Beats is launching a collab with Pokémon

This may not have been on your bingo card for 2026, but Beats is collaborating with Pokémon to put out a special edition of the Beats Pill Bluetooth speaker.

The speaker will drop tomorrow, Thursday, October 15, 2026, at 8:00 a.m. PDT over on beatsbydre.com. The design features the mysterious Mimikyu and the iconic (and somewhat concerned-looking) Pikachu. There's also a Poké Ball charm attached to the lanyard. Like the regular Beats Pill, it's dust- and water-resistant with up to 24 hours of battery life.

Another big day for Apple

Apple is going all-in on smart home with its latest batch of announcements. From a hub that controls it all to individual devices made in partnership with LG, there's a lot of be excited about for Apple fans.

Here's a look at the latest from Apple:

• Apple 'Welcome home' event LIVE — HomeView, Apple TV 4K, HomePod mini 2 unveiled — all the news, prices and release dates
• I saw Apple's HomeView early — 7 things you need to know about the new smart home display
• Apple's new TV 4K finally lets you find your lost remote — but that's not the biggest upgrade
• Apple's new Home Collection includes a smart lock that opens when you walk up — no tapping required

Apple takes a bigger slice of a shrinking smartphone market

According to new research from Counterpoint, the smartphone market has declined 20% YoY in the third quarter of 2026. It also reached its lowest Q3 level in 14 years due in large part, to the memory shortages that many OEMs are experiencing right now.

While Samsung continues to lead the market share with 23%, Apple is snapping at its heels. Apple's market share crossed 20% for the first time in any Q3, despite a YoY decline in its own shipments. That decline, however, could be influenced by the decision not to release the entry-level iPhone 18 in September in favor of the Pro and Duo models.