Apple just raised the prices across its key products, excluding iPhones for now. The company’s CEO has recently signaled an upcoming price bump, and the first wave is already here, targeting laptops and tablets.

Analyst MarkGurman reports that prices of select Apple products have been hiked by up to $300 in the US, but iPhones remain unaffected. How long the most trending gadgets stay away from a price bump remains to be seen.

Apple has increased the prices of MacBook laptops and iPad tablets. The company’s recently launched MacBook Neo is also facing a price hike, which gained praise across the industry for its competitive pricing.

Here are the new vs old prices:

• MacBook Neo – $699 from $599
• MacBook Air – $1,299 from $1,099
• MacBook Pro – $1,999 from $1,699
• iPad Pro – $1,199 from $999
• iPad Air – $749 from $599

Apple no longer absorbs the cost burden

Costs of components have spiked severely over the past couple of months. Prices of DRAM and NAND memory chips have increased significantly as memory manufacturers prioritize HBM to make more money in the AI boom.

Related article: Apple could increase iPhone 18 Pro series prices

Apple kept its iPhone 17 series away from a price bump, which Samsung failed to replicate in its Galaxy S26 series earlier this year. Meanwhile, the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max may cost more than their predecessors.

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Samsung published quantitative research in the IEEE detailing its HBM4E packaging strategy, highlighting the thermal advantages of its Hybrid Copper Bonding (HCB) approach over conventional Thermo-Compression Bonding (TCB).

The research focuses on how HCB addresses heat management challenges in high-stack HBM packages. Unlike TCB, which uses micro bumps and underfill materials between layers, HCB creates direct copper-to-copper connections.

This removes materials that can increase thermal resistance and creates additional pathways for heat to escape from the memory stack, as per SemiconductorsX.

Samsung’s research team used physics-based multi-scale modeling and test chip experiments to evaluate thermal performance from chip-level structures through package and server system environments.

The validation process included HCB and TCB-based HBM test vehicles mounted alongside an ASIC test chip on a silicon interposer, followed by measurements under air-cooling conditions similar to actual server operation.

The results showed that HCB reduced hotspot junction temperatures compared with TCB, lowering the risk of thermal issues. The technology also reduced heat interference between the HBM stack and the underlying logic chip.

New Samsung tech benefits with thinner and cooler HBM4E

These changes allow both components to operate with less thermal impact on each other. Under the same cooling conditions, the improved thermal performance created additional power headroom for higher performance operation.

Samsung also found that applying HCB reduced the overall package stack height by more than 15 percent. A thinner structure can help limit heat accumulation while supporting more compact advanced packaging designs.

The findings provide technical support for Samsung’s future HBM4E production plans, particularly for 16-high and higher memory stacks used in high-performance computing systems.

The company said the predictive thermal design framework developed through the study will be used to evaluate bonding technologies and optimize next-generation HPC packaging architectures.

On June 25, Samsung announced the Global and US launch of the Galaxy A27 5G. The company’s new mid-range smartphone arrives with support for two AI assistants in a single Black colorway for $350 stateside.

Galaxy A27 5G comes with a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED screen with Full HD+ resolution. Samsung is bringing 120Hz refresh rate support and a modern punch-hole display, replacing the Infinity-U cutout.

Under the hood, the Galaxy A27 5G is powered by a Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 processor fabricated using a 4nm process. The new smartphone is packed with a 5,000mAh battery, measures just 7.8mm thin, and weighs 200 grams.

Camera setup includes:

• 5MP Ultra-Wide Camera
• 50MP OIS Wide Camera
• 2MP Macro Camera
• 12MP Front Camera

In the US, Samsung has only one memory configuration (6GB + 128GB) to offer in Black color. Meanwhile, global shoppers get three tiers: 6 + 128 GB, 8 + 128 GB, and 8 + 256 GB in Black, Blue, Light Green and Light Pink colors.

The device comes with Android 16-based One UI 8.5 software. Samsung has refined the AI feature set on its mid-range portfolio. The company is highlighting support for two AI assistants, including Gemini and Perplexity with Bixby.

Deeper integration across more native Galaxy apps, including Gallery, supports faster, more intuitive everyday interactions. Galaxy A27 5G now supports Bixby as a conversational device agent, enabling seamless control of settings and features through natural language.

Galaxy A27 5G reinforces Samsung’s commitment to long-term support with up to six generations of Android OS and One UI upgrades, as well as up to six years of security updates from the initial global launch date.

Global sales start on July 3 in select markets, while the US availability is scheduled for July 14. You can have Samsung Care+ for comprehensive coverage, including tailored benefits that protect the value of the smartphone.

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• Samsung Galaxy A27 has DeX, Perplexity, and 5 big features

Samsung OLED TVs swept the top spots in the major June evaluations by Consumer Reports, a leading consumer magazine in the US.

The 77-inch Samsung OLED S95H received a score of 91 in this evaluation, ranking first in the 70-inch and larger product category. The 55-inch OLED S95H also scored 90 points, claiming the top spot in the 55-to-60-inch range.

Consumer Reports rated the picture quality of the 77-inch Samsung OLED S95H as “excellent.”

The agency analyzed, “Its precise rendering capability is outstanding, and based on top-tier color accuracy, all colors, including skin tones, are expressed in a very natural and vivid manner.”

Samsung OLED TVs also received high praise for key performance attributes such as contrast ratio, black expression, HDR performance, viewing angles, and sound quality.

Consumer Reports explained, “The perfect contrast ratio and deep black expression, which show a stark contrast between the darkest blacks and the brightest whites, provide a powerful sense of depth and three-dimensionality in dark scenes.”

Samsung TVs offer a virtually limitless viewing angle, so there is almost no degradation in picture quality regardless of viewing angle. It is optimized for multiple people to watch TV simultaneously and demonstrates smooth movement.

Consumer Reports TV Evaluation

Consumer Reports comprehensively evaluates major performance metrics, including picture quality, brand reliability, High Dynamic Range (HDR), viewing angles, and sound quality.

Recently, reviewers at Consumer Reports included data privacy and security items in their evaluations to judge overall quality from a consumer perspective.

WhatsApp is expanding its Mentions feature to text-based Status updates. The new feature is being tested in the Beta Program, and an official release could happen later.

You will soon be able to utilize the Mentions feature while sharing text as WhatsApp Status updates. It’s already available to users, but it supports photos and videos. The next expansion will cover the text-based Status updates.

WABetaInfo reports that WhatsApp is testing an extended version of Mentions in the Beta 2.26.25.2 version. Users mentioned in the Status updates will receive a private notification and be able to re-share as their Status.

WhatsApp is gradually adopting features from Instagram. The Stories section has had the Mentions function for years. WhatsApp has borrowed that too and is now gearing up for expansion to the last remaining form of Status updates.

Additionally, WhatsApp is also working to bring a Green dot to the Contact badge. Similar to Instagram Directs, WhatsApp chats will display a Green dot to make users aware of the Online status of the contact.

WhatsApp unknown contacts alert

WhatsApp recently started rolling out a smart alert system. Whenever the system detects sign of a potential scam from an unknown number in chat, it pauses you with a trust window when you open the chat from the list.

Read more – WhatsApp releases new safety check for unknown numbers

Additionally, WhatsApp has rolled out animations for chat bubbles. The visual upgrade makes your chatting experience more lively. Chat bubbles don’t just appear on the screen, but feature a stable animation to appear.