dig a little deeper here - we know the answer ends in _ATCH, and - like me - I'm sure many people are thinking: 'I don't need to Google the answer, right? Surely it's the next one?'

And then, like me, they throw in LATCH and watch as their streak disappears in smoke.

While I have you, let's talk about some other alternatives to Wordle you might like to try - the one that gets a lot of people talking is Wordle Unlimited.

It's a (clearly unofficial) version of the game that allows you to do lots of things that the normal game prohibits - the main one being being able to play again, and again, and again.

You can set the word length (don't do it more than eight if you want to still have your fingernails by the fifth guess), and set custom Wordle challenges with friends.

It's a good, and diverting, way to keep playing - although it does somewhat strip the purity of the daily puzzle.

• Here's everything you need to know about Wordle Unlimited

Before we go any further, what follows are massive spoilers for today's Wordle answer. Do not read if you've not completed puzzle #265 from March 10.

Dear reader, today is a bad day in my career as a word puzzler. Not because I couldn't figure out the Wordle combinations that I needed to. Not because I simply ran out of options to try.

No, it's just a huge, frustrating mess that I think (well, I hope, in order to make myself feel better) will catch out a lot of people.

Let me tell you a story about how I failed at Wordle today.

A sorry beginning

I was hard at work, feeding a rabbit and eating a piece of toast before bed. Big stuff, I know you'll agree.

Then I realized that it had passed midnight, and there was a new Wordle to try. Excitedly, and possibly the reason I chose this first word, I went for DANCE. No, it's not one of the top Wordle starting words. Whatever, I'm a renegade.

Far from a total disaster, and some excellent clues in there. The chances are this word ends in a CH, one of the most popular letter combinations.

So that means it's likely not a vowel in middle, as AO and AE aren't that well-used, and AU and AI don't have any obvious starting consonants.

So it's _A_CH. I run through the middle letters. T! That has to be it!

Oh man, not done it in two. No worries, can't be that many answers left that it could be, right? And so many letters answered... nobody could fail from here, right?

Right?

OK, that's pretty unlucky, think we can all agree here. But I know how to Wordle... yes, I'm mostly a 'done in four' kind of guy, but I've got a good vocabulary and I'm getting better with practice. I rush on as usual, knowing that the next word has to be right by the process of elimination:

What is happening. I've only got two attempts left, surely I can't fail again?

Yes, yes I can fail again. It's not CATCH, and I'm not only down to my last guess, but I'm now considering every life decision I've ever made. Come on Gareth, think. Is there anything left?

YES, LATCH! The streak is saved, surely!

Hang on a minute. What about HATCH? That could be it, right? 

I go through every other letter on the keyboard. Apart from NATCH, which I don't think is an actual word, these are the only two choices left to me.

Do I stick with my gut? Is L a more popular letter than H? I stand and pace. There's no way to know, right? I could go back over all the previous Wordle answers, but there's no rhyme nor reason to the choices.

I should stick with what I first though. I'm sure I won't break the streak. I'm sure.

I. Am. Sure.

This is terrible news. As the first letter flashes gray, I know it's all over. The game is lost. It was HATCH.

Or, maybe I was wrong. Maybe NATCH is so well-used that it's now in the dictionary.

With trembling gaze, I cast my eyes upwards to see the word. 

There it sits. Glowing at me, laughing at me, mocking my very existence.

'Hey stupid, did you forget that it's not always going to be a hard A sound? Remember I sound like WOTCH, not WATCH. 

'Haha, you failed. WATCH OUT NEXT TIME.'

I slump back in my chair, ever-so-slightly breaking it. I've lost. The streak is gone. And it's because I can't pronounce WATCH correctly in my head.

Good morning! It's a bright and breezy day in the world of tech, and another tentpole moment in 2022 is approaching quickly: it's Apple's Peek Performance March event.

There's something comforting in seeing the big events begin again, and Apple launching new iPads, iPhones and MacBooks in March is becoming a familiar thing - while this year we've not got an in-person event, the rumor mill has been in overdrive of late with what we're expecting to see.

But before we get to what's coming, let's get some housekeeping out of the way - the  Apple March event time is 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm GMT / 2am ACT (sorry, Aussie readers. We promise to catch you up in the morning...) and here's how to watch the Apple March Event in one easy place.

Right, so that's how you can watch it sorted, but what about the actual content itself?

Well, we're expecting to see the iPhone SE 3 / iPhone SE 2022 (as it will very likely be called, given 2020's iteration wasn't called the iPhone SE 2) - and rumor has it that the cost won't be too much higher.

There's been confliciting information from the world of leakers over the iPad(s) we'll be seeing this year - 'tradition' dictates that we'll be seeing a new iPad Pro 2022, and likely in two sizes... but the iPad Air 5 also looks quite likely, and wouldn't be the biggest shock.

The rumors are swirling strongly around a new M2 chipset, and that means new entrants into the Mac line - whether that's a new MacBook (mostly likely a Pro) or a new iMac is unsure - but in the last week, leaks have pointed to a new M1 Pro- or M2-powered Mac Mini too.

There's also talk of 'One More Thing'... but that's sadly unlikely to be the Apple Glasses that some people have been tipping, and more likely to be a mid-range monitor that improves on the Pro Display XDR.

Anyway, join us throughout the day, as we dissect the strongest rumors, speak to our experts on what they expect / want to see and see behind the scenes as TechRadar prepares for the latest in a long, long line of Apple event coverage.

Hello! Welcome to today's live blog, and you've got Gareth (and friends) with you today, taking us through the big events likely to be coming in the world of Apple - I'm probably most intrigued by the new iPhone SE we've got on the cards. 

While the design from the first iteration in 2016 to 2020's model saw a fairly large change, we're not expecting the same to happen this time around, as Apple sticks with what it knows for cheaper phones.

But what will come inside? More power and a better camera is a cert - and will that ageing screen, first seen on the iPhone 8, get a bit of a refresh?

One of the most interesting things for me about the iPhone SE 3 is the cost - we’re hearing that it will come in for just $300 (or more likely $299) which would be rather cheap, seeing as the previous two models have retailed for $399.

Considering the cost of living increases that many are going through right now, a cheaper iPhone SE would be a very well-received thing - but would heavily suggest that the technology inside, especially the screen and camera, aren’t getting much of an upgrade as Apple seeks to save costs in production. 

So here's an interesting one that's coming out now - the new iPhone SE 3 (sticking with a theme, here) could be coming in a green color, according to AppleTrack.

"...think somewhere between the Mint iPhone 12 and Midnight Green iPhone 11 Pro", according to 'sources familiar with the matter'.

The leaker also suggested a lighter-purple version of the iPad Air 5 that's expected to debut today - if that comes in place of a purple MacBook, our computing writer John Loeffler is going to be pretty unhappy.

We're not anywhere near certain about these color leaks, but it's an interesting concept - somewhere between 'mint and midnight' green could look quite classy.

When Tom Bedford, our deputy phones editor, was asked to mock up a green iPhone though... he was all about the lime.

What do you think? Deep green like the iPhone 11 Pro? Or more iPhone 5C, with the hot green color?

I've been thinking hard about the notch over the last few days, ever since I saw the news that the iPhone 14 might get the old 'pill and punch' design.

I don't mean the notion that the new iPhone will remove the notch altogether - we've heard that rumor for a few years now, ever since it appeared on the iPhone X in 2017 - but that Apple might go for the 'pill and punch' design instead.

I wrote something about this yesterday, but I've been ruminating on it since - and I've had another thought on why it's going to stick around, despite trying to think about what could cause Apple to drop the notch altogether.

There are just so many reasons why losing the little cutout at the top makes little sense for Apple... not least because it needs a place to house all the sensors and cameras that allow for its Face ID to function.

Don't misunderstand what I'm trying to say though: I desperately want to see the notch, and every little thing that interferes with a smooth screen, to be gone from all smartphones. It's a necessary evil, sure, but I cannot wait for the year when having any kind of notch or hole in the screen of any phone launched is really weird.

But I just can't see it happening in 2022. Perhaps I'll be wrong. Maybe the iPhone 14 and 14 Pro will come with the notch and the iPhone 14 Max will have something different. Maybe Apple will tear up its own design rule book.

But having covered every iPhone launch since the 3G, we've rarely seen anything massively change in this way - the notch, surely, is staying.

A necessary notch

Apple doesn't do anything it doesn't have to. When talking about the very early days of the iPhone, it didn't allow you to copy and paste things between apps. It didn't have a good camera for years.

Only with the iPhone 13 series did it finally offer decent battery life - sure, that likely was a by-product of needing more power to allow for the 5G connectivity, but I was shocked, when I tested the battery life, that Apple hadn't made a huge song and dance about this big increase to battery life in the iPhone 13 launch.

The notch houses a few key things for the iPhone: a variety of sensors, the IR emitter that allows Face ID to function, and the front-facing camera.

These are bigger sensors than you find in most Android phones because Face ID needs them - they have to have a home in the chassis somewhere, so when making the iPhone X this was the best compromise Apple could come up with.

So anything that replaces the notch needs to achieve the same functionality, and I'm not seeing technology on other phones that could do so right now.

The alternative to the notch is ugly

OK, I've instantly lied. I can think of a few things, and one of them is heavily rumored for the new iPhone... but I can't see it happening.

The punch hole and pill-shaped opening have been used in a few phones recently, and do allow for more screen to spill around their edges, giving a bit more screen real estate.

But they still sit there, mildly ruining movie watching or internet browsing, so it's hard to see how they're any better than the notch.

There's also the bigger issue: the implementation of these two differently-shaped holes, by nature, is asymmetrical. I can't see a company that's so obsessed with design (did you know that the edge of the seats in in the new Apple stores have the same curvature as the iPhone 11?) would put something so ugly on there.

I mean, Apple could go for a pop up sensor, but they can fail and also don't allow for the smooth viewing of notifications where you just hover your face over - hugely unlikely given that's a fan-favorite feature.

Face ID is going nowhere

This is a key one - the iPhone isn't going to bring back the home button, as it's keeping that exclusively for the iPhone SE range (and there are strong, strong rumors that the iPhone SE 3 will keep that design).

So the only option would be to get rid of the sensors needed to enabled Face ID - use the front-facing camera? Less accurate, less secure. Not going to happen.

Therefore the only option is to add in an under-display fingerprint scanner. Now, this one has legs as an idea: Apple could do it well. It's a technology that's flickering on the edge of viability, as brands like Samsung have implemented it pretty well on things like the S22 Ultra - but is still prone to weird execution, as this piece on the Pixel's in-screen scanner sadly shows.

Apple could definitely drop Face ID in favor of the tech if it upgraded its capability (and I'm sure we'll see it as an option in the near future), but it would require the camera to disappear to a smaller level to totally shed the notch - and, as we're about to see, that's so unlikely.

The 'true' technology isn't ready

Of course, the true 'all display' iPhone is the goal here. Something that doesn't have anything getting in the way of the screen at all, where the sensors are there but hidden somehow.

That could only, realistically, be achieved in one of two ways: either move the earpiece and put the sensors in the frame, or put them under the display.

Sure, we've seen multiple Android phones trying the same thing, and they're getting pretty good - the ZTE Axon 30, for instance, does a pretty good job of selfie images without a visible front-facing camera.

But 'pretty good' won't wash for Apple, which is hell-bent on talking up its camera prowess at every given point. Having a camera under the screen is also, by nature, covering the sensors slightly, which means that Face ID will likely be slower and / or less accurate.

The only way this will work is when screen tech evolves to let enough light in that Apple's image processing can do its thing, and the IR sensors for security can be miniaturized enough to sit in the frame... but we're not there yet.

The notch is iconic, and people don't really mind it

I'm sat here in a canteen, tapping out some thoughts on the notch and whether it's going to continue... and I can see three people in my immediate vicinity all using recent iPhones that pack the cut-out screen portion at the top.

The truth is that, while the notch isn't the ideal solution, Apple has embraced it and users aren't that bothered. Reports of the iPhone 13 being a record-breaking model - hitting around 40 million sales - suggest that there's not really an issue with the notch in the eyes of those considering which iPhone to buy.

That's not to say that people like it, as it's still something ugly and in the way, but a discussion over on the r/apple forum on Reddit, when discussing if the notch should stay or go, goes some way to explaining the sentiment:

" I have no issues with the notch. My brain ignores it… just like my eyes see my nose at all times, but again, my brain ignores it."

People just don't see it any more. Another thread commenter breaks it down in an even easier way:

"Yes, [Apple] tried to make [the notch] part of the design the best they could. Yes, they’ve exploited this "design anomaly" for their branding, it has a very singular "icon" translation. Yes, it’s not necessary [sic] ugly or aberrant.

"But. It’s not a feature in any way.  It’s...a design compromise"

As referenced here, Apple has leaned into the notch. It's taken it from eyesore to emblem. 

It's made the notch the icon for the phone, rather than pretending it's not there. People see a smartphone logo with a cutout, and they instantly see an iPhone.

Apple has gone so far with the notion, that it's able to put it in the MacBook Pro last year and it seems to (sort of) makes sense, even though it clearly doesn't when compared to multiple rivals not resorting to the same thing.

So... it seems likely that we'll still see the notch on the iPhone 14. I can't see a way that Apple drops it.

But, then again, I couldn't believe that the brand would have lost the headphone jack in the iPhone 7, even though people wanted it then (and still want) it. I'm sitting opposite someone with the Lightning headphone jack adaptor in, and yet Apple has been unyielding in its shoulder-shrug attitude to the cries to bring it back.

So perhaps I'll be sitting here, writing another piece of analysis in September, talking about how Apple has found a way to stack the pill and punch design in the middle of the screen in an 'elegant' way. 

Or that it's completely scrapped the notch and spent a fraction of its massive R&D budget on figuring out how.

Or... maybe the notch will just be 7% smaller, a tiny bit taller and that'll be enough for another year to encourage iPhone sales and upgrades.

And if you don't care, maybe it's time to bite the bullet and go for the iPhone 13. We're still far enough away from the iPhone 14 launch that you'll get a decent deal, and it's too long to wait until August to get the best prices - take a look at the latest prices and see what you think.

One of the oddest, most incredible stories I've read this week has been that Apple might be losing the notch for the iPhone 14.

I don't mean the notion that the new iPhone will remove the notch altogether - we've heard that rumor for a few years now, ever since it appeared on the iPhone X in 2017 - but that Apple might go for the 'pill and punch' design instead.

There are just so many reasons why this makes little sense for Apple... not least because it needs a place to house all the sensors and cameras that allow for its Face ID to function.

Don't misunderstand what I'm trying to say though: I desperately want to see the notch, and every little thing that interferes with a smooth screen, to be gone from all smartphones. It's a necessary evil, sure, but I cannot wait for the year when having any kind of notch or hole in the screen of any phone launched is really weird.

But I just can't see it happening in 2022. Perhaps I'll be wrong. Maybe the iPhone 14 and 14 Pro will come with the notch and the iPhone 14 Max will have something different. Maybe Apple will tear up its own design rule book.

But having covered every iPhone launch since the 3G, we've rarely seen anything massively change in this way - the notch, surely, is staying.

A necessary notch

Apple doesn't do anything it doesn't have to. When talking about the very early days of the iPhone, it didn't allow you to copy and paste things between apps. It didn't have a good camera for years.

Only with the iPhone 13 series did it finally offer decent battery life - sure, that likely was a by-product of needing more power to allow for the 5G connectivity, but I was shocked, when I tested the battery life, that Apple hadn't made a huge song and dance about this big increase to battery life in the iPhone 13 launch.

The notch houses a few key things for the iPhone: a variety of sensors, the IR emitter that allows Face ID to function, and the front-facing camera.

These are bigger sensors than you find in most Android phones because Face ID needs them - they have to have a home in the chassis somewhere, so when making the iPhone X this was the best compromise Apple could come up with.

So anything that replaces the notch needs to achieve the same functionality, and I'm not seeing technology on other phones that could do so right now.

The alternative to the notch is ugly

OK, I've instantly lied. I can think of a few things, and one of them is heavily rumored for the new iPhone... but I can't see it happening.

The punch hole and pill-shaped opening have been used in a few phones recently, and do allow for more screen to spill around their edges, giving a bit more screen real estate.

But they still sit there, mildly ruining movie watching or internet browsing, so it's hard to see how they're any better than the notch.

There's also the bigger issue: the implementation of these two differently-shaped holes, by nature, is asymmetrical. I can't see a company that's so obsessed with design (did you know that the edge of the seats in in the new Apple stores have the same curvature as the iPhone 11?) would put something so ugly on there.

I mean, Apple could go for a pop up sensor, but they can fail and also don't allow for the smooth viewing of notifications where you just hover your face over - hugely unlikely given that's a fan-favorite feature.

The 'true' technology isn't ready

Of course, the true 'all display' iPhone is the goal here. Something that doesn't have anything getting in the way of the screen at all, where the sensors are there but hidden somehow.

That could only, realistically, be achieved in one of two ways: either move the earpiece and put the sensors in the frame, or put them under the display.

Sure, we've seen multiple Android phones trying the same thing, and they're getting pretty good - the ZTE Axon 30, for instance, does a pretty good job of selfie images without a visible front-facing camera.

But 'pretty good' won't wash for Apple, which is hell-bent on talking up its camera prowess at every given point. Having a camera under the screen is also, by nature, covering the sensors slightly, which means that Face ID will likely be slower and / or less accurate.

The only way this will work is when screen tech evolves to let enough light in that Apple's image processing can do its thing, and the IR sensors for security can be miniaturized enough to sit in the frame... but we're not there yet.

The notch is iconic, and people don't really mind it

I'm sat here in a canteen, tapping out some thoughts on the notch and whether it's going to continue... and I can see three people in my immediate vicinity all using recent iPhones that pack the cut-out screen portion at the top.

The truth is that, while the notch isn't the ideal solution, Apple has embraced it and users aren't that bothered. Reports of the iPhone 13 being a record-breaking model - hitting around 40 million sales - suggest that there's not really an issue with the notch in the eyes of those considering which iPhone to buy.

That's not to say that people like it, as it's still something ugly and in the way, but a discussion over on the r/apple forum on Reddit, when discussing if the notch should stay or go, goes some way to explaining the sentiment:

" I have no issues with the notch. My brain ignores it… just like my eyes see my nose at all times, but again, my brain ignores it."

People just don't see it any more. Another thread commenter breaks it down in an even easier way:

"Yes, [Apple] tried to make [the notch] part of the design the best they could. Yes, they’ve exploited this "design anomaly" for their branding, it has a very singular "icon" translation. Yes, it’s not necessary [sic] ugly or aberrant.

"But. It’s not a feature in any way.  It’s...a design compromise"

As referenced here, Apple has leaned into the notch. It's taken it from eyesore to emblem. 

It's made the notch the icon for the phone, rather than pretending it's not there. People see a smartphone logo with a cutout, and they instantly see an iPhone.

Apple has gone so far with the notion, that it's able to put it in the MacBook Pro last year and it seems to (sort of) makes sense, even though it clearly doesn't when compared to multiple rivals not resorting to the same thing.

So... it seems likely that we'll still see the notch on the iPhone 14. I can't see a way that Apple drops it.

But, then again, I couldn't believe that the brand would have lost the headphone jack in the iPhone 7, even though people wanted it then (and still want) it. I'm sitting opposite someone with the Lightning headphone jack adaptor in, and yet Apple has been unyielding in its shoulder-shrug attitude to the cries to bring it back.

So perhaps I'll be sitting here, writing another piece of analysis in September, talking about how Apple has found a way to stack the pill and punch design in the middle of the screen in an 'elegant' way. 

Or that it's completely scrapped the notch and spent a fraction of its massive R&D budget on figuring out how.

Or... maybe the notch will just be 7% smaller, a tiny bit taller and that'll be enough for another year to encourage iPhone sales and upgrades.

And if you don't care, maybe it's time to bite the bullet and go for the iPhone 13. We're still far enough away from the iPhone 14 launch that you'll get a decent deal, and it's too long to wait until August to get the best prices - take a look at the latest prices and see what you think.

I never liked the Samsung Galaxy Note. All the time I was the editor of the phones section on TechRadar, it was always the irritant in the back of my mind - and I'm glad it's now officially over.

Look, I get that you might be someone that loved the Note, and I've got nothing against that. As a phone, the Note was brilliant - offering innovative specs, new designs and debuting high-end features.

Nor do I think Samsung made a bad business decision - the Note 10 breaking sales records just a few years ago shows that it gradually made the Note series into something more popular than the Galaxy S phones.

But I always wished the Note and the S series were more closely aligned.

Back when the first Note was launched in a German conference hall in 2011, I was intrigued. I loved a powerful phone. I thought the S Pen (which was definitely not, and never has been, a stylus, according to Samsung) could be a useful extra. The launch was a nice, curious moment, a bizarre oddity when Android smartphones were still a pretty new thing.

Then people started to get really excited about the Note series, and the S Pen, in the same way some people still wake up weeping about how phones will never have a BlackBerry-level physical keyboard stuck to the front.

But the S Pen, as a flagship feature began to bother me about the Note series. I tried these phones extensively, and while I adored the big screen, extra power and cool little widgets, I couldn't get on board with the little pen locked in the side.

It felt nothing like writing on a pad. It was like trying to write with an oily pencil on the back of a wet window. I already have bad handwriting - I don't need to make it more unintelligible. I know some people have created really interesting mobile art, - and we've got cool videos of speed sketching on it on TechRadar -  but for me, it's taking notes (hence the name) that's the primary reason to use the S pen.

I just kept forgetting the clicked-in writing device was there, and forcing myself to find out what it could do felt more like a chore - it just didn't solve a smartphone problem that my finger couldn't achieve.

I'm not saying that it broke or kept falling out (although there was that face-palm moment when if you inserted the S Pen backwards in the Note 5, which was very easy to do, it would get jammed), but it kept getting more features that invariably didn't feel useful. 

Air View, where you hovered the S Pen over the screen to access more tools, cutting and slicing of documents and images, instant notes on the front screen with greater pressure sensitivity - look, I'm not against all these things, but if using the Note isn't not going to feel like a pencil, then scribbling words or handwriting recognition is out for me and the other features just never inspired.

As a tool, the S Pen was fine. I didn't find the use for it, and if the Note had just been a powerful, business-focused variant of the Galaxy S series, it would have made sense for me, rather than having a standalone event later in the year.

What... are you?

This love of the Note series by a small section of the smartphone-buying public brought another conundrum back in 2011 - how do you review this thing? It's designed for people that love a little stylus with their phone - and for them, that takes this from a good phone to an excellent, five-star, can't-be-beaten model. 

That left me tearing my hair out. If it's a five-star device, then surely it should be one of the best phones in the world. It's the best phablet, sure, but it definitely wasn't the best Samsung phone out there... for the average person in the early 2010s, it was too expensive and too big compared to the mainstream devices.

Don't get me wrong, buyers having choice was, and is, a wonderful thing, and I still lament the demise of BlackBerry and Windows Phones to compete with Android and iPhones. 

And as our current ranking shows, the Galaxy S21 Ultra (and soon to include the S-Pen wielding S22 Ultra) is now atop the listings, as Samsung cleverly predicted big phones would eventually be better. But in the early days of the Note, when smaller phones were in fashion for most, it was a tough call.

Another thing that annoyed me was the timing of the Note launch each year - too close to the flagship S series and too similar in purpose.

Six months is never enough to let a smartphone 'breathe' in the market - Sony and OnePlus used to launch two flagship phones a year, a process that eventually proved too much and it stopped in favor of focusing on a yearly upgrade cycle.

Would the Note have a superior screen to the year's Galaxy S? More power? Would the S Pen finally be good enough to be a mainstream tool? Invariably, the answer would always be 'sort of', and I always felt it lowered the impact of the S series.

Then Samsung would do weird things with the Note - such as not bringing the Note 5 to the UK as it wasn't dubbed as 'productive' a region, and yet bringing out the Note 6 and subsequent models.

(There was one oddball exception: I did love the Note Edge, but that was because it was one of the first devices that had a curved side - that was pretty cool, but the fact it was a Note device didn't add to it in any way. It was just a good experiment that eventually came to most Samsung phones.)

The most annoying Note moment came with the Galaxy Note 10 - it turned the S Pen into a magic wand, packing a six-axis motion controller meaning you could, theoretially, turn the Note into a Switch rival. 

But instead of adding in some cool games and revolutionizing what the Note was for, it was all actions in the air. Cool, but nothing that really stands out as hugely useful - more technology for technology's sake.

End of an era

And now what we all knew was happening has been confirmed: the Note is dead, and it's morphed into the Galaxy S Ultra. 

This makes so much sense. The Note should have always been part of the Galaxy S line as the more powerful member of the family (like it is now). An S Pen variant with higher, more experimental specs - I get that. There's finally choice at the right time of the year. 

And with the Note vacating the August release slot, now we can enjoy new range of flexible phones instead coming as part of Samsung's mid-year launch.

The Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4 will (very likely) be clear, differentiated models from the S series. That makes sense. It's a great alternative for those bored of the iPhone just before the new model comes out. Nice. It's so much neater.

I know that there are many, many Note fans out there who are despondent at this news, that the confirmed shuttering of their beloved large-screened device, will be a sore point. There are more than a couple of them on the TechRadar team alone, people in love with the larger, more powerful screen and the S Pen. 

To them, I say, check out the Galaxy S22 Ultra. It's a brilliant phone that's a Note in all but name and will give you all you need and more - and I doubt it will be many years until you'll have a Note-level experience in foldable phones either.

But the Note as a standalone device has had its time in the sun. Through the years, the S Pen evolved, sure, but never in a way that I thought was enough to warrant the fanfare of its own launch. 

The Note idea was fine, but big-screen phones are everywhere now, and the Note should just be a curiosity from years ago.

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