Apple’s got Intelligence?
Apple Intelligence this, Apple Intelligence that — where’s the hardware, Apple? The Fruit Company has spent a lot of time and resources to remind the world that it is, in fact, a player in the AI space. So much so that it may have forgotten about the products that got it here in the first place. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple has a rather ambitious roadmap across 2026 and 2027 that’ll put actual tech back on the menu.
Some of those we already know about. Apple wouldn’t miss an iPhone launch for anything, which will likely deliver us the iPhone 18 lineup this September. Gurman reckons it’ll be joined by Apple’s long-awaited, first-ever entry into the foldable market with the so-called iPhone Ultra. That’ll at least be interesting, if nothing else.
Digging deeper, buyers can expect to see more on the Mac front later this year. Refreshes, though, so nothing to get worked up over ’til Apple can provide some solid innovation. Then the company’s wearables lineup is due for some attention, bringing about some light updates for both the Ultra and standard models. There’s also talk of a new entry-level iPad in the works that’s capable of keeping up with Apple Intelligence.
Perhaps a slightly overstuffed 2026, but nothing too out of the ordinary, really. The real surprises, however, are pencilled in for next year. Apple will be celebrating the iPhone’s 20th anniversary, bringing about a second-gen foldable and anniversary-themed iPhone models. We may also get our first look at the camera-packing AirPods, as well as an update on Apple’s smart glasses. Lastly, Gurman seems certain that Apple is developing some form of robotic tabletop, “a version of its smart home display that features a robotic arm.”
Samsung could be missing a cult classic this year
Samsung’s next Unpacked is right around the corner. If the reports are right, there won’t be any big surprises waiting in the wings. Not in that sense, anyway. In addition to the usual upgrades to Samsung’s foldables, the South Korean outfit is readying the Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2. Notice anything missing?
That would be the fan-favourite Galaxy Watch 9 Classic, typically kitted with a rotating bezel. Samsung appears to be skipping the model this year, likely enabling it to bring it back the following year once some fresh hype has brewed. In the meantime, we’ve got our first look at the wearables that are coming, including a redesign.
The honour will go to the ultra-premium Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, which will seemingly be even more squircly than its predecessor. Buyers can expect thinner bezels as well as a more subtle side button, judging by the leaked images shared by @GalaxyTechie in a post on X. If we’re lucky, the rumours of the Watch Ultra 2 packing a larger battery are true, potentially pushing the premium watch’s life beyond the two-day mark.
We’ll have to wait ’til the next Unpacked to know for certain, currently rumoured to take place on 22 July 2026.
Call of Duty: Black Ops comes to the PS5, finally
One of the very few areas in which Xbox always did better than PlayStation was backwards compatibility with the Xbox 360 era, allowing gamers to dive back into some of the older Call of Duty games. Specifically, Black Ops and Black Ops II — widely regarded as the cream of the crop. Without an official port, gamers on the PS4 and PS5 have been unable to partake in the nostalgic festivities. Instead, they’re force-fed the likes of… Black Ops 7.
Now, however, Call of Duty: Black Ops and Black Ops II are officially being ported over to last- and current-gen PlayStation consoles. At the time of writing, the games are confirmed to launch in July, with no official word on pricing. But in the days since the announcement, both titles’ prices have been adjusted on the Xbox Store.
Most likely, the PS Store will follow suit shortly. On their own, the new official pricing doesn’t seem so severe. But get ’em both — DLC is, of course, sold separately — and the situation starts to look a bit more dire. Both Black Ops and II are currently listed for R620 each. The Season Pass attached to Black Ops II goes for R475, with individual DLC selling for R180 a pop. That’s a whole bunch of money for a 16-year-old game.
Say you want to pick up both Call of Duty Black Ops games with all the DLC included? You’ll have to hand over R2,435 for the privilege (R1,340 for Black Ops, R1,095 for Black Ops II). Mind you, this is a straight port of the game, and not a remake or even a remaster. It’ll look just how it did on the PS3 more than a decade ago. Uh, cool?
Sony’s new controller patent could keep your login info safe
Sony is always looking for novel ideas to solve problems that may or may not exist yet. The company’s latest patent suggests that it’ll strengthen login security for the PlayStation Network. In essence, the patent would make the DualSense controller an essential component for anyone looking to sign into the PSN network.
The “Controller-Driven Video Game Console Login” patent was published on 21 May and spotted by RespawnFirst (via Notebookcheck). The patent shows off a PS5 DualSense initiating a handoff login attempt, scanning the local area for a nearby device like a smartphone. Once it finds it, the smartphone confirms receipt of the signal before transferring the credential back to the controller, which in turn sends it back to the console.
Whether the feature will make it onto the PS5, DualSense, or some future technology remains to be seen, if at all. Many users already employ their smartphones for 2FA logins, leaving them to question why Sony would focus on a hardware alternative. This way, hackers looking to breach a certain account would need the owner’s DualSense.
