ICYMI: the 8 biggest tech stories of the week, from iPhone 15 to iRobot Roombas

Even if you've been stranded connected a Pacific land for nan past week, you astir apt still heard that a caller iPhone was launched connected Tuesday – aliases 4 caller iPhones, to beryllium precise. Yes, nan caller iPhone 15 bid arrived to cheering crowds enthusiastically swinging their USB-C cables, arsenic Apple has yet adopted nan larboard connected its latest phones.

But if you didn't rather drawback nan minutiae of Apple's September event, aliases nan different stories that bravely attempted to pierce done nan iNoise this week, we've sewage you covered successful our ICYMI (or 'in lawsuit you missed it') roundup.

Here, successful reverse order, are each of nan week's biggest announcements, rumors and notable tech happenings – and location were a batch of those, including weird foldable PCs, astir 17 caller cameras and, yes, a lengthy formed of caller Apple arrivals…

8. HP revealed its eye-wateringly costly foldable PC 

HP is well-known for its high-quality 2-in-1 laptops, PCs, and tablets. And pinch this week's reveal of nan HP Spectre Foldable PC, it seems to purpose to screen each 3 markets. 

This 3-in-1 instrumentality tin go a laptop, tablet, aliases desktop PC depending connected really it’s folded up aliases detached. Though nan default mode is simply a 17-inch, 0.33-inch (8.5 mm) heavy OLED tablet, you tin connect nan included Bluetooth keyboard and usage nan built-in kickstand to move it into a laptop aliases desktop PC. It besides comes pinch a wireless stylus which, mixed pinch nan included keyboard and kickstand, is simply a amended woody than astir different akin hybrid devices.

However, each of that comes astatine a monolithic cost, arsenic you'll person to hole to walk $5,000 / £4,999 (around AU$7,753) to get your hands connected one. So arsenic absorbing arsenic nan Spectre Foldable looks, it mightiness stay a niche curio for a while.

• Read more: HP's $5,000 Spectre Foldable PC is eye-wateringly costly but is it worthy it?

7. It rained caller cameras from Fujifilm, Panasonic, OM System and Blackmagic

Away from nan iPhone 15 spotlight, location were plentifulness of superb caller cameras to get excited about. At nan Fujifilm X Summit successful Stockholm, nan GFX100 II was unveiled arsenic nan astir powerful camera ever successful its class, yet making medium-format consciousness arsenic accelerated arsenic full-frame. 

We besides had a awesome clip connected a wildlife reserve photographing exotic animals during our hands-on Panasonic Lumix G9 II review; this is nan company's latest flagship micro 4 thirds mirrorless for photographers, and we were impressed. The reliable compact camera lives on, too, pinch nan caller OM System Tough TG-7 a judge stake to switch nan TG-6 arsenic nan best waterproof camera to return connected outdoorsy adventures, moreover if it's a ace humble update. 

Lastly, Blackmagic amazed america each by launching its first full-frame 6K video camera, astatine a ace competitory price. This week will spell down arsenic 1 of nan busiest this twelvemonth successful nan camera world... until adjacent week astatine least.

• Read more: Hands on: Fujifilm GFX100 II review: it’s mean format, but faster

6. iRobot's caller Roomba vacuums arrived pinch mildly terrifying smarts

Maybe it isn't AI we should beryllium worried about, but robot vacuums. This week iRobot revealed its caller Roomba j9+ and Roomba Combo j9+ contenders which, alongside Robot OS 7, committedness to beryllium its smartest yet. 

With their real-time navigation and entity recognition, these vacs should beryllium amended astatine picking up debris and avoiding obstructions for illustration socks and pet waste. Unlike astir rivals, which shop their mops underneath nan robot, nan Combo j9+ brings its mop down from a retention spot connected apical of nan robot, which greatly reduces nan consequence that a soiled mop will drawback connected your carpet – which tin hap pinch nan different designs. 

Mopping is besides getting an upgrade connected some vacuums, too; erstwhile Robot OS 7 launches, nan Combo j9+ and Combo j7+ will summation nan expertise to scrub your floors truthful they’re amended astatine removing tougher patches of ungraded and grime.

• Read more: iRobot’s caller Roomba mightiness hole immoderate of nan biggest issues pinch robot vacuums

5. The Samsung Galaxy Ring edged a small spot closer

Smart rings are slow becoming nan adjacent large point successful wearables – and correct connected cue, Samsung's caller contender is seemingly astir to subordinate nan fray. A caller leak suggested nan long-awaited Samsung Galaxy Ring could onshore successful January, and this week yet much grounds of nan small wellness locator was spotted successful a Samsung app.

Okay, we're not yet astatine nan shape of leaked merchandise images aliases specs. But nan uncovering of a smart ringing icon wrong nan files of nan charismatic Galaxy Wearable app does propose that nan Oura Ring should commencement to shuffle a small much uncomfortably successful its chair.

• Read more: The clearest motion yet of a Samsung Galaxy Ring has been spotted successful a Samsung app

4. Apple's AirPods and EarPods joined nan USB-C party

They opportunity that lightning ne'er strikes nan aforesaid spot twice, but it looks for illustration USB-C does. This week, Apple announced that not only are nan AirPods Pro 2 getting updated pinch a USB-C charging case, but that nan original EarPods would besides beryllium getting nan port. 

The news was revealed astatine nan Apple September event, but you’d beryllium forgiven for missing it if you were watching nan keynote, arsenic it was a very little mention. Aside from USB-C, location were a mates of mini further updates coming to nan AirPods Pro 2, including reverse charging from an iPhone and improved particulate resistance. 

You won’t person to fork retired other for those features, either. Both nan AirPods Pro 2 and EarPods will still costs nan aforesaid of $249 / £229 / AU$399 and $19 / £19 / AU$29, respectively. Whether we’ll spot nan remainder of nan AirPods scope get nan USB-C curen is still not confirmed, but rumors propose that this mightiness hap adjacent year. 

• Read more: AirPods Pro 2 and EarPods pinch USB-C connections are charismatic astatine last

3. The iPhone 15 Pro Max delivered Apple's astir powerful camera ever

Guess what, Apple conscionable invented a 5x optical zoom for smartphones! Okay, Samsung, Google, Huawei, Oppo and much did it years ago, but nan iPhone 15 Pro Max is nan first iPhone to task past 3x optical zoom. And contempt nan feature's belated arrival, that is simply a beautiful large woody for iOS fans.

That 'tetraprism' lens wasn't nan only photographic upgrade that Apple showed disconnected astatine its iPhone 15 arena this week. Its flagship exemplary besides gained a larger sensor for its main 24mm camera, nan expertise to sprout 48MP HEIF files, a scope of caller 'virtual' lenses (which are useful crops from that main camera) and a USB-3 larboard for speedy record transfers.

So far, our hands-on iPhone 15 Pro Max review is beautiful glowing, stating that "it could beryllium nan astir powerful smartphone connected nan market, while besides being nan astir useful and fun". Does anyone person a spare $1,199 / £1,399 / AU$2,099?

• Read more: iPhone 15 Pro Max camera: 7 large upgrades that could make it nan caller camera king

2. The Apple Watch 9 brought awesome 'double tap' gestures

Apple didn’t redesign its celebrated wearable, but nan Apple Watch Series 9 doesn’t needfully disappoint successful nan caller capabilities section acknowledgment to an intriguing and “just works” caller characteristic called Double Tap. 

No, you’re not tapping nan watch screen. Instead, arsenic we knowledgeable it, you conscionable put connected nan watch, raise your hand, and past double pat your scale digit and thumb to entree aggregate watch features. It’s an almost “magical” caller characteristic enabled by nan watch’s sensors and nan caller S9 processor. Color america impressed.

• Read more: I tried Apple Watch Series 9 Double Tap and was blown away

1. The iPhone 15 really sewage USB-C (with asterisks) 

The biggest news arena of nan week was Apple’s motorboat of nan iPhone 15 bid of smartphones – and peculiar attraction was paid to nan inclusion of a USB-C port, alternatively than Apple’s proprietary Lightning port.

While this move was initially warmly received – arsenic it intends you tin usage USB-C chargers from different devices, specified arsenic Android phones and laptops, to apical up your iPhone 15’s artillery – arsenic much specifications emerged, that lukewarm reception quickly changed to bafflement and moreover anger.

The problem was that while Apple has included nan modern USB-C larboard connected nan iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, nan tech behind nan larboard was constricted to USB 2.0 – a modular that’s much than 20 years aged and which offers pitiful information transportation speeds compared to nan latest USB 4 technology.

Apple’s prime to usage USB 2.0 feels moreover much outdated, arsenic astir nan aforesaid clip arsenic nan motorboat of nan iPhone 15, Intel unveiled specifications for Thunderbolt 5 – its latest tech that uses nan USB-C interface.

According to Intel, Thunderbolt 5 will person a imaginable max velocity of 120Gbps, which puts nan 480Mbps information speeds of nan iPhone 15’s USB-C larboard to shame. For group wanting a smartphone that tin quickly move ample files, specified arsenic photos and videos, to and from their PC, past sadly, it seems nan iPhone 15 won’t beryllium for you.

• Read more: 15 things we learned astatine Apple's September 2023 event