October 24, 2026 — No Comments

Siri AI on HomePod: Why Your Old Speakers Miss Out

Smart homeSiri AI
Last updated: 16 October 2026
By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance
The new Siri is coming to HomePod mini 2. Not to the HomePods I already own.

Siri AI on HomePod stops at the new HomePod mini 2. Apple confirmed on 14 October 2026 that the original HomePod mini will not get it, and the first HomePod is not on the list either. I own two first-generation HomePods and three original minis, so every speaker in my home is on the wrong side of that line.

I have pre-ordered an Apple HomeView to see how much the new Siri changes things. It will replace one of my three minis, the one in the kitchen. That was always the plan, to be honest. It has just been a long wait.

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October 13, 2026 — No Comments

iPhone Duo Pre-Order UK: Price, Timing and Whether to Bother

The iPhone Duo pre-order opens at 1pm UK time on 16 October. Every UK price, the case and folio, trade-in values, the eSIM catch and who should skip it.

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October 10, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

Siri AI Review: Living With Apple’s New Siri

My Siri AI review after three weeks of daily use on an iPhone 18 Pro and a Mac: what works, the daily connection errors and why it scores 3/5 Cool.

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September 28, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

iPhone 18 Pro Review: Camera, Battery and Siri AI

My iPhone 18 Pro review: a real variable aperture, new cooling and more battery for £100 more, and why Siri AI scores lowest. Cool Factor 4/5.

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September 10, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

iPhone 18 Pro UK Price: Every Tier and Date

Apple's UK prices are in. The iPhone 18 Pro starts at £1,199, the Pro Max at £1,299, and the foldable iPhone Duo at £1,999. Every tier and both launch dates.

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September 7, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo: What to Expect

Last updated: 9 September 2026iPhone 18 Pro

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

Nobody outside Apple knows whether a phone called the iPhone 18 Pro exists. What Apple has confirmed is a date. Wednesday 9 September, 6pm UK time, at an event it is calling Surprise and shine. Everything else you have read this week, including the name in that first sentence, is reporting rather than fact, so I have kept the two apart all the way down this page.

This article contains affiliate or referral links. If you click through and sign up I may earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. It does not affect my editorial view.

This is not financial or buying advice. Prices and launch dates change, and most of the product detail below is unconfirmed reporting, so check Apple's own pages before you spend anything.

Thinking of buying the outgoing model instead?

My Back Market page carries the current discount code, the minimum spend and what the warranty actually covers.

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Below: what Apple has actually said, why the first keynote of the Ternus era is the more interesting story, and the price problem Apple warned everyone about back in June.

Want the full picture now the phones are out? My iPhone guides hub collects the lot, from the UK prices to the review and the refurbished alternatives.

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March 5, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

iPhone 17e UK: What You Actually Get for £699

Last updated: 22 September 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

This is an opinion piece. Views expressed are the author's own and do not constitute professional advice.

This article contains affiliate or referral links. If you click through and sign up I may earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. It does not affect my editorial view.

The iPhone 17e UK launch landed on 11 March 2026 at £599, the same price Apple charged for the 16e the year before. Apple has since raised it to £699, from 9 September 2026. Either way, you're getting double the storage, MagSafe, and a faster chip. It's not a revolution. It was never meant to be. Here's our honest take on what Apple's cheapest iPhone actually delivers and where it quietly cuts corners.

Comparing the 17e with the rest of the range? My iPhone guides hub has every iPhone guide in one place, plus Apple's current UK prices.

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