CMF will become a majority Indian-owned company, Carl Pei says

gizmochina.com Sep 21, 2026

CMF will become a majority Indian-owned company, Carl Pei says

Curated by Shubham · TechCapsules · Sep 21, 2026

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

Carl Pei announced that CMF, the lower‑priced brand launched by Nothing in September 2023, will become a separate company, majority‑owned by Indian shareholders and headquartered in India. The spin‑off, formalized in December 2025, will retain Nothing’s operating system, engineering team, and brand operations while shifting core design, manufacturing, and supply‑chain responsibilities to India. Nothing plans to invest over $100 million in a joint venture with Optiemus to produce CMF devices locally, creating roughly 1,800 jobs over three years. The move aims to boost domestic engineering capabilities and support a target of 100 million phones annually.

💡 Why It Matters

· By localizing engineering and production, CMF could reshape India’s smartphone ecosystem, potentially raising domestic design standards and reducing reliance on foreign components.

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Xiaomi 18 Pro’s new privacy screen could beat Samsung at its own…

Xiaomi confirmed that its upcoming Xiaomi 18 Pro will include a hardware‑based smart privacy display, mirroring Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra. The screen remains fully visible from the front while side brightness falls to about 1% beyond a 60‑degree angle, rendering the display nearly black to observers. Xiaomi claims its implementation does not dim the front view, unlike Samsung’s version. Software controls will enable privacy for lock‑screen notifications and floating windows. The 18 series is slated for launch in the coming days.

💡 By integrating a non‑dimming privacy layer, Xiaomi addresses a key user‑experience flaw in Samsung’s design, potentially redefining side‑view protection standards in flagship smartphones.

memeburn.com · Sep 21

A $274 Phone With a Flagship Camera Sensor? The TECNO Spark 50…

TECNO’s Spark 50 Pro, priced at $274, features a Sony LYTIA 600 50‑MP sensor—normally reserved for premium phones—paired with a MediaTek Helio G100 Ultimate 6 nm chipset. The device boasts IP69 water resistance, a 5,600‑mAh battery that reaches 63 % in 30 minutes via 60 W charging, and Android 16 with HiOS 16 AI tools. The Helio G100 prioritizes efficiency over raw speed, delivering smooth social‑media use and medium‑settings gaming. TECNO highlights 80 % battery capacity retention after six years, targeting emerging‑market consumers who keep phones longer.

💡 By placing a flagship‑grade Sony sensor in a sub‑$300 phone, TECNO redefines budget photography, offering high dynamic range and fast shutter speeds that rival mid‑tier rivals. This move pressures competitors to rethink sensor allocation and could shift consumer expectations for image quality at entry‑level prices.

geeky-gadgets.com · Sep 21

iPhone 18 Pro Max vs. Galaxy S26 Ultra Speed Test: A20 Pro…

Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro Max, powered by the A20 Pro chip, and Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra, featuring Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, were compared in a speed‑test video by XEETECHCARE. The iPhone leads in boot‑up time and single‑core CPU tasks, while the Galaxy edges ahead in GPU‑heavy workloads and third‑party app loading thanks to its RAM management. Both phones offer smooth gaming, with the iPhone delivering quicker in‑game loads and the Galaxy sustaining high performance during long sessions. The comparison highlights how hardware‑software integration shapes everyday performance.

💡 The test shows that Apple’s tight hardware‑software bond gives it a decisive edge in startup and CPU‑intensive tasks, whereas Samsung’s GPU focus benefits gamers and graphic‑heavy users.

appleinsider.com · Sep 21

Apple’s iOS 27.2 beta 2 reveals new anti-snatching protections

Apple is testing a new anti‑theft feature, internally named “AutoLock,” in the iOS 27.2 beta 2 build. The system monitors sudden acceleration, loss of connection to a paired Apple Watch, prolonged network outage, and extended unlocked time to infer a snatch‑and‑grab event and automatically lock the iPhone before a thief can access it. Apple is also adding safeguards such as biometric checks, app‑activity analysis and a back‑off timer to reduce false positives. In the current beta the locking mechanism remains disabled; the software runs in the background to collect data for further refinement. The rollout follows reports that iPhones are a preferred target for thieves in cities like London, where “Apple picking” has become a known crime, and prompting industry attention worldwide.

💡 Locking phones the instant they’re snatched could cripple a lucrative theft market, forcing criminals to rethink targeting high‑value devices.

9to5mac.com · Sep 21

Security Bite: iOS 27 now lets apps ask your iPhone if you’re…

Apple released iOS 27, adding several security upgrades after a weak iOS 26. A standout addition is Impersonation Risk Detection, which allows apps to query the device about potential scams. The feature aims to identify phishing or fraudulent attempts by checking if the user is interacting with a deceptive interface. Apple’s update follows industry pressure for stronger mobile security, and the new tool could help users recognize scams before they act. The rollout is available to all iPhone users immediately.

💡 By giving apps a direct line to flag suspicious interactions, iOS 27 could reduce the success rate of phishing attacks, offering a proactive layer of protection that was previously absent on the platform.

appleinsider.com · Sep 21

Sensitive camera blades and thermal chainmail surface in iPhone 18 Pro teardown

iFixit’s teardown of the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max reveals a new variable‑aperture camera that uses six ultra‑thin polymer blades driven magnetically, making repair impractical despite modular access. The front‑entry design mirrors the iPhone 17, with a glued display and a metal battery tray that can be released electrically. The logic board now hosts the A20 Pro on its outer layer and a thermal chainmail for cooling, while NAND storage is buried deeper, complicating data recovery. The device scores 7/10 for repairability, with the display as the main drawback.

💡 The camera’s magnetic blade system signals a shift toward more complex, less serviceable optics in flagship phones, raising concerns for repair technicians and consumers alike. The new thermal chainmail design also reflects Apple’s ongoing push for higher performance cooling in compact form factors.