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A year after the launch of GPT-5, OpenAI has announced the arrival of GPT-6 Astra, which will begin rolling out immediately. The AI company called Astra "the world’s most intelligent and aligned model."
OpenAI Astra marks a new generation of models for the AI company, but also carries new risks.
The day before Astra's launch, OpenAI confirmed that Astra had been deemed a "critical" cybersecurity risk, but that the company would move ahead with a launch with safeguards in place. The company's Preparedness Framework tracks risk in three domains (chemical/biological, self-improvement, and cybersecurity), and an OpenAI spokesperson confirmed to Mashable that Astra is the first OpenAI model to be designated a critical risk — the highest threat level — in any domain.
Strangely, in its blog post announcing Astra, OpenAI did not call Astra its most advanced model, but only "the most capable model we have ever broadly deployed." The company also released a detailed system card outlining the model's training and safety risks.
How to try GPT-6 AstraOpenAI will be rolling out GPT-6 starting today, though it may not be available to everyday users right away.
OpenAI said that GPT-6 Astra will be available at launch to select organizations, but that it will be available to ChatGPT Plus, Pro, Business, and Enterprise users "over the coming days." It will also be available via the OpenAI API and AWS.
The API pricing will be:
$10 per million input tokens
$50 per million output tokens
You can learn more about pricing and availability at the GPT-6 Astra webpage.
GPT-6 Astra: Cybersecurity and safetyOpenAI wrote that "with the right tools and access, GPT‑6 Astra can find previously unknown security flaws and develop new ways to exploit them across many well-protected systems without a person guiding each step." As a result, Astra's most advanced cybersecurity skills will only be available to a select group of testing partners, and OpenAI said it's tightened security around the model as well. Per OpenAI, these safeguards are designed to prevent two outcomes:
Stopping malicious actors from using Astra to develop new exploits or carry out cyberattacks against critical systems
Stopping the "model itself [from] causing cyber harm when taking an unauthorized (or misaligned) action"
On the ExploitBench cybersecurity benchmarking test, OpenAI reports that GPT-6 achieves a perfect 100 percent score, even at its lowest-tested reasoning level. On the ExploitGym Honeypot benchmarking test, OpenAI reported a perfect 0.0 percent score.
GPT-6 shows significant improvement over GPT 5.6 Sol on the ExploitBench benchmarking test. Credit: OpenAIDespite posing existential cybersecurity risks, OpenAI said in its announcement that GPT-6 is generally safer than its recent predecessors. In particular, the company said, "GPT‑6 Astra is significantly safer in higher-risk scenarios."
The GPT-6 Astra system card reports better scores on safety evaluations measuring risks such as promoting emotional reliance in users, engaging with self-harm requests, and inappropriate responses to users under 18.
OpenAI says Astra achieved higher scores than other recent models in safety evaluations (higher scores are better). Credit: OpenAIAt the same time, OpenAI admitted that "GPT‑6 Astra’s monitorability has decreased relative to GPT‑5.6 Sol," meaning that the model may be more difficult to understand and control.
"We have found that GPT‑6 Astra is more capable of controlling its own CoT than GPT‑5.6 Sol, and less likely to include incriminating information in its CoT," reads an OpenAI blog post. "In adversarial settings (where we push the model to evade our monitors) we find that the model is able to remain undetected when strategically underperforming in evaluations (sandbagging) and can sometimes evade our internal monitors when asked to perform certain sabotage tasks."
GPT-6 Astra: Hallucination rateOpenAI provided fewer details on the hallucination and factuality rates of GPT-6. In previous system cards, OpenAI provided specifics about its models' propensity for inventing facts or repeating users' own misinformation.
That being said, the system card states that GPT-6 has made strides in this regard, generating fewer mistruths and hallucinations than GPT-5.6 Sol and other recent models.
Credit: OpenAI"We find that Astra makes substantially fewer factual errors than GPT-5.6 Sol and is significantly less likely to reproduce user-reported hallucinations. These improvements are particularly pronounced at very low latency and reasoning settings."
Hallucinations remain one of the most stubborn problems with AI models.
GPT-6 Astra: Benchmark performanceOpenAI released benchmark scores for GPT-6 Astra, showing marked improvement on most common benchmarking tests compared to both GPT-5.6 Sol and Fable 5.1, which Anthropic released earlier this week. Notably, GPT-6 Astra scored lower on Humanity's Last Exam (with tools).
Highlights include:
Terminal-Bench Science 0.1: 64.6 percent
FrontierMath Tier 4 (v2): 97.6 percent
GPQA Diamond: 96.0 percent
Humanity's Last Exam (w/ tools): 57.2 percent
ExploitBench: 100 percent
Exploit Gym: 42.4 percent
ARC-AGI-1: 98.5 percent
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Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April 2025 filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.
Classroom technology is the focus of a new report from the American Psychological Association (APA), which argues we should be focusing less on bans and more on the specific harms of flashy new tech.
The report, which includes a long list of findings and recommendations for educators and parents regarding all kinds of EdTech, hones in on a new genre of educational technology that increasingly relies on game-like features such as earned rewards, flashy graphics, and customizable avatars to increase student engagement.
In the absence of authoritative scientific evidence, the association cautions against tools — including AI-powered ones — that claim to improve intelligence, thinking, or learning writ large.
SEE ALSO: Mamdani's AI ban may not be enough to protect NYC students Screen time can be misleadingRaw screen time numbers, whether too much or too little, aren't an effective indication of how well a student is learning, the report authors found. "What young people do on screens matters as much as, or more than, how long they spend on them," the report reads.
Likewise, a student's perceived engagement or confidence with a program isn't enough to gauge whether they will have positive learning outcomes. Basically, a student winning an educational game or completing assignments effectively does not directly translate into becoming smarter, according to the APA.
Instead, the APA urges educators to test how well students can apply learned skills in real-world contexts outside of the technology itself, whether it's an app, computer game, or chatbot. If students struggle, the report says, the tech has failed.
To this end, the association recommends school districts evaluate new classroom technology on its ability to foster "durable knowledge and skills," and encourages schools to steer clear of tech that enables multitasking, relies on self-management from students, and has human-like qualities.
Be wary of AI and gamificationThe APA urges educators and parents to exercise even greater caution with generative AI. "AI can help a student produce a better essay, but the improved final product does not necessarily mean the student has become a better writer," said Nicole Barnes, APA’s executive lead psychologist for education, in a press release. "Just as we need to separate engagement from learning, we will increasingly need to separate performance from learning."
The APA also joined other groups in calling for greater investment in AI literacy among young learners, teachers, and parents. Recently, coalitions of parents and educators have lobbied for AI moratoriums that curb the introduction of generative AI tools and promote digital and AI literacy programs as a precursor. Both New York City and Los Angeles's chool systems have instituted partial pauses on AI and reductions in screen time for the 2026-2027 school year.
Child psychologists have long warned about the impact of lifelong screen time and personal devices on children as they age through school. As criticism of social media's impact on young minds has increased, so too have warnings about platform features designed to grab and retain attention. These include controversial design elements like autoplay, recommendation algorithms, and tailored advertising.
Many of these features replicate the motivational structures of gaming, more commonly referred to as "gamification." The concept has been put under the microscope by advocates across industries, many of whom argue that constant, dopamine-driven reward systems are degrading critical cognitive skills and executive functioning.
Brands are launching their pumpkin-spiced flavors, so you know what that means — summer is coming to an end. I know, we can't believe it either. But if you're holding onto the last bits of summer, you better be enjoying Labor Day weekend to its fullest. That means getting outside, but it also means taking advantage of all those Labor Day sales.
Virtually every retailer, from Amazon to Costco, has major savings right now. If you're particularly in the market for some upgrades around the home, we've rounded up the best savings on everything you need for a refresh. While Amazon is often a go-to for low prices, for major savings on furniture, make sure to check out Wayfair and Anthropologie, too.
Whether you're in the market for a new robot vacuum, air fryer, or an Echo device, here are all the best home and furniture Labor Day savings to shop now.
Best Labor Day home deal Opens in a new window Credit: Roborock Roborock Saros 10R Robot Vacuum $899.99 at AmazonNow that summer is coming to a close, it's all about falling back into routines. If you have a busy schedule ahead of you, then take one thing off your plate: cleaning your floors. The Roborock Saros 10R robot vacuum keeps your floors clean. It has an ultra-thin design to navigate under and around furniture. Plus, it's a mop too, and even self-washes its mop pads, so you can rest assured your floors stay sparkling.
Usually $1,599.99, during Amazon's Labor Day sale, the Roborock Saros 10R robot vacuum is down to $899.99, saving you nearly half its price. Shop now and save $700.
Air care Labor Day dealsLevoit 36-inch Tower Fan — $54.93 $74.99 (save $20.06)
Levoit Core 300-P Air Purifier — $84.99 $99.99 (save $15)
Blueair Blue Pure 511i Max Air Purifier — $99.99 $139.99 (save $40)
Puredown Goose Down Pillow Set — $51.89 $61.99 (save $10.10)
Bedsure Bamboo Sheets — $59.99 $73.14 (save $13.15)
Coop Home Goods Adjustable Pillow — $71.20 $89 (save $17.80)
Anthropologie Organic Cotton Percale Sheet Set — $110.60 $158 (save $47.40)
Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Ergo Neck Pillow — $113.90 $134 (save $20.10)
Coop Home Goods Cool+ Adjustable Pillow — $127.20 $159 (save $31.80)
Shark Rocket Pet Plus Corded Stick Vacuum — $149.99 $199.99 (save $50)
Shark Steam & Scrub — $159 $189.99 (save $30.99)
Roborock New Qrevo S Pro Robot Vacuum — $429.99 $699.99 (save $270)
Dreame L40 Ultra Gen 2 Robot Vacuum — $499.99 $699.99 (save $200)
All Amazon Echo devices are useful, but the Amazon Echo Spot makes itself crucial for your day-to-day. As an alarm clock and Echo device, it's an incredible addition to your bedroom, waking you up, playing music to jump-start your day, and telling you the weather report so you know how to dress for the day.
Right now, it's at a major discount — 36% off — perfect timing as many head into a new school year. Get the Amazon Echo Spot for $69.99, saving you $40 off its $109.99 list price.
More Labor Day smart home dealsAmazon Echo Show 5 — $69.99 $99.99 (save $30)
Amazon Echo Show 11 — $189.99 $249.99 (save $60)
Amazon Echo Show 21 — $399.99 $499.99 (save $100)
While Amazon has lots of Labor Day savings, the best place to shop for furniture over Labor Day is at Wayfair. Right now, you can save over 40% on the Hokku Designs Heffernan 106-inch Modular Sofa. Usually $2,217, this modular sofa is just $1,280, which saves you $937. That's a great deal on a huge couch. It has plush cushions and can host a huge crew, perfect as you settle in for fall football and TV.
More Labor Day furniture dealsMillwood Pines Lift Top Coffee Table — $79.99 $160.99 (save $81)
Dakota Fields Chingford Indoor/Outdoor Hanging Egg Chair — $184.99 $219.99 (save $35)
Anthropologie Dog Icon Side Table — $298.80 $498 (save $199.20)
Anthropologie Irie Carmine Jacquard Oak Dining Chair — $398.40 $498 (save $99.60)
Anthropologie Fern Marble Top Bookcase — $1,518.40 $1,898 (save $379.60)
Anthropologie Sinclair Irena 80-inch Sofa — $3,428.60 $4,898 (save $1,469.40)
Another thing that will make your life easier this fall? An air fryer. When you need dinner fast, an air fryer gets food crispy and fast. If you want to save on a new air fryer, Chefman's is majorly discounted. It's down to $69.96, which saves you $50.03.
The Chefman Air Fryer is six quarts and comes with four presets, so you don't even need to think about how long your food needs. Plus, it's so easy to clean as it has a dishwasher-safe basket.
More Labor Day kitchen dealsStanley Quencher ProTour Flipstraw Tumbler — $17.50 $40 (save $22.50)
Keurig K-Mini Single Serve Coffee Maker — $49.99 $59.99 (save $10)
Chefman Microwave Oven — $69.96 $99.99 (save $30.03)
Ninja Nutri-Plus Personal Blender — $69.97 $89.99 (save $20.02)
Cosori TurboBlaze Air Fryer — $89.99 $119.99 (save $30)
Ninja Pro Air Fryer — $89.99 $129.99 (save $40)
Instant Pot Duo Pressure Cooker — $89.99 $109.99 (save $20)
Our Place Wonder Oven — $149 $185 (save $36)
KitchenAid Artisan Tilt Stand Mixer — $399.96 $499.99 (save $100.03)
Every year, Hot Girl Summer arrives with the same promise that this will finally be the season when you meet someone. You’ll have a summer fling, fall in love on vacation, or somehow find your future boyfriend while drinking an Aperol spritz on a rooftop. Then Aug. starts winding down, you’re still single, and it can feel like you missed your chance.
But there’s no need to panic, because I’m here to tell you that fall is actually the best time of year to date. Let me make the case for something better: Flirty Fall.
SEE ALSO: 'I get so upset and frustrated': What dating is like on a GLP-1 Fall in love in the fallObviously, fall already has romance on its side. There’s a reason movies like When Harry Met Sally and You’ve Got Mail have made so many of us associate love with changing leaves, long walks, and really good sweaters. Hallmark has even built an entire "Fall Into Love" lineup around the premise that all anyone needs to find a partner is a charming small town and some sort of harvest festival.
The weather certainly helps sell the fantasy. It’s cool enough to spend an afternoon walking through the park without sweating through your outfit (and your blowout can actually survive the walk there), but it’s not so cold that every date has to take place inside. You can go apple picking, watch a football game, wander around a farmers' market, or spend a lazy day in the park before heading to a cozy restaurant for dinner in a turtleneck and red lipstick. Even the corniest fall activities give you something to do together besides sitting across from each other at a bar and exchanging résumés over a $25 cocktail.
I love all of that, and I’m not going to pretend that seeing someone in a really nice sweater has never affected my judgment. Still, I don’t think the clothes, weather, or seasonal activities are the main reason fall is so good for dating. The real advantage is much more practical.
In my opinion, summer may be a great time to meet people at a concert or local bar, but it can be a terrible time to actually get to know them. Everyone is traveling, spending weekends with friends, going to weddings, visiting family, or trying to squeeze every possible activity into the final few weeks of warm weather. One weekend you’re away, the next weekend they’re away, and suddenly you’ve been talking for a month but have only managed to go on one date.
Even when you genuinely like someone, it can be difficult to build any momentum when your routines are constantly being interrupted. You spend more time saying, "Let’s figure something out when we’re both back," than actually seeing each other, and by the time you are finally in the same city again, one of you may have lost interest or become distracted by something else.
Fall fixes a lot of that. Vacations slow down, work schedules become more predictable, and weekends stop filling up months in advance. Asking someone when they’re free no longer requires opening a shared Google Calendar, and you can see each other consistently enough to figure out whether there's actually something there.
Personally, returning to a routine makes me feel more motivated in general. I’m 27, but some part of my brain still treats Sept. like the beginning of a new school year. Once fall arrives, I suddenly want to clean my apartment, buy a new notebook, exercise regularly, cook meals with vegetables, and become the organized person I briefly convinced myself I would be back in Jan.
New season, new meSome people call it "New Year’s for the girls" or, as TikTok Shop categorizes it, "Sept. reset." Whatever you call it, the idea is basically the same: Fall feels like a chance to get your life together after a summer when routines fell apart, and responsibilities became suggestions.
There is even some psychology behind that impulse. Researchers call it the "fresh start effect," which describes the increase in motivation people can experience after a meaningful point in time, such as the beginning of a week, month, year, or school semester. These moments help us mentally separate our current selves from our past selves, making it feel easier to start pursuing a goal again.
The research isn’t specifically about dating, but the connection makes sense to me. If you’re already thinking about the habits you want to build, the goals you’ve neglected, and the version of yourself you want to become during the final few months of the year, dating can easily become part of that reset. Maybe you finally redownload the app you deleted in June, agree to the setup your friend keeps suggesting, or simply become more open to meeting someone now that your schedule has calmed down.
And while there isn’t enough independent research to declare fall the official best season for love, dating app data suggests that people’s behavior and intentions really do change as the weather gets colder. According to OkCupid data, in 2023, the app saw a 26 percent increase from Oct. through Dec. in users saying they wanted to find their "forever person" rather than something casual. From June through Oct., meanwhile, it recorded a 14 percent decrease in people prioritizing love over sex.
Is it cuffing season yet?The validity of "cuffing season," the time of year when single people supposedly start looking for someone to keep them company through winter, the holidays, and Valentine's Day, is contested. While some daters want to "uncuff" themselves for summer, others go into hibernation in the winter and want to find love in the warmer months instead. But there is something to be said for being "cuffed," a term from African-American Vernacular English (AAVE) meaning "partnered." More than half of the OkCupid users surveyed by the company said in 2023 that they went on more dates during fall and winter than during spring and summer.
SEE ALSO: How to navigate cuffing season as a single personSometimes "cuffing season" carries a negative connotation, as if any relationship that starts in the fall is just a temporary arrangement to help two people survive winter without sinking into seasonal depression. But I don’t think people suddenly develop an interest in dating simply because the temperature drops. Maybe we aren’t all desperately searching for someone to keep us warm. Maybe we finally have the time and energy to give dating the attention it deserves.
Of course, that doesn’t mean every person you meet in Oct. will become the love of your life, and dating app data can only tell us so much about when real relationships begin. But the season may give you a chance to figure out if someone is worth pursuing rather than losing touch after a few Instagram Story likes.
So, if summer is winding down and you didn’t have the fling you expected or meet your future boyfriend over an Aperol spritz, have no fear. You have several months of good outfits and even better dates ahead of you.
Release date: We're expecting the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max to be announced at a Sept. 9 launch event, but rumor has it the iPhone 18 may not arrive until early 2027.
Colors: Possible leaks point to four main color options for the Pro models this year: light blue, silver, dark gray/black, and dark cherry.
Key upgrades: Besides iOS 27 and the Siri AI beta, we're expecting bigger batteries, major camera improvements (including variable aperture for the main camera), and a smaller Dynamic Island.
Pricing: Most new phones have arrived with price increases in 2026, and we think a starting price increase is all but certain for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, sadly.
Apple's flagship smartphone hasn't taken a year off from its updates since 2007, and barring a massive surprise, 2026 won't be different — but according to the latest iPhone 18 rumors, there will be a twist this year.
The Cupertino-based tech giant is widely expected to launch a new lineup of iPhones later this year, including the iPhone 18 Pro, 18 Pro Max, and the rumored iPhone Ultra, the company's first-ever foldable. We're also preparing for the updated operating system, iOS 27, and Siri AI. However, the regular iPhone 18, the 18e, and the new iPhone Air may not arrive until March 2027.
We should know for sure next week, as Apple recently confirmed its fall iPhone launch event will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 9. One of Mashable's reporters received an invite to the big show, and we'll be reporting live from Apple Park. This year's event has the tagline, "Surprise and Shine."
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.As we await the Sept. 9 "Surprise and Shine" launch event, even more iPhone 18 rumors continue to trickle out. Ahead of the big reveal, here's everything we know so far about the upcoming Apple smartphones.
SEE ALSO: Apple reportedly working on anti-phone snatching security feature iPhone 18 lineup pricingOn Sept. 9, expect to see new Apple CEO John Ternus take the stage for the keynote. The devices he introduces, alas, may put more of a dent in your wallet.
Thanks to the ongoing RAM shortage caused by the AI industry (aka RAMageddon), tons of smartphones, laptops, and gaming consoles are seeing huge price hikes. Experts who've spoken to Mashable say that trend isn't going to stop anytime soon.
As the world's number-one smartphone maker, Apple has advantages over its rivals, but a price increase is extremely likely. Apple recently raised prices on a variety of its products, and outgoing Apple CEO Tim Cook even took the unusual step of preparing us for a pricier iPhone.
"Price increases are unavoidable," Cook told the Wall Street Journal in a June interview. The Journal quoted an analysis showing that the memory chip components in the iPhone 18 Pro will cost Apple $150 more than those in the iPhone 17 Pro. For context, the market intelligence firm International Data Corporation just reported that Apple's memory costs for the iPhone have spiked by 400 percent.
Expect the phones to cost at least $100 to $150 more than their predecessors (check the iPhone 17 prices for reference). The Journal estimated the iPhone 18 Pro could cost $1,399, or $300 more than last year. Apple analysts are coming to similar conclusions; one research note seen by 9to5Mac predicted $250 to $300 price increases.
iPhone 18, 18 Pro, and 18 Ultra launch dates The iPhone 18 Pro Max smartphones at last year's iPhone launch event. Credit: CNETBarring a huge turn under Ternus, we believe Apple will announce the iPhone 18 Pro, the iPhone 18 Pro Max, and the foldable iPhone Ultra on Sept. 9, followed by a release in mid-September. Last year, the iPhone 17 Pro Max was available in stores Sept. 19, for reference.
The iPhone 18, however, alongside the cheaper iPhone 18e, and the next-gen iPhone Air, are rumored to come next year, likely in March 2027. This possible delayed release is backed up a recent spanner-in-the-works report, which found several third-party companies have gone live with smartphone cases for iPhone 18 Pro and foldable iPhone Ultra devices but not the base iPhone 18.
iPhone 18 and iPhone 18 Pro designThe pace of iPhone 18 leaks has definitely increased after a massive hack exposed thousands of Apple's internal documents, reportedly including iPhone 18 Pro suppliers and tests.
Apple itself hasn't released any official teasers or imagery for the iPhone 18 lineup yet, so anything reported to date could be wrong. Still, from the sum total of all reports, it sounds like Apple isn't really reinventing the wheel, design-wise. But Ternus, a hardware guy, is reportedly bringing the company's industrial design group into the center of the Apple fold.
Looking further into the future, the iPhone 20 is said to bring bigger changes, including a curved waterfall display.
Per our friends at CNET (Mashable and CNET are both owned by Ziff Davis), the display sizes will be roughly the same as last year:
iPhone 18: 6.3 inches
iPhone 18 Pro: 6.3 inches
iPhone 18 Pro Max: 6.9 inches
In August, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman (the source of most iPhone 18 news) shared on X that popular phone case maker Otterbox is already selling iPhone 18 Pro cases, even though the phone hasn't been announced yet. This was noteworthy because the case's packaging indicates that both the 17 Pro and 18 Pro fit in the same case, suggesting the two phones are exactly the same size, as CNET suggested.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.However, the display quality might be a little different this year. Prominent leaker Instant Digital shared on Chinese social media that Apple's brightness demands are unusually high this year, so it would be reasonable to expect much brighter displays than in previous years.
Some iPhone 18 models could also have a smaller camera bump compared to previous models. There are reports of a noticeably smaller Dynamic Island on the screen itself, with the pill-shaped notification hub potentially being made smaller in the iPhone 18 Pro models. One alleged leaked image purports to show an iPhone 18 Pro with a downsized Dynamic Island cutout.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. iPhone 18: The rumored hardware featuresSo we know the software the iPhone 18 will run: iOS 27, introduced at WWDC 2026. Time to start talking about some of the internal hardware changes Apple is reportedly making to the iPhone 18 lineup.
For starters, it sounds like the lineup will have a standardized 12GB RAM count across the board. In previous years, the Pro models had 12GB of RAM, while the base model had only 8GB. According to Korean outlet The Bell, Apple will be upgrading the base model to the Pro models in that regard. It's also widely expected that Apple will adopt new A20 and A20 Pro chips for the base and Pro models, respectively. Apple's latest silicon releases have better supported AI, and we expect that to be a major focus of the A20.
Other possible hardware upgrades include:
A new C2 modem for improved cellular connectivity
An improved LTPO+ display
Improved N2 chip for wireless connectivity
Hotspot and AirDrop reliability improvements
As for the battery, leaker Digital Chat Station on Weibo reported that the batteries will finally be upgraded to 5,000mAh, which would be a big improvement over the iPhone 17 Pro. This year, 5,000mAh has become the new standard for flagship phones, including in Samsung's new Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra.
Instant Digital posted in a separate Weibo leak that the back glass of the iPhone 18 Pro has been altered, resulting in a new unified look, as opposed to the two-tone look of the iPhone 17 Pro. Whether that change will affect durability (or if it's just an aesthetic difference) remains to be seen. Other possible upgrades include
What will the iPhone 18 colors be? The iPhone 18 Pro models are expected to come in four colors: silver, black/dark gray, burgundy, and light blue. Credit: ESR TechCourtesy of leakers, we may already know the iPhone 18 Pro colors. If that's the case, the must-see equivalent of the iPhone 17's unforgettable "cosmic orange" shade is said to be a wine-like "dark cherry."
Based on numerous leaks, the most likely color lineup for the iPhone 18 Pro will be:
Silver
Dark gray (or black)
Light blue
Burgundy
Third-party smartphone case makers might have also revealed too much ahead of the launch, with case makers such as ESR, Benks, and Torras listing cases for Apple's upcoming line. ESR has gone live with four case color options for the "iPhone 2026 Pro Max": deep burgundy, light gray, black, and misty blue, while product photos on the website show what the phones might look like in these colors.
Fans of black iPhones are still holding out hope. The rumored dark gray color looks black in supposed dummy units shared by leakers like Sonny Dickson.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. What about the iPhone 18 Pro Max?Several reports out of China say that because the iPhone 18 Pro Max will have a bigger battery, it may be a bit of a chunky boy.
We're not talking about a huge increase in weight and width: a quarter of a millimeter in thickness and 7 grams more, respectively. Still, every gram counts on the heftiest iPhone model you can get — so iPhone 17 Pro Max upgraders may want to check that their pocket linings can bear the bulk of a larger iPhone 18 Pro Max.
The iPhone 17 Pro has helped Apple break sales records in 2026. Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable iPhone 18 camera rumorsBloomberg's Mark Gurman, a source of many spot-on iPhone reports, says the iPhone 18 Pro, in particular, will have "some of the biggest camera hardware upgrades in the lineup's history."
Why? First, the telephoto camera has a larger aperture. But more important is the variable aperture.
First reported by Digital Chat Station on Weibo, variable aperture is a huge deal. It would let the iPhone 18 Pro camera capture varying amounts of light in different situations — potentially leading to a huge leap in photo quality if you know what you're doing.
For instance, the bokeh effect famously associated with portrait mode on iPhones would be possible in-camera rather than through software processing, resulting in more natural and generally better-looking shots.
While all of that sounds great, leaker Ice Universe poured some water on the fire by claiming that variable aperture would be exclusive to the iPhone 18 Pro Max. This is the first indication, as far as we can tell, that the regular Pro won't have a variable aperture. That would certainly be disappointing to people who want the feature but don't want a gigantic phone, but perhaps the Pro Max's size gives it an advantage in terms of including the technology.
For video makers, the iPhone 18 Pro Max is rumored to capture more cinematic videos as well, with features such as stabilization and AI editing tools.
What about Siri AI?Of course, one of the first things many users will want to know about the iPhone 18 when they get their hands on one: what is the new, revamped, AI-upgraded Siri experience like?
If you're feeling adventurous, you can try it yourself by installing the iOS 27 beta.
The new features include Siri becoming an actual chatbot with its own app. It can also understand what's on your screen and help you write, create images, and edit photos.
For an overview, check out our guides to iOS 27 and Siri AI's top features.
Mashable will be reporting live from Apple Park during the Sept. 9 "Surprise and Shine" keynote event, so check back as we report in real-time on the latest announcements.
Top Apple Deals we found this week:Apple AirTag 2 (4-Pack) — $79.99 $99 (save $20)
Apple AirPods 4 — $99 $129 (save $30)
Apple iPad Air 11-inch (M4) — $649 $749 (save $100)
Apple iPhone Air (256GB, unlocked) — $849.99 $999.99 (save $150)
Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M5, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,849 $1,999 (save $150)
At the end of August, Rockstar Games treated us to our first official look at Grand Theft Auto VI gameplay. The only problem? It was captured on PlayStation 5, leaving Xbox owners hanging.
That's not a huge deal in a vacuum, as every video game trailer has to be captured on something, and the game isn't coming to PC at launch. It's an issue because there are plenty of folks out there who own the Xbox Series S, the $500 slightly-less-powerful Xbox Series console that arguably represents the best value in the current-gen console space right now. Personally, I'd argue for the Switch 2, but GTA isn't coming to that, so it's a moot point in this context.
Anyway, you're wondering how GTA VI will look and play on Xbox Series S. Let's get into it.
SEE ALSO: Could GTA 6 teach Gen Z how to be in a relationship? Grand Theft Auto VI on Xbox Series S: How will it look and run?Unfortunately, you know as much about the state of GTA on Series S as we do, at the time of publication. Rockstar has not divulged any information about that build of the game, nor has it been shown publicly. At best, we can look at the trailer captured on PS5 and make some educated guesses.
For example, if GTA VI is running at 30 frames per second on a regular PS5 (as it did in the trailer), it's certainly not going to run any faster than that on a Series S. At best, it'll be the same, but as we've seen with some Series S games over the years, there could be performance drawbacks in intense situations.
The same goes for resolution, which could be cut down on Series S. According to the video game tech experts at Digital Foundry, the PS5 trailer was running at a native 1440p. Most Series S games do not reach that level, and considering that Digital Foundry called GTA VI the most impressive real-time graphical rendering they'd ever seen, one can imagine it won't reach that resolution on Series S, either.
But, again, it needs to be said that these are all just guesses. Rockstar hasn't given us anything else to work with right now. We'll let you know when we hear more.
Updated on Sept. 3 at 12:24 p.m. ET — User error reports for ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude are dropping on DownDetector, and some social media users report the morning's AI outages have mostly resolved. However, as of this writing, the OpenAI status page still reports "degraded performance." OpenAI's latest update states, "We have applied the mitigation and are monitoring the recovery."
Anthropic's status page reports that the Claude outage has ended: "The issue affecting Claude Mythos 5.1, Claude Fable 5.1, and Claude Opus 5 has been resolved. Impact has ended as of 9:16 PT / 16:16 UTC."
At this time, the cause of the outage is unknown.
A major internet outage appears to have hit all of the major AI services on Thursday.
ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Copilot, and Grok all appear to be suffering from stability and downtime issues as of publishing, with thousands of users reporting outages.
DownDetector shows the major AI providers suffering downtime on Thursday. Credit: DownDetectorAccording to DownDetector, users across AI platforms started experiencing issues accessing ChatGPT at around 11 a.m. ET. However, it's not just OpenAI having issues either. DownDetector users also report that Anthropic, Google, Microsoft, and Elon Musk's xAI's chatbots are all suffering from similar outages.
Brief ChatGPT and Claude outages happen occasionally, and they usually resolve quickly. However, it's highly unusual for multiple AI services to experience problems simultaneously.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.ChatGPT's status monitor says "we're currently experiencing issues" and states that there are "elevated errors across ChatGPT and Codex."
Anthropic's own status monitor shared that Mythos/Fable 5.1, Mythos/Fable 5, Opus 5, Opus 4.8, and Opus 4.6 models are all affected by the outage.
It's currently unclear as to why all of these major AI platforms are suffering similar issues at the same time.
This is a developing story and we will update as more information becomes available...
Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April 2025 filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.
When was the last time you saw a truly unforgettable Apple ad?
Steve Jobs built Apple into an empire by making advertising history, turning laptops and MP3 players into status symbols. But on the eve of another iPhone launch, it’s been a decade since Apple made a classic commercial. In fact, the biggest ad of the Tim Cook era was 2024’s tone-deaf 'Crush' ad, which people hated.
So, how did Apple go from rebellious tech underdog to exactly the type of bloated corporate monopoly it used to mock? It turns out, you can chart 40 years of Apple history through just seven commercials. Here is how Apple lost its cool factor—and how they can get it back.
Apple's Sunrise and Shine Event will be live on 9/9 at 1pm EST / 10am PST.
It's official: Nvidia has acquired the open-source AI platform Hugging Face for $13 billion.
Or, according to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, the acquisition was for $12,930,300,000, to be exact.
In a post on Nvidia's website on Thursday, Huang confirmed that the chipmaker turned AI industry giant has officially purchased Hugging Face after reports said an acquisition was in the making last week.
Hugging Face launched in 2016 as a chatbot app for teens but quickly pivoted during the AI boom. It's now the largest repository of open source AI models and tools, serving as a GitHub-like platform for AI developers.
"Hugging Face will continue to support open source and open weight models from across the ecosystem, from every model builder," Huang said in his post, confirming the platform will remain open. "Open models let startups, businesses, universities and public institutions build on advanced capabilities without training every model from scratch. They enable organizations to match the right model to the right job. That is how AI can advance safely, strengthen cybersecurity and sovereignty, accelerate innovation, and reach factories, hospitals, farms, classrooms and Main Street businesses around the world."
According to Huang, Hugging Face has more than 18 million users and that 200,000 companies utilize the platform. Last week, Hugging Face shared that the platform hosts more than 3 million models. It also has 500,000 datasets and 1 million applications on the platform.
Hugging Face was recently thrust into the spotlight earlier this summer after OpenAI shared a serious security incident where its AI agents went rogue and hacked the open-source platform.
Nvidia's purchase of the platform further cements the company's moves to seemingly become the global leader of the AI industry. The chipmaker has made numerous partnerships and investments in the AI industry in recent months, with Hugging Face being the latest.
Forget about Grand Theft Auto VI for a second because there's a big update coming to the multiplayer portion of GTA V.
Rockstar Games announced on its website that a big GTA role-playing update called nopixel V is starting a closed beta on Sept. 8. It's primarily meant for the GTA roleplaying community, who use GTA Online as a platform to tell their own stories, and anyone who gets invited to the beta will be able to launch into it straight from the GTA V launcher.
In the update, Rockstar is promising enhanced visuals, deeper character customization, a wider variety of ways to make money, and NPCs who are smarter and more reactive to your actions. There's even a big casino for you to visit. So far, it seems like this stuff is going to be relegated to the GTA Online experience, but perhaps that will change over time.
Speaking of GTA Online, the multiplayer cash cow that has allowed Rockstar to take so long in making GTA VI is, so far, notably absent from the new game. Rockstar has not said one way or another if GTA VI will ever have an online component, but this new update to the multiplayer in GTA V suggests that the older game will continue getting support for the time being.
SEE ALSO: 'GTA 6' on PS5 vs Xbox: Key differences to considerLenovo showed off its first two Windows laptops powered by Nvidia's RTX Spark platform today at IFA, Berlin's annual tech expo, but their pricing and release details are still a mystery.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang previously described the RTX Spark as a "superchip" designed to power "personal AI computers" capable of running AI agents and models on-device. The chip provides up to 1 petaflop of compute and up to 128GB of memory, and Nvidia says it was purpose-built for slim Windows laptops.
One of the laptops is the Yoga Pro 9n, a 15-inch clamshell model that Lenovo first unveiled at the Computex trade show in Taiwan back in June. The PC giant has finally shared its official images and spec sheet, which includes up to 128GB of RAM, up to 4TB of storage across two SSD slots, a 2.5K OLED display with a variable 165Hz refresh rate, and a haptic touchpad with stylus support.
Credit: LenovoThe other laptop is a previously unannounced 16-inch convertible called the Yoga 9n 2-in-1. (Pictures of it leaked back in July, but Lenovo hasn't confirmed its existence until now.) It's the second hybrid RTX Spark laptop after the MSI Prestige N16 Flip AI+, another Computex debutant.
The Yoga 9n 2-in-1 features up to 64GB of memory, up to 2TB of SSD storage, a 2.8K OLED touchscreen with a 120Hz variable refresh rate, and a rotating soundbar. Its touchpad is also compatible with a stylus.
Both laptops are set to compete with the Apple MacBook Pro, Microsoft Surface Ultra, and other premium creator laptops. Their pricing and availability "will be announced at launch," according a press release shared with Mashable. Anyone familiar with the current state of the tech industry will expect them to be splurges, especially the upper-end configurations. (For reference, a 16-inch MacBook Pro with 128GB of RAM costs a cool $6,999.)
Lenovo Yoga Pro 9n specs Credit: Lenovo Credit: LenovoIn its press release, Lenovo said the Yoga Pro 9n is geared toward "creators and developers whose work demands substantial local computing capability in a premium, portable design." It's positioning the device as an all-in-one mobile workstation that can run resource-intensive tasks during the workday (think 3D rendering, video editing, and AI app development), then graphically taxing games after hours.
Here's a full rundown of the Yoga Pro 9n's specs and features:
Chipset: Nvidia RTX Spark (includes Nvidia Grace CPU with up to 20 cores and Nvidia Blackwell RTX GPU with up to 6,144 cores)
Memory: Up to 128GB RAM
Storage: Up to 4TB total SSD
Display: 15.3-inch 2.5K (2,560 × 1,600 pixel) OLED display with 48 to 165Hz refresh rate and 1,100 nits of peak HDR brightness
Keyboard: Island-style backlit keyboard with 1.5mm key travel
Touchpad: Haptic Force Pad with pen support
Webcam: 9.2MP camera
Audio: Four speakers with Dolby Atmos
Battery: 92.5Whr
Ports: Two USB-A ports, two USB4 ports, HDMI port, UHS-II SD card slot, and a headphone jack
Wireless tech: WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4
Weight: Starting at 3.64 pounds
Dimensions: 13.66 × 9.53 × 0.66 inches (at its thinnest point)
The Yoga Pro 9n has an all-aluminum chassis that comes in a Thunder Gray finish. It doesn't ship with a stylus, so if you want one for drawing on its touchpad, you'll have it buy it separately.
Lenovo Yoga 9n 2-in-1 specs Credit: Joseph Maldonado / CNET GroupThe convertible Yoga 9n 2-in-1 is built "for creators who need substantial local performance together with the flexibility to sketch, annotate, edit, present, and collaborate in different ways," Lenovo said. Its 360-degree hinge lets it flip between Laptop, Tablet, Tent, Stand, and Canvas modes.
The Yoga 9n 2-in-1's specs and features are as follows:
Chipset: Nvidia RTX Spark (includes Nvidia Grace CPU with up to 20 cores and Nvidia Blackwell RTX GPU with up to 6,144 cores)
Memory: Up to 64GB RAM
Storage: Up to 2TB SSD
Display: 16-inch 2.8K (2,880 x 1,800 pixel) OLED touchscreen display with 30 to 120Hz refresh rate and 1,100 nits of peak HDR brightness
Keyboard: Island-style backlit keyboard with 1.5mm key travel and a "silk-touch" finish
Touchpad: Haptic Force Pad with pen support
Webcam: 9.2MP camera
Audio: Six speakers (two tweeters, four woofers) with Dolby Atmos, plus a rotating soundbar (two tweeters)
Battery: 99.9Whr
Ports: Two USB-A ports, two USB4 ports, HDMI port, UHS-II SD card slot, and a headphone jack
Wireless tech: WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4
Weight: Starting at 4.28 pounds
Dimensions: 14.17 × 9.57 × 0.69 inches
The fully aluminum Yoga 9n 2-in-1 comes in Lenovo's classic Cosmic Blue finish and includes a Yoga Pen. The pen's case can be attached to the back of the device's lid to enable Canvas mode.
These new RTX Spark-powered Yoga laptops are just two of many devices that Lenovo brought to IFA. Other highlights include two new concept laptops and a new budget laptop that will compete with Apple's mega-popular MacBook Neo. Check out the full roster on Lenovo's news site.
What makes the Nvidia RTX Spark unique? Credit: LenovoAnnounced at Computex this summer, RTX Spark is Nvidia's new do-it all "superchip" platform (combining a CPU and GPU) that's specially made for thin Windows laptops and compact desktop PCs. The chip giant claims that RTX Spark devices will have elite graphics capabilities and advanced AI processing power, enabling them to run autonomous AI models locally, on top of all-day battery life. In the computer world, supercharged performance has always come at the cost of stamina — until now, potentially.
Besides Lenovo, Asus, Dell, HP, Microsoft, and MSI are also working on RTX Spark laptops. Nvidia believes the superchips will usher in a new era of portable AI supercomputers.
Yet another Windows alternative to the MacBook Neo lands this fall.
Announced today at IFA, an annual tech trade show in Berlin, Lenovo's IdeaPad Vibe is a new premium-built budget laptop with a full rainbow of colorways and a plethora of configuration and customization options. The new laptop also comes in two screen sizes, multiple processor flavors, and has upgradable RAM and storage. Its reveal confirms a leak from mid-August.
The IdeaPad Vibe measures 0.59 inches thin, making it less than a tenth of an inch thicker than a MacBook Neo. Credit: LenovoThe IdeaPad Vibe launches this October with AMD Ryzen AI 400 series processors and in November with Qualcomm's Snapdragon X chips starting at $699.99, according to a company press release. More models with Intel processors are in the works.
In its release, Lenovo billed the IdeaPad Vibe as "an AI PC that is ready to perform and designed to stand out, no matter what a person’s vibe is."
Lenovo IdeaPad Vibe specs and features The IdeaPad Vibe has customizable keycaps (sold separately). Credit: LenovoThe IdeaPad Vibe will come in 14- and 15-inch sizes that start at 2.87 pounds and 3.31 pounds, respectively, making it slightly bigger than the 13-inch, 2.7-pound MacBook Neo, Apple's mega-popular $699 notebook. Both sizes will be available with AMD or Qualcomm CPU offerings at the $700 price point; there's no upcharge for a bigger screen.
The IdeaPad Vibe will come in seven hues that Lenovo developed with the help of the Pantone Color Institute: Chill Blue, Moody Blue, Dreamy Violet, Lowkey Grey, Radiant Coral, Spicy Gold, and Zen Green. Lenovo will sell swappable keycaps that make it even more personalizable.
Credit: Joseph Maldonado / CNET GroupMost configurations of the IdeaPad Vibe will have a fully metal chassis in the vein of the Neo, though some AMD models will have metal housing with ridged plastic bottom covers. When asked whether there were any pricing or spec differences between each build type, a Lenovo spokesperson told Mashable that "a lot of that is hard to determine right now." We should get more details at launch.
Left: The bottom cover of the IdeaPad Vibe in metal... Credit: Lenovo Right: ... versus plastic. Credit: LenovoThe IdeaPad Vibe will come standard with a 120Hz IPS display. Both sizes of the Lowkey Grey and Moody Blue variants will have OLED upgrade options, including an OLED touchscreen option for the 15-inchers.
Like the Neo, the IdeaPad Vibe will start with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD storage. Unlike the Neo, you can max it out with up to 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage — single-handedly, if you have the means. Qualcomm-powered IdeaPad Vibes will have user-upgradable SSDs, while AMD models will have expandable SSDs and RAM. If equipped with at least 16GB of memory, they can run Windows' Copilot+ PC AI features.
The IdeaPad Vibe has expandable storage and (on AMD models) upgradable RAM. Credit: LenovoHere's a quick rundown of the rest of the IdeaPad Vibe's specs and features. Note how it's packed with ports:
Integrated graphics
5MP webcam with privacy shutter
Two 2W speakers with Dolby Audio
Island-style keyboard with optional backlighting
Mylar touchpad
Two USB-C ports, two USB-A ports, one HDMI port, a microSD card reader, and a headphone jack
WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4
The IdeaPad Vibe marks the latest in a series of premium-feeling budget laptop launches amid the global memory crisis, starting with the MacBook Neo's market-rattling debut in March. Before the colorful, all-aluminum Neo arrived, cheap laptops were known for having bland plastic builds.
Other new MacBook Neo competitors include the Dell XPS 13 and Acer Swift Air 14. They have the same starting price as the Neo (and now the IdeaPad Vibe), but double the starting storage.
The IdeaPad Vibe is just one of many new devices Lenovo showcased at IFA, among them its first two Nvidia RTX Spark-powered laptops. See the full lineup on Lenovo's news site.
Feminist activist and journalist Gloria Steinem died on Wednesday, according to a post shared on her Instagram account. She was 92.
The news, shared early Thursday, included a recent photo of Steinem and a statement about her life. "Yesterday, Gloria Steinem passed away peacefully at her home in New York City, surrounded by some of the many who loved her. Gloria's near-century on earth were years well-lived, and she continued working for equality until the very end," it began. No cause of death was given.
View this post on InstagramSteinem was a key figure in the feminist movement in the United States, beginning in the 1960s with second-wave feminism. She spoke about gender equality and issues like abortion. She first gained national attention in 1963 when she went undercover as a Playboy bunny and wrote about the experience. Steinem went on to co-found Ms. magazine and remained a prominent voice on gender parity and reproductive rights. Former President Obama awarded Steinhem with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013.
"Gloria's greatest gift was her ability to listen to others, to make others feel seen and heard. Her words, actions, and example gave people permission to be their truest selves. Gloria lived true to her independent spirit, always with curiosity and a great sense of humor," the statement read.
Almost immediately upon the news, fellow feminists, as well as politicians and celebrities, began sharing tributes online.
Writer Roxane Gay commented on the Instagram post, "Gloria was one of a kind. Genuine, generous, curious, thoughtful. She lived a staggering life and her passing is a staggering loss tempered only by the ferocity of her legacy."
"She was our leader," actor and comedian Amy Sedaris commented. "We have to be more like her. Carry her fight."
TV producer Shonda Rhimes commented, "She was fierce and kind and full of grace. What a loss for the world."
"As we elders, our daughters, and our granddaughters continue the fight for power, equality, and respect, we hold you in our hearts with love and gratitude," musician Carole King wrote on Instagram.
View this post on InstagramActor and comedian Sandra Bernhard shared a photo with her and Steinem, writing, "It was an honor to have a conversation with the great [Gloria Steinem.] classy funny she didn't take any punches she had no time to suffer fools & baby she encountered a whole lot of them! Let's honor her life & work & re dedicate it to reclaiming our reproductive rights!"
View this post on InstagramA Well-Trained Wife author, Tia Levings, wrote on Instagram, "If you, like me, grew up hearing that Gloria Steinem was evil, please use this time of her visible impact to educate yourself on her extraordinary life and fight for all women."
View this post on Instagram"Gloria Steinem was a fearless trailblazer who transformed the fight for equality in America and inspired generations of women to know their power," Rep. Nancy Pelosi wrote on X.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed."Meeting heroes always risks disappointment, but knowing Gloria was an honor, where her humor and kindness were matched by a relentless belief that we could be better," former Rep. Stacey Abrams posted on X.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.CNN's chief international anchor, Christiane Amanpour, wrote on X, "Gloria Steinem will go down in history as one of the most important activists of all time, leading a movement for the equality of half the world: its women."
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.Steinhem's activism continued later in life, according to the statement. "She spent her recent years doing the two things she loved most: being in community with others and writing. She has welcomed hundreds of guests into her living room for Talking Circles, a tradition she insisted will continue long after she is no longer with us." Her Instagram account features photos of these Talking Circles, including one from less than two months ago.
President of Run For Something, Amanda Litman, wrote about the Talking Circles in her tribute to Steinem on X: "The two talking circles I went to at her home — the first in August 2024, when I was sweating my ass off 8 months pregnant with my second daughter as we talked about the possibility (again!) of electing the first woman president & the second earlier this year, where after a long convo on the future, I got to give her a copy of my book — were experiences I'll never forget."
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed."Gloria loved the tradition of lighting signal fires on hills to light the way to the other side of the mountain. Lighting your own candle for Gloria makes you part of this global and celestial community circle," the statement read. It also noted that, in lieu of flowers, Steinem asked that anyone wishing to honor her make a donation to Gloria's Foundation, which, among providing fellowships and residencies to people working on social justice projects, also facilitates the Talking Circles.
The death of the prominent feminist comes shortly after the deaths of other beloved figures like Dolly Parton. The last post on the Gloria's Foundation Instagram account prior to today's announcement was an archival photo of her and Parton.
View this post on InstagramTikTok's comment section is about to get a lot more chaotic.
The platform is rolling out a slate of new ways to interact beneath videos, including voice comments, polls, photo carousels, and Live Photos. The four new features expand what users can post beyond text and single image replies, giving TikTok's famously active comment sections even more ways to become part of the content itself.
Those comment sections are already busy. According to the company, more than 1.7 billion comments are posted on the platform every day.
TikTok is bringing voice notes to the comments TikTok's comment section is becoming a group chat. Credit: TikTokPerhaps the biggest change is Voice Comments, which allow users to record and post audio messages up to 60 seconds long directly beneath a video.
That means instead of typing "I'm screaming," you could, theoretically, let everyone hear you scream.
TikTok imagines people using the feature to leave spoken reactions, laugh along with a meme, or even sing back to a music creator. But anyone who's ever opened the comments on a viral TikTok can probably imagine plenty of other possibilities.
Of course, giving TikTok users 60 seconds to say whatever they want could open up new opportunities for harassment and other harmful behavior. TikTok says Voice Comments will be subject to the same Community Guidelines as other content on the platform. The company will use a combination of human and automated moderation tools, including speech-to-text transcription, to detect and remove violations.
Voice Comments will roll out globally over the next month to users 18 and older.
Creators can now poll their comment sections Take it to a vote. Credit: TikTokTikTok is also introducing Comment Polls, which allow creators to launch a poll directly in the comment sections of their videos.
Creators could use them to ask followers what they should post next, settle a debate sparked by a video, or let viewers vote on anything from an outfit to a favorite character.
Unlike Voice Comments, there's no waiting for this one: Comment Polls are available globally starting Sept. 3.
Photo comments are becoming photo dumps Why post one reaction photo when you can post nine? Credit: TikTokTikTok's photo comments are getting an upgrade, too.
With Photo Carousel Comments, users can attach up to nine photos in a single comment. Instead of choosing a single reaction image, commenters can drop an entire photo dump under someone else's video. Photo Carousel Comments will roll out globally over the next month.
There's also Live Photo Comments, which allow users to upload Live Photos directly from their camera rolls. The feature gives viewers a brief glimpse of the movement captured in the image rather than limiting photo replies to static shots. Live Photo Comments are available globally starting Sept. 3.
TikTok wants the comments to be content, tooIf you've spent any time on TikTok, none of this feels entirely surprising. "Opening the comments" has practically become part of the viewing experience.
A video's joke gets extended through hundreds of replies. Viewers add context, tell stories, post reaction images, answer questions, and occasionally write something that becomes more memorable than the original TikTok. Creators, meanwhile, routinely turn comments into prompts for their next videos.
These updates give that behavior even more room to grow. TikTok's comment section can now contain text, photos, photo dumps, Live Photos, polls, and, soon, minute-long voice notes.
It's another sign that TikTok doesn't necessarily see comments as something that happens after the content. Increasingly, the comments are part of the content.
And they're about to get a whole lot louder.
Costco is getting a head start on Labor Day savings, with members already able to find discounts across everything from laptops and Apple products to groceries and everyday essentials. This year, Labor Day falls on Sept. 7, but there’s no need to wait for the official holiday weekend to start shopping for discounts.
If you're planning a Costco run anyway, you might as well save some money while you're there. We've rounded up the best Labor Day deals worth checking out right now. But make sure to act fast, as these deals are only live through Sept. 7.
Best Labor Day Apple deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M5 chip, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $1,849.99 at CostcoWith RAMageddon still plaguing the tech industry, we're tuned into all the price drops on laptops. Right now, get the Apple MacBook Pro (M5 chip, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) for just $1,849.99 at Costco. That's the same low price being offered at Amazon.
The MacBook Pro is one of the most powerful laptops you can buy right now with its M5 chip. It has 16GB of RAM and 1TB SSD, so it can execute high-demand tasks like photo and video editing.
More Labor Day Apple dealsApple Pencil Pro — $99.99 $129 (save $29.01)
Apple AirPods 4 with ANC — $148.99 $179 (save $30.01)
Apple AirPods Pro 3 (Two years of AppleCare+ included) — $229.99 $249 (save $19.01)
Apple iPad (A16 chip, 128GB, WiFi) — $399.99 $449 (save $49.01)
Apple iPad Air, 11-inch (M4 chip, 128GB, WiFi) — $649.99 $749 (save $99.01)
Apple iPad Pro, 13-inch (M5 chip, 256GB, WiFi) — $1,399.99 $1,499 (save $99.01)
Apple MacBook Pro, 16-inch (M5 Pro chip, 24GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $2,759.99 $2,999 (save $239.01)
The Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ has an 11-inch WUXGA display, 6GB of RAM, and 128GB of internal storage, with support for up to 2TB of expandable storage. Its 7,040mAh battery is rated for up to 15 hours of use, while USB-C fast charging, Bluetooth 5.3, and WiFi cover the basics.
More Labor Day Samsung dealsSamsung HW-Q60CF 3.1.2 Ch Soundbar — $349.99 $499.99 (save $150)
Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE — $449.99 $549.99 (save $100)
Galaxy Book4 Edge — $899.99 $1,299.99 (save $400)
The Bose open-ear headphones are designed to let you stay aware of your surroundings while listening, without covering your ears. They have water resistance, up to seven hours of battery life, and a wireless range of 30 feet. The deal also includes a $50 gift card with purchase, with options including Apple and Google Play.
More Labor Day audio dealsBose SoundLink Home Bluetooth Speaker — $129.99 $179.99 (save $50)
Bose QuietComfort SC Noise Canceling Headphones — $199.99 $329.99 (save $130)
Sonos Arc Ultra 9.1.4 Ch Soundbar Bundle — $899.99 $1,099.99 (save $200)
There is no question that the best laptop battery life we've ever tested was the astounding 40 hours on the HP OmniBook 3. It's an exceptional value for budget-conscious frequent travelers and commuters.
Normally $1,199.99, the HP OmniBook 3 is down to $799.99 at Costco, saving you $400. That's a whole lot of savings on a laptop with 16GB of RAM and 1TB SSD.
More Labor Day laptop dealsLenovo IdeaPad Slim 5i, 16-inch (Intel Core Ultra 5, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $699.99 $899.99 (save $200)
Dell Touchscreen, 15.6-inch (Intel Core Ultra 7 255U, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $799.99 $1,099.99 (save $300)
Samsung Galaxy Book 4 Edge, 14-inch (Snapdragon X Elite 12 Core, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $899.99 $1,299.99 (save $400)
Asus Vivobook Flip, 16-inch (Intel Core Ultra 7 Series 2, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,099.99 $1,499.99 (save $400)
SAVE $102: As of Sept. 3, Samsung's 43-inch QN70H Mini-LED Neo QLED 4K TV is on sale at Amazon for $497.99. That's 17% or over $100 off its list price of $599.99 and its lowest price on record.
Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 43-inch QN70H Mini-LED Neo QLED 4K TV $497.99 at AmazonLabor Day 2026 is proving to be one of the best times of the year to buy a new TV. If you've been waiting for prices to drop before the new NFL season kicks off and don't want to wait until Black Friday, now's the time to pull the trigger. For those looking to upgrade their bedroom TV or seeking a smaller screen for another room in your home, the 43-inch Samsung QN70H should do the trick.
As of Sept. 3, the Samsung 43-inch QN70H Mini-LED Neo QLED 4K TV is only $497.99 during Amazon's Labor Day Sale. That's not only over $100 off its list price of $599.99, but it's also its lowest price on record.
The QN70H is Samsung's mid-range Neo QLED model, falling in between the QN80H and M80H. It features mini LEDs with quantum dots for a vast range of colors and, paired with its matte display, is a vibrant choice with deep contrast for a bright room. It has Motion Xcelerator 144Hz technology, which makes it a buttery-smooth pick for gamers. Plus, thanks to Samsung Vision AI Companion with Bixby, you'll be able to tailor your picture and elevate the sound to your liking. Want the background noises at a minimum and the dialogue boosted? Done.
While the QN70H is not quite the fanciest TV in Samsung's lineup, it certainly won't disappoint. It's still a Samsung, after all, which is one of our favorite TV brands. And for less than $500, it's an incredible value.
You don't have to look very far on the internet to find someone, somewhere, who is really upset about Final Fantasy games not having turn-based combat anymore.
Final Fantasy games haven’t had it for 25 years, to be clear, but that doesn't stop people from yearning for a time before you had to get good at combos to finish a Final Fantasy. I totally get it, too, as turn-based combat kicks ass. On top of that, the recent success of games like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is, if nothing else, a sign that people still vibe with it on some level.
Final Fantasy Resonance, which launches on every major platform on Oct. 22, feels like it exists for two reasons: to please longtime FF fans and to make sure the mobile game Brave Exvius — which Resonance is based on — lives on in some form.
I have not played Brave Exvius, but after playing roughly an hour of Resonance at a preview event a couple of weeks ago, I can confirm that the foundations on which Final Fantasy was originally built are still structurally sound. As to whether or not it can transcend its mobile game origins, well, we'll have to wait and see.
SEE ALSO: 'Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave' feels like the true follow-up to 'Three Houses' Final Fantasy Resonance has all your favorite guys in it You've got four people in your party, but really, you've got eight. Credit: Square EnixFirst, some context is in order. Final Fantasy: Brave Exvius came out on mobile devices about a decade ago, and it's one of those phone games where you use currency to do fake slot machine pulls to unlock characters, many — but not all — of whom are plucked from the rest of the FF series. My understanding is that Resonance is largely an new game built like a traditional console RPG, but it's definitely been built using some assets and systems from Brave Exvius.
The demo I played didn't give me a great idea of what to expect from the story, but from what I can tell, the main character is a blonde dude with a big sword named Rain. That's the most Final Fantasy thing possible. They should start naming characters in the mainline games after weather again.
Anyway, you have a conventional party of original characters, but characters from older games in the series are present in spirit form. You can unlock them by finding shrines in the overworld and completing little trivia challenges based on the game each character comes from. In the demo, I unlocked Noctis from Final Fantasy XV, but looking through the menus, I could see that they have characters from good games in there, too.
Yep, that's an overworld. Credit: Square EnixWhen you're not fighting — we'll get to that shortly — Resonance plays like an RPG from yesteryear. You run around an overworld full of towns, dungeons, and random battles. There are side quests to complete and a big icon that always points toward the next story objective. I played through one major story dungeon that was fairly linear and simplistic, but the demo also seemed to take place early in the game, so I imagine the dungeons aren’t all like that.
Resonance is also rendered in Square Enix's now-signature "HD2D" look, which was most recently used in Octopath Traveler 0 and The Adventures of Elliot. Based on what I played, this is one of the better-looking HD2D games, but there's one caveat: There are pre-rendered CG cutscenes in combat that very clearly come from the mobile game.
On the one hand, I think it's kind of cool for the game to briefly play a video in a completely different art style during fights, but on the other, the cutscenes really look like they came from a phone game. They don't even have English voice acting, despite the rest of the game having it. The transition from mobile free-to-play RPG to console game isn’t totally seamless here. That's forgivable, but it is noticeable.
The combat mixes old-school sensibilities with modern design conventionsLet's talk about fights, which seem like they will make up the bulk of Resonance's gameplay. That's a good thing because I really dug what I played at the preview.
If you've ever played Final Fantasy VI or one of the other games from that era, you'll be right at home here. Fights are turn-based with zero real-time elements, so you have all the time in the world to strategize and make decisions. Each fight is an exercise in figuring out which elemental spells your enemies are weak against. This requires either a slow trial-and-error process, or using a turn to cast Assess and just have the game tell you.
One of my favorite details is that Resonance lets you use every single offensive or restorative spell either on individual characters or groups. That's a holdover from the old games that fell out of favor decades ago, but I always thought it was cool that you could use a healing spell on every ally instead of just one, at the expense of some potency.
As for why all of those old FF characters are in this game, their main function is to provide statistical buffs and additional combat skills to your core party members. You can, for example, assign Cloud from Final Fantasy VII to any character, such as Rain. Cloud has his own set of skills and stat bonuses that will be available to Rain for as long as Cloud is attached to him. Each classic FF character can be freely swapped among the new party members, so figuring out the best fit for each encounter seems like it's going to be a major part of the combat experience.
This guy was a real jerk. Credit: Square EnixLastly, because it's a modern Square Enix RPG, enemies all have stagger meters that fill up when you attack their weaknesses. Stagger an enemy and they'll be stunned for a turn while taking more damage than usual. Stagger every enemy in an enounter simultaneously, and you can unleash a big, screen-filling super attack from one of the classic FF characters, which triggers the CG cutscenes I mentioned earlier. I like this feature in pretty much every Square Enix game that has it, but it definitely stands out as a modern idea inserted into an otherwise old-school game.
The best thing I can say about Resonance's combat is that it seems genuinely challenging. I fought a story boss that took around 15 minutes to kill, and there were some close calls throughout the fight. I like a turn-based battle that makes me sweat a little bit.
My time with Final Fantasy Resonance was largely positive, but there are still some unanswered questions. Is the story any good? Will I find myself caring at all about Rain and his friends? Will it overstay its welcome with a bloated runtime like some modern RPGs, or will it be more akin to its 8 and 16-bit inspirations in that regard? We'll find out together in October.
SAVE $30: As of Sept. 3, the Fire TV Stick 4K Select is on sale for $19.99 at Amazon. That's a $30 discount from its full price of $49.99.
Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Select $19.99 at AmazonLabor Day sales are a real treat for shoppers who don't want to wait until Black Friday and the holidays to score some good deals. Amazon's been particularly great with discounts so far, including devices like the Fire TV Stick 4K Select, which recently saw a price hike. As of Sept. 3, this streaming stick has been slashed to just $19.99.
Compared to its newly increased full price of $49.99, that means you save $30 overall. Price tracker camelcamelcamel even shows that this deal price is just a couple of dollars away from the retailer's lowest-ever price of $17.99, so this is an excellent time to grab it if your streaming setup is in need of an upgrade.
SEE ALSO: Best Buy's Labor Day 2026 Sale is live: Shop deals on Apple, headphones, laptops, and moreAmazon's streaming sticks offer several 4K options, but the 4K Select is the line's entry-level pick. If you're making the jump from HD streaming, this device can deliver a higher-quality picture with support for 4K Ultra HD resolution and High Dynamic Range 10+. It also supports WiFi 5 for smooth streaming and comes with 8GB of storage to store your favorite apps.
You can even play Xbox games via cloud gaming with Xbox Game Pass, though you will need a subscription and a compatible controller to fully jump in on the action. On top of that, the Alexa Voice Remote makes searching for your next favorite show or movie simple and easy, just by using your voice.
As we head into the Labor Day weekend, deals like this may not be around for long. If this Fire TV Stick 4K Select has caught your eye, be quick to save on it at Amazon.
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