Instagram is rolling out some more DM updates, as it continues to focus on building out its messaging features, in line with usage shifts.
First off, Instagram’s adding new filters to your inbox, so you can easily sort your messages based on variable parameters,
As you can see in these examples, you’ll now be able to sort your DMs by:
Story replies
Unread
Unanswered
Followers
Verified users
To be clear, Instagram added various DM filters for Creator accounts last November (including the Verified filter), but it’s now giving a wider range of users access to even more inbox filters, to help ensure that you’re able to stay across the most important messages for your efforts.
You’ll also be able to add or remove any filter (other than “Requests”), while you’ll also be able to customize your shortcuts, by rearranging the order of the pills at the top of your inbox, giving you even more ways to manage your IG DMs.
In addition to this, Instagram’s also giving users the capacity to create their own DM folders (via the “Folders” option), which will provide another way to maintain your messages.
So really, these are admin-focused updates, which will be helpful for those who get a lot of DMs, as opposed to functional changes in how the app works.
Which could be valuable. Instagram users are now far more likely to engage within their messages than via Stories or their main feed, and as such, being able to meet them where they are, and interact with them via the surface they feel most comfortable engaging with, could be a big boost.
Messaging is the most common usage trend in the app, and as such, there would be a lot of creators and brands, in particular, who are being overwhelmed by their DMs.
Instagram says that these updates will be made available to all Professional accounts and personal accounts with more than 100K followers.
By Tom Lotshaw ( August 29, 2025, 8:45 PM EDT) — Epic Games Inc. urged a North Carolina federal judge to throw out a suit alleging that player-to-player messaging options in its popular Fortnite video game infringe patents held by a California company….
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Tencent, China’s top game developer, is expanding overseas for long-term growth amid a stagnating home market, seeking more foreign players for its own games alongside heavy investment in other intellectual properties.
The risks of the company’s reliance on its home market were underscored in an unusual trial on August 12 in Shenzhen, revolving around Tencent’s Honor of Kings, the world’s top-grossing mobile game. Launched in 2015, Honor of Kings is still going strong, bringing in roughly USD 1 billion between January and June, according to US-based AppMagic.
In the game, players are matched up together to battle opponents. The plaintiff claimed that this service is manipulated to pair people on winning streaks with weaker players, and demanded that Tencent disclose the algorithm. The company refused, citing the risk that the information could be abused.
Tencent’s game business generates about 30% of its revenue, with around two-thirds of that coming from China, thanks to titles like Honor of Kings. If the court rules that the matchmaking algorithm was manipulated to break winning streaks, and fans shun the game, it would deal a heavy blow.
Long-running games like Honor of Kings are a major driver of April-June earnings released on August 13, which showed group revenue growing 15% on the year to RMB 184.5 billion (USD 25.8 billion) and net profit rising 17% to RMB 55.6 billion (USD 7.8 billion).
Though the company has been coming out with a slew of new games, it still has yet to find a successor to Honor of Kings, a key challenge to ensure sustainable growth.
Sensor Tower’s June mobile game revenue ranking for China was led by Honor of Kings, followed by PUBG Mobile, also published by Tencent. Dungeon & Fighter Mobile and Delta Force, which came out last year, ranked eighth and ninth, respectively.
Chinese research firm Gamma Data has noted a rise in new releases. Chinese regulators approved the release of about 810 games in the first half of this year, around 20% more than a year earlier, in what may be a bid to revitalize the market.
The total number of gamers, however, sits at about 679 million, not much changed from a few years ago. Tencent executives have said for some time that they want more than half their game revenue to come from outside China.
So far, Tencent has prioritized acquiring big IPs overseas and launching them in China, where it can leverage its established base. That strategy was supported by a fast-growing domestic market. Now that it is becoming saturated, the company aims to use popular IP to expand globally.
In March, Tencent reached a deal to take a 25% stake in a new subsidiary of French publisher Ubisoft for popular franchises such as Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry. In June, speculation resurfaced about a possible acquisition of Japan’s Nexon, which produced Dungeon & Fighter Mobile.
In addition to this aggressive investment strategy, Tencent is also working on making games tailored to local markets, which do not incur the licensing fees that come with tapping the IPs of its investees.
Its Level Infinite brand, based in Singapore and the Netherlands, handles global publishing of games produced by Tencent-affiliated developers. The company is working to localize its games to make them more appealing to particular markets.
Competition overseas is intense. Sensor Tower’s list of the 10 top-grossing mobile games in Japan in June included Whiteout Survival from China-based Century Games. Games from Chinese developer Mihoyo, best known for Genshin Impact, also ranked high, but no Tencent titles were present.
Mihoyo’s strategy has focused on the global market since it was established in 2012. The company earns more than half its revenue outside China, according to Chinese media, compared with around 30% for Tencent.
Dealing with concerns about IP rights will be a must for Tencent to succeed abroad. Sony Group recently sued the company, alleging that a game it was developing imitated Sony’s Horizon series.
This article first appeared on Nikkei Asia. It has been republished here as part of 36Kr’s ongoing partnership with Nikkei.
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A new evolutionary technique from Japan-based AI lab Sakana AI enables developers to augment the capabilities of AI models without costly training and fine-tuning processes. The technique, called Model Merging of Natural Niches (M2N2), overcomes the limitations of other model merging methods and can even evolve new models entirely from scratch.
M2N2 can be applied to different types of machine learning models, including large language models (LLMs) and text-to-image generators. For enterprises looking to build custom AI solutions, the approach offers a powerful and efficient way to create specialized models by combining the strengths of existing open-source variants.
What is model merging?
Model merging is a technique for integrating the knowledge of multiple specialized AI models into a single, more capable model. Instead of fine-tuning, which refines a single pre-trained model using new data, merging combines the parameters of several models simultaneously. This process can consolidate a wealth of knowledge into one asset without requiring expensive, gradient-based training or access to the original training data.
For enterprise teams, this offers several practical advantages over traditional fine-tuning. In comments to VentureBeat, the paper’s authors said model merging is a gradient-free process that only requires forward passes, making it computationally cheaper than fine-tuning, which involves costly gradient updates. Merging also sidesteps the need for carefully balanced training data and mitigates the risk of “catastrophic forgetting,” where a model loses its original capabilities after learning a new task. The technique is especially powerful when the training data for specialist models isn’t available, as merging only requires the model weights themselves.
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Early approaches to model merging required significant manual effort, as developers adjusted coefficients through trial and error to find the optimal blend. More recently, evolutionary algorithms have helped automate this process by searching for the optimal combination of parameters. However, a significant manual step remains: developers must set fixed sets for mergeable parameters, such as layers. This restriction limits the search space and can prevent the discovery of more powerful combinations.
How M2N2 works
M2N2 addresses these limitations by drawing inspiration from evolutionary principles in nature. The algorithm has three key features that allow it to explore a wider range of possibilities and discover more effective model combinations.
Model Merging of Natural Niches Source: arXiv
First, M2N2 eliminates fixed merging boundaries, such as blocks or layers. Instead of grouping parameters by pre-defined layers, it uses flexible “split points” and “mixing ration” to divide and combine models. This means that, for example, the algorithm might merge 30% of the parameters in one layer from Model A with 70% of the parameters from the same layer in Model B. The process starts with an “archive” of seed models. At each step, M2N2 selects two models from the archive, determines a mixing ratio and a split point, and merges them. If the resulting model performs well, it is added back to the archive, replacing a weaker one. This allows the algorithm to explore increasingly complex combinations over time. As the researchers note, “This gradual introduction of complexity ensures a wider range of possibilities while maintaining computational tractability.”
Second, M2N2 manages the diversity of its model population through competition. To understand why diversity is crucial, the researchers offer a simple analogy: “Imagine merging two answer sheets for an exam… If both sheets have exactly the same answers, combining them does not make any improvement. But if each sheet has correct answers for different questions, merging them gives a much stronger result.” Model merging works the same way. The challenge, however, is defining what kind of diversity is valuable. Instead of relying on hand-crafted metrics, M2N2 simulates competition for limited resources. This nature-inspired approach naturally rewards models with unique skills, as they can “tap into uncontested resources” and solve problems others can’t. These niche specialists, the authors note, are the most valuable for merging.
Third, M2N2 uses a heuristic called “attraction” to pair models for merging. Rather than simply combining the top-performing models as in other merging algorithms, it pairs them based on their complementary strengths. An “attraction score” identifies pairs where one model performs well on data points that the other finds challenging. This improves both the efficiency of the search and the quality of the final merged model.
M2N2 in action
The researchers tested M2N2 across three different domains, demonstrating its versatility and effectiveness.
The first was a small-scale experiment evolving neural network–based image classifiers from scratch on the MNIST dataset. M2N2 achieved the highest test accuracy by a substantial margin compared to other methods. The results showed that its diversity-preservation mechanism was key, allowing it to maintain an archive of models with complementary strengths that facilitated effective merging while systematically discarding weaker solutions.
Next, they applied M2N2 to LLMs, combining a math specialist model (WizardMath-7B) with an agentic specialist (AgentEvol-7B), both of which are based on the Llama 2 architecture. The goal was to create a single agent that excelled at both math problems (GSM8K dataset) and web-based tasks (WebShop dataset). The resulting model achieved strong performance on both benchmarks, showcasing M2N2’s ability to create powerful, multi-skilled models.
A model merge with M2N2 combines the best of both seed models Source: arXiv
Finally, the team merged diffusion-based image generation models. They combined a model trained on Japanese prompts (JSDXL) with three Stable Diffusion models primarily trained on English prompts. The objective was to create a model that combined the best image generation capabilities of each seed model while retaining the ability to understand Japanese. The merged model not only produced more photorealistic images with better semantic understanding but also developed an emergent bilingual ability. It could generate high-quality images from both English and Japanese prompts, even though it was optimized exclusively using Japanese captions.
For enterprises that have already developed specialist models, the business case for merging is compelling. The authors point to new, hybrid capabilities that would be difficult to achieve otherwise. For example, merging an LLM fine-tuned for persuasive sales pitches with a vision model trained to interpret customer reactions could create a single agent that adapts its pitch in real-time based on live video feedback. This unlocks the combined intelligence of multiple models with the cost and latency of running just one.
Looking ahead, the researchers see techniques like M2N2 as part of a broader trend toward “model fusion.” They envision a future where organizations maintain entire ecosystems of AI models that are continuously evolving and merging to adapt to new challenges.
“Think of it like an evolving ecosystem where capabilities are combined as needed, rather than building one giant monolith from scratch,” the authors suggest.
The researchers have released the code of M2N2 on GitHub.
The biggest hurdle to this dynamic, self-improving AI ecosystem, the authors believe, is not technical but organizational. “In a world with a large ‘merged model’ made up of open-source, commercial, and custom components, ensuring privacy, security, and compliance will be a critical problem.” For businesses, the challenge will be figuring out which models can be safely and effectively absorbed into their evolving AI stack.
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TCL is getting ready to unveil a new smartphone at IFA in Berlin in the next few days, it seems. The device, called NxtPaper 60 Ultra 5G, has now been listed by Amazon Germany ahead of the official announcement.
The listing tells us that the device has a 7.2-inch FHD+ NxtPaper screen with 120Hz refresh rate, 12GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and a “long lasting battery” that unfortunately isn’t detailed any further.
In the box you only get a USB-C cable, no charger. The phone runs Android 15, disappointingly since Android 16 was released by Google in June. Amazon is going to offer the device unlocked, with 5G support, in Nebula Black.
The NxtPaper 60 Ultra’s release date is September 5 according to the retailer, and so that might also be the date on which it’s made official by TCL. Stay tuned.
No Shortcuts With C difficile: What Electronic Hand Hygiene Reminders Tell Us About Hand Washing Prevention
Clostridioides difficile (C diff) remains a leading healthcare-associated infection, but a case study from a 400-bed US hospital demonstrated that electronic hand hygiene monitoring systems (EHHMS) with real-time reminders can significantly improve compliance and reduce infection rates. Between 2017 and 2020, the system tracked more than 20,000 handwashing events in C diff rooms: 58.7% were performed correctly without prompting, 28.9% initially attempted sanitizer use but were redirected to soap and water, and 12.4% required timed reminders to wash. Implementation was associated with a >50% reduction in C diff cases within one year and an 84% reduction over four years, earning the hospital safety and innovation awards. While the study was limited to a single facility and long-term behavior change remains uncertain without monitoring, the findings underscore the importance of room-specific prompts and electronic reinforcement in closing persistent gaps between hand hygiene policy and practice.
UNC’s Global Laboratory Attracts Researchers, Leads to Discoveries Around HIV Prevention and Treatment
The University of North Carolina’s Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases (IGHID) continues to play a leading role in HIV prevention and treatment research through its Global Clinical Trials Unit (CTU), which operates across the southeastern United States, Malawi, and Vietnam. Joseph Eron, MD, codirector of UNC’s CTU and division chief of infectious diseases, highlighted the unit’s involvement in the landmark PURPOSE 2 and 3 trials of lenacapavir for HIV preexposure prophylaxis, which demonstrated near-perfect protection and contributed to the drug’s FDA approval earlier this summer. PURPOSE 2, conducted in the US and South America, and PURPOSE 3, conducted exclusively in the US among women at risk, transgender individuals, and men who have sex with men, showed only a handful of infections among thousands of participants; trials in Africa reported no transmissions. Lenacapavir currently provides protection for up to 6 months, with studies under way to extend efficacy to 12 months. Eron emphasized the global-to-local impact of CTU’s work, noting that lessons learned abroad inform care in North Carolina, while also attracting top infectious disease recruits who seek to blend clinical practice with research.
FDA Approves Moderna’s Updated COVID-19 Vaccines Targeting LP.8.1 Variant for Fall 2025
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Moderna’s updated COVID-19 vaccines, Spikevax® and mNEXSPIKE®, for the 2025–2026 respiratory virus season, authorizing protection against the LP.8.1 variant of SARS-CoV-2. Spikevax is indicated for adults ≥65 years and for individuals aged 6 months–64 years with at least one high-risk condition, while mNEXSPIKE is approved for adults ≥65 years and for those aged 12–64 with high-risk conditions. The approval, announced August 27, 2025, follows data showing COVID-19 caused nearly 500,000 US hospitalizations last year, with experts emphasizing the updated vaccines as the most effective strategy to prevent severe outcomes in older and immunocompromised patients. Moderna reports that ongoing strain monitoring supports strong cross-neutralization against circulating variants, with clinical data expected soon, and additional regulatory approvals already granted in Canada, Europe, Japan, and Switzerland.
Biopreparedness Exercises Look to Contain High-Consequence Infectious Disease Outbreaks
The University of North Carolina’s Special Pathogens Response Center (SPARC), one of 13 federally designated centers for high-consequence infectious diseases (HCID), is leading national preparedness exercises to strengthen the US response to threats such as Ebola, Lassa fever, and novel coronaviruses. William A. Fischer II, MD, director of emerging pathogens at UNC, explained that HCIDs are defined by high transmissibility, limited countermeasures, and high mortality, requiring rapid isolation and specialized infection control. Recent training initiatives, including the federal “Tranquil Passport” exercise and UNC’s interdisciplinary biocontainment simulations, tested readiness for patient transport, quarantine, and emergency interventions. These efforts demonstrated improved coordination among pediatric specialists, infectious disease experts, and surgical teams, with David Wohl, MD, noting the US is now “in much better shape” to handle HCID threats. Both Fischer and Wohl drew on experience from West Africa Ebola responses to stress that emerging pathogens are becoming more frequent and larger in scope, underscoring the need for specialized regional networks and continuous hospital preparedness.
Protecting Older Adults From Severe COVID-19
Older adults remain at the highest risk for severe COVID-19, accounting for approximately 70% of hospitalizations and 90% of deaths in the United States, according to Juanita Mora, MD, an allergist and immunologist in Chicago. Mora emphasized vaccination as the most important defense, with masking as an added layer of protection, and highlighted that half of older adults hospitalized with COVID-19 develop long-term complications including respiratory, neurological, or cardiac sequelae. To address misinformation and increase uptake, she has engaged in bilingual outreach, social media advocacy, and community partnerships, including a free vaccine clinic with Walgreens and the American Lung Association in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood. Mora urged clinicians to encourage vaccination against COVID-19, influenza, and RSV ahead of the holiday season to protect vulnerable populations, particularly grandparents and multigenerational households.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -WhatsApp said Friday it discovered an advanced cyberespionage effort that took advantage of a chain of security vulnerabilities in the app and Apple devices to hack them.
A researcher with Amnesty International said unidentified members of civic groups appeared to be among those impacted.
In a brief statement, the Meta Platforms-owned communications service said it had patched the security vulnerability that allowed hackers to take advantage of a second vulnerability on Apple devices and hijack the machines. In a statement, WhatsApp said that fewer than 200 users worldwide had potentially been impacted.
Donncha O Cearbhaill, who heads Amnesty’s Security Lab, told Reuters that his group was starting to collect forensic data from potential victims.
In a post on X, he said that initial signs were that the hacking “was impacting both iPhone and Android users, civil society individuals among them.” He said other apps beyond WhatsApp may also have been affected.
(Reporting by Raphael Satter; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
The iPhone 16 series dropped last year with the same US prices as the iPhone 15 series. But the iPhone 17 might come with the first price increase in years.
James Martin/CNET
Apple will announce new iPhone 17 phones at its annual fall event on Sept. 9, showing off new features of iOS 26, possible camera updates and new case designs — all leading up to a dramatic price reveal. And this year that figure could be $50 higher for the iPhone 17 Pro models, based on a rumor surfaced on the Chinese social media site Weibo from a user named Instant Digital (Setsuna Digital).
That corroborates an earlier prediction from Jefferies analyst Edison Lee, who says that the iPhone 17 Air (17 Slim), 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max will get a $50 price increase to offset the higher costs of components and tariffs, as reported by Business Insider. He didn’t mention the regular iPhone 17 getting a price hike. If true, that would mean that the starting prices for the iPhone 17 series will be:
iPhone 17 – $829
iPhone 17 Air – $979
iPhone 17 Pro – $1,049
iPhone 17 Pro Max – $1,249
Instant Digital also thinks that the baseline iPhone 17 Pro will come with 256GB of storage instead of 128GB like the iPhone 16 Pro.
Since what President Donald Trump touted as “Liberation Day,” the possible effect of tariffs on the iPhone’s price has been widely discussed. And yet, despite tariffs and politics, iPhone prices have remained the same so far this year. News on the price hikes follows a May report by The Wall Street Journal that Apple is considering a price increase and could attribute the rise to new and updated features instead of tariffs. But the launch of the rumored iPhone 17 this fall will likely come with a higher price, no matter what Trump says or does.
Apple is the third-largest company in the US, and most of its products are manufactured in China. Clearly, the iPhone’s ubiquity has made it a symbol for the ongoing uncertainty of the US economy and politics. But even without higher component costs or tariffs, the iPhone has been overdue for a price increase. The last price increase was five years ago.
From left: the iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max. Regardless of everything that’s occurred in 2025, the price of the phones has remained the same.
James Martin/CNET
Historically, five years is the longest stretch of time Apple has gone without an increase since the five years between the iPhone 5 and the iPhone 7, which ended with the iPhone 8 launching at a higher cost. We can learn a lot by looking at how the company has handled earlier price hikes (and a one-time drop) and what that means for the iPhone 17.
To figure out how likely we are for a price hike, I grouped iPhone models into a few categories: the standard, the flagships and the behemoths. The standard includes models like the original iPhone, the iPhone 8, the iPhone XR and the iPhone 16. The flagships include variants like the iPhone X, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro. And the behemoth’s designation is for phones like the iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone XS Max and iPhone 16 Pro Max. There are other versions that Apple sold, like the iPhone 5C, the SE series, the iPhone Mini line and the current iPhone Plus line, that don’t factor into this analysis. Also, I use the US starting price for each iPhone before any carrier discounts are applied. Let’s dive in.
Standard iPhone prices
The iPhone 16 launched in 2025 with a starting price of $829, the same as the iPhone 12 did in 2020.
James Martin/CNET
Since its debut in 2007, the standard iPhone has had four price increases and one correction. Many folks might remember paying $199 for the original iPhone, but in reality, the phone cost $499 off-contract. In 2008, Apple raised the price $100 with the launch of the iPhone 3G to $599, where it would stay for four years. Then, in 2012, the iPhone 5 was introduced with a taller, 4-inch screen and a higher $649 price tag.
Fast-forward to 2017, the 10th anniversary of the iPhone, and the iPhone 8 debuted at a cost of $699, a $50 increase. Every year between 2017 and 2019, the price for the standard iPhone changed. In 2018, the iPhone XR launched at $749. The following year, the iPhone 11 came out, and the price dropped back to $699. And what makes that drop interesting is that the iPhone 11 was the first standard Apple phone with two rear cameras: a wide-angle and ultrawide. Up till then, all other standard iPhone models had only a single rear camera. From 2007 to 2019, when Apple increased prices, it was in $50 increments, except between the first and second iPhone models.
Then 2020 happened. It was a wild year for the iPhone and everyone because of the pandemic. But Apple managed to launch the iPhone 12, which cost $829, marking the largest increase for the standard iPhone: $130. Subsequent models all had the same price: The iPhone 13, 14, 15 and 16 all cost $829.
If Apple follows its previous pattern, then the standard iPhone is due for a price increase. The last increase was in 2020, five years ago, and Apple has never gone six years without a price hike on the standard model. But will the company slowly increase the price over a few years like it did between the iPhone 7, 8 and XR? Or will it go all in like it did with the iPhone 12?
The standard iPhone is Apple’s most popular, and it’s safe to expect that the iPhone 17 will cost more (and would have even if Trump hadn’t been elected). Now we just need to wonder how much tariffs and politics might drive the price up even more.
The flagship: iPhone Pro model prices
The iPhone 16 Pro came out in 2024 with a starting price of $999, the same as the 2017 iPhone X.
James Martin/CNET
Apple hasn’t always had an iPhone Pro variant but it did starting in 2017 with the launch of the iPhone X, which had a starting price of $999. The phone debuted next to the $699 iPhone 8, making the 8’s $50 increase seem like nothing.
But here’s where things get interesting. Apple has never raised the price on the iPhone Pro model. The iPhone X, XS, 11 Pro, 12 Pro, 13 Pro, 14 Pro, 15 Pro and 16 Pro all cost $999. That’s eight years without a price increase!
What’s even more shocking is when you correct for inflation: the 2017 iPhone X’s $999 price would be $1,298 in 2025, according to the Consumer Price Index Inflation calculator. The iPhone Pro is overdue for a price hike, and I expect the iPhone 17 Pro to cost more.
The behemoths: iPhone Plus, Max and Pro Max prices
The iPhone 16 Pro (left) and iPhone 16 Pro Max.
James Martin/CNET
Since 2014, Apple has sold a big version of the iPhone. Some of these were nothing more than a larger version of the standard iPhone with a bigger screen and battery as well as some minor differences, like the iPhone 6 Plus having optical image stabilization on its camera while the iPhone 6 didn’t. But beginning with the iPhone 7 Plus, the larger version started having “pro” features, like a second rear camera and portrait mode.
In terms of pricing, the iPhone 6 Plus debuted at $749, which was $100 more than the iPhone 6. And that $749 price stuck around for the iPhone 6S Plus and 7 Plus. In 2017, Apple had three iPhone models: the $699 iPhone 8, the $749 iPhone 8 Plus (a $50 increase from the 7 Plus) and the $999 iPhone X.
In 2018, Apple launched the $1,099 iPhone XS Max, which I consider the true successor to the initial iPhone Plus line. That means the big iPhone got a $350 increase in a single year, the largest Apple has ever made. I admit some people might not think the XS Max is a follow-up to the Plus and would deem it an entirely new iPhone variant. But this is my commentary.
Like the iPhone Pro, the Max and Pro Max would have the same price for years. In 2023, Apple raised the barrier of entry for the Pro Max model and didn’t offer a $1,099 version of the iPhone 15 Pro Max with 128GB of storage. Instead, you had to pay $1,199 for the 256GB variant, which technically cost the same as the iPhone 14 Pro Max with 256GB of storage.
The iPhone 17 and 17 Pro’s prices
No one knows how much the rumored iPhone 17 will cost, except Apple.
Apple/Viva Tung/CNET
Even without tariffs, it’s safe to assume that the iPhone 17 lineup’s prices will be higher for some models. But when you factor in everything that’s happened this year, it’s hard to gauge just how much the price will go up and whether that’ll affect just one or two models, or apply across the entire iPhone 17 line.
This year, Apple raised the price on its most affordable model. Although it lacks the SE branding of the previous low-cost iPhone, the iPhone 16E came with a $599 price tag, $170 more than the $429 iPhone SE (2022).
Apple doesn’t talk about unreleased products or their prices. But we do have an unusual-for-Apple clue as to how these tariffs could affect the company.
“Assuming the current global tariff rates, policies and applications do not change for the balance of the quarter and no new tariffs are added, we estimate the impact to add $900 million to our costs,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said during a quarterly earnings call on May 1.
Obviously, that $900 million number wasn’t just for the iPhone but for all Apple products. And that was three weeks before Trump threatened another tariff aimed purely at the iPhone. But $900 million is a lot for any company to swallow and eventually that added cost will need to be recouped. That usually means higher prices, even if Apple is pressured by Trump to attribute the increase to “new designs and features.”
If there’s one thing for certain, we’ll know exactly what those prices will be when Apple launches the next generation of iPhone models at its September event.
SAVE $20: As of Aug. 29, the Amazon Fire Stick 4K is on sale for $29.99 at Amazon. This deal saves you 40% on list price.
The Amazon Fire TV Stick is back on sale, and this time shoppers can save $20 on list price. This is one of Amazon’s most popular devices, and it’s easy to see why.
As of Aug. 29, the Fire TV Stick 4K is on sale for just $29.99. With NFL kickoff fast approaching, this could be the best time to buy.
SEE ALSO:
Get ready for NFL kickoff with these deals on massive 100-inch TVs
Once the Fire TV Stick 4K is plugged in, you get access to platforms like Prime Video, Netflix, Hulu, and more without hassle. All you need is an HDMI port, and you’re good to go. It’s like turning your TV into a smart TV without the pricey upgrade. Or if you already have a smart TV, you can make the switch to the Fire operating system (aka, get all your apps and streaming channels in one place).
The Fire TV Stick comes with a remote that has Alexa built in, so you can use voice control to search through multiple streaming platforms at once. You can also use it to communicate with other smart home devices you own, such as a robot vacuum.
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There’s no over-the-top setup to worry about either; these handy remotes are so simple to use. Just pop the device into your TV or laptop HDMI port, and that’s it. You have instant access to a range of streaming platforms as well as many live channels and apps.
Convinced? Get this heavily discounted Fire Stick from Amazon and stream the NFL without the stress.
