📸 Apple releases official photos from the iPhone 18 Pro launch day in NY and beyond

📍At the Apple Fifth Avenue store, customers were greeted by much of Apple's top brass: John Ternus, Greg Joswiak, Deirdre O'Brien, Molly Anderson, Steve Lemay, and Lily Rincon.

📱 The first buyers didn't just pick up their pre-orders, but also got hands-on time with the new lineup and tips on how to use the latest features.

@iPhone

😒 But Mark Gurman isn't inspired

📱 He says we shouldn't bother upgrading to the iPhone 18 Pro if you're already on the previous model. Social media is flooded with glowing reviews from tech bloggers right now, but a lot of that "excitement" is reportedly just paid promo dressed up as organic content — deals struck in exchange for early units, not real enthusiasm.

🤷‍♂️ He doesn't spell out exactly what's underwhelming about the 18 Pro itself. Probably because the upgrades are just that minor.

@iPhone

🔗 Google made a "MacBook" for Android and called it... Googlebook

📰 Google teamed up with Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP and Lenovo to ship the thing Android has been missing for a decade: a real ecosystem partner for your phone = their answer to iPhone + MacBook.

📱 Apple: iPhone + MacBook, Handoff, AirDrop, Universal Control
📱 Google: Android + Googlebook, Continue On, Files, Cast My Apps
Same idea, just with Gemini instead of Siri.

• One standout detail is a glowing strip on the chassis called Glowbar. Right now it only shows battery level, but Google's open-sourcing it for devs, so expect custom indicators from enthusiasts pretty quickly.

• So Android finally gets its own little "macOS moment." The real question is whether the partners can hold a consistent quality bar the way Apple does, or whether this turns into the usual mess — a dozen similar-but-different laptops.

📅 On shelves starting October 4.

@DailyApple

🎙 Apple opens its own concert venue Apple Music Hall

📍 The venue is located at London's Battersea Power Station, right under Apple's European headquarters, and holds 600 people.

🎵 Both big-name artists and up-and-coming bands will perform on stage. All shows are set to be filmed and streamed live via Apple Music.

🔔 The visitors can already sign up for updates on upcoming events on the Apple Music Hall website.

@DailyApple