Silicon Valley Daily
September 9 review: Apple expanded its device lineup with a folding iPhone and refreshed phones, watches and earbuds. Automattic’s board placed Matt Mullenweg on leave. Kepler’s financing and board appointments at Amazon and the OpenAI Foundation added infrastructure and governance developments.
Apple introduces its first foldable iPhone Duo
Apple introduced the iPhone Duo, its first folding phone, with a wider unfolded screen than a conventional handset. WIRED reported a $1,999 price and an October arrival, setting up a new product line within the iPhone family.
Apple refreshes Watch hardware and Siri audio features
Apple announced Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 with health, fitness and audio intelligence updates. New optional listening and transcription features drew attention to privacy, with Apple saying raw audio would be deleted after processing.
iPhone 18 Pro gets camera and chip upgrades
Apple introduced iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max with an updated camera system, performance and battery improvements. Coverage highlighted variable aperture and thermal management as parts of the hardware changes.
Automattic places Matt Mullenweg on leave
Automattic’s board placed CEO Matt Mullenweg on paid leave, according to multiple reports. Mullenweg said in an internal message that he opposed the decision, making the dispute a governance question for the company behind WordPress.com.
Amazon appoints Kevin Mandia to its board
Amazon named Mandiant founder Kevin Mandia to its board, CNBC reported. The appointment adds a leader with extensive cybersecurity experience to oversight of the retail and cloud company.
Kepler Computing emerges with $468M
WIRED reported that Kepler Computing emerged from stealth with $468 million. The company claims its stacking approach and proprietary material can improve memory density; that technical promise should be distinguished from independently verified mass production.
Paul Christiano joins OpenAI Foundation board
AI safety researcher Paul Christiano is joining the OpenAI Foundation’s board and Safety and Security Committee, TechCrunch reported. The appointment brings additional alignment research experience into the organization’s oversight structure.
Apple updates AirPods with improved noise cancellation
Apple introduced AirPods 5 with improved active noise cancellation and updated Siri support. Coverage also highlighted volume controls on the stem, extending the familiar earbud interface.