Apple, Samsung, and Google have each held big events and showcased new products to steal the spotlight. Beyond hardware-centric innovations, the wave of change is also happening in software and services.

Adobe is improving accessibility to deliver powerful features on mobile. YouTube is overhauling its platform to help new channels grow, protect youth, and enforce content quality. Instagram rolled out new features to help users connect with each other.

In the OTT space, Netflix has improved usability in the TV experience, making it easier to navigate and watch content.

Major Korean platforms are also making rapid changes. NAVER is in the midst of an AI-centric reorganization of its subsidiary services, including blogs, while Kakao has drastically redesigned the structure of KakaoTalk and is preparing its own AI service.

Coupang enhances the shopping experience with more information than images, and Delivery.com uses AI to power recommendations and personalization. Toss is making its app more accessible to everyone and expanding its real-world widgets and convenience features.

Apple

Apple held its Awe Dropping event on September 9th and unveiled a number of new products.

iPhone

• Launching four models: Basic, Air, Pro, and Pro Max.
• All models start at 256 GB storage.
• 6.3-inch display, ProMotion (120Hz), 3000 nits maximum brightness on all models, including base.
• Camera configuration is 18MP front and 48MP dual camera (main + ultrawide) on the back.
• Includes simultaneous front and back shots.
• A19 chipset, lowering heat and improving battery efficiency.
• Ceramic Shield 2 tempered glass, new colors (lavender, sage, etc.).
• The Air model is designed to be the thinnest model.
• Pro-Pro Max models include 2 TB storage, with a large battery option.

Apple Watch

• Three models released: Series 11, SE 3, and Ultra 3 announced
• All models get blood pressure monitoring, AI workout/health coaching, 5G redcap support, display brightness and battery performance improvements.
• Series 11: S11 chipset, blood pressure trend monitoring, sleep score/exercise coaching based on watchOS 26, 5G redcap, 42mm/46mm size options.
• Ultra 3: High blood pressure detection, satellite communication (off-grid), 2.12-inch LTPO3 OLED display, enhanced battery.
• SE 3: The latest version of watchOS, focusing on basic smart features, battery and performance improvements, starting at $249.

Airpods

• 1 model released: AirPods Pro 3rd generation
• Real-time heart rate measurement, exercise tracking, spatial audio-centered navigation, and support for touch gesture controls.
• Thinner charging case, with improved active noise canceling (ANC).
• Release date: September 19, 2025 (in first launch countries).
• Domestic release date: TBD (slight delay possible).
• Rumored to launch high-end model in 2026 (with infrared IR camera).

samsung

Galaxy S25 FE

• 1 model released: Galaxy S25 Fan Edition
• While retaining some of the flagship features Relatively affordablemodels that retained the
• Google AI Pro plan includesAccess to premium AI features
• 6.4-inch AMOLED display, 120Hz refresh rate
• Rear triple camera: 50 MP main, 12 MP ultra wide angle, 8 MP telephoto
• Approx. 4,900mAh battery capacitySupport for fast charging
• IP68 water and dust resistant, with Dolby Atmos speakers and more
• Release date: Announced September 4, 2025

Galaxy Tab S11 / Tab S11 Ultra

• Two models launched: Tab S11, Tab S11 Ultra
• Ultra-slim designclass Latest 3nm processors Mounting
• Smart Note features powered by Galaxy AI, optimized for multi-window multitasking
• S Pen included, improved handwriting responsiveness
• Interactive Enhance video viewing and productivity-focused features
• Tab S11 Ultra is a 14.6-inch AMOLEDwith a large battery capacity of 12000mAh or more
• Published: September 4, 2025

Galaxy Buds3 FE

• 1 model released: Galaxy Buds3 Fan Edition
• Real-time voice translation capabilities Mounting
• Powered by Galaxy AI technology Support for multilingual communication
• Blade Style DesignImproved in-ear construction
• IPX5 water-resistant, noise-canceling (ANC) enabled
• Available in: India and other select countries first

Galaxy F17 5G

• 1 model released: Galaxy F17 5G
• Large 5,000 mAh battery, 50MP main camera Mounting
• 6.6-inch FHD+ display emphasizes slim design
• Some features powered by Galaxy AI (voice summarization, recommendation automation, etc.)
• 6th generation OS support + 6 years of guaranteed security updates
• Available in: India market first

One UI 8

• Beta 5 released (for Galaxy S24/S25 series)
• Includes August 2025 security patch, fixes "purple moon" and many other errors
• Galaxy S22, S21 FE Series Security Maintenance Release (SMR) Deployment
• Fixed 47 total security vulnerabilities (29 Android + 18 Samsung device-specific)
• Galaxy A14, A26 also receive August security patch
• Some models in the A Series have Up to 6 years of security support and 6th generation OS upgrade eligibility
• Reinforcing the strategy to extend security/OS support to low- and mid-range models

google

Google held its "Made by Google 2025" event on August 20, where it unveiled a number of new products.

Search

• Update spam
  • Measures to filter out "spam websites" from search results that deceive users or use low-quality content, manipulative SEO techniques, etc.
  • Effective August 26th.
  • Ranking changes, traffic fluctuations, and indexing delays for new content are reported.
  • Some sites saw traffic plummet, and traffic variance between categories across sites increased.
• Expanding on Search in AI Mode
  • In Google's AI update summary, the AI Mode in Search feature is expanding to more countries/regions.
  • Personalized features begin to roll out to an experimental group of users.
• Introducing the Google Preferred Sources feature
  • Allowed users to specify which sources they trust in search results (preferred sources).
  • In areas like the "Top Stories" section and "From your sources", news from specified trusted sources will be prioritized.

Gemini

• Gemini 2.5 Flash Image (nano-banana) image model released
  • Fast, compact image generation model
  • Great for creating characters, icons, and design sources
• Canvas includes the ability to create interactive visual reports
  • Automatically generate visual reports with charts, diagrams, and images in slide format
• Added visual guidance in Gemini Live
  • Provide real-time visual descriptions based on what the camera sees
  • Examples: Using objects, interpreting diagrams, etc.
• Introducing Personal Context
  • Personalize responses based on data from users' previous conversations, calendars, Gmail, and more
• Provide Storybook functionality
  • Ability to create personalized storybooks for kids
  • Auto-create by setting a name, topic, style, and more
• Delivering Guided Learning
  • Enter a topic to study and it will sequentially deliver study plans, concept summaries, practice questions, and more

Pixel

• Four models launched: Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and Pixel 10 Pro Fold.
• All models with Google Tensor G5 chipset.
• Android 16 and Material 3 based UI.
• ProMotion-like 120Hz display support, using high-resolution OLED panels.
• Rear is up to triple camera configuration, including telephoto on Pro models and above.
• Front camera includes AI-powered portrait mode and video auto-adjustment.
• Pixel 10 Pro Fold gets IP68 water and dust resistance, improved foldable hinge.
• Support for Qi2 wireless charging and USB-C fast charging.
• Option for up to 1 TB of storage space.
• The Pixel 10 / Pro / Pro XL will launch on August 28, and the Fold will launch in October.

Pixel Watch

• Pixel Watch 4 single model unveiled.
• Powered by Wear OS, larger screen size and reduced bezel thickness.
• Satellite SOS capability (OFF-GRID).
• AI-powered health coaching and workout logs.
• Improved battery life and charging speed.
• Some models coming in October.

Pixel Buds

• Pixel Buds 2a unveiled (entry-level wireless earphones).
• Active noise canceling (ANC).
• Google AI and Gemini-based voice assistant integration.
• Touch control and spatial audio support.
• Charging case battery swappable design.
• No official release date, expected sometime in the fall.

adobe

Photoshop

• New Star tool introduced in August 2025 update
• Users can draw a Star Polygon directly on the canvas and freely adjust the number of points, radius, fill color, border color, and more with numbers or sliders.
• Improved efficiency for repetitive tasks like removing objects and adjusting colors/shapes
• Design elements that used to require manual labor are more intuitive and faster to implement

Acrobat / Acrobat Reader

• Fixed many bugs, including document printing errors and freezing on app exit, and improved stability
• Accessibility improvements: LiveCycle-powered PDF form editing, color management, and more for assistive technology users
• New "PDF Spaces" feature
  • Unified management of multiple PDF documents in one workspace
  • Natural language collaboration with AI assistants (e.g., text requests for features such as page rotation, OCR, compression, password settings, etc.)

Adobe Premiere (iPhone / iPad)

• Adobe Premiere mobile app for iOS is now generally available: September 30, 2025
• Multitrack timeline support: edit unlimited layers of video, audio, text, and more
• Built-in automatic subtitle generation and style editing, with support for 4K HDR editing
• Adobe Firefly AI integration: automatically generate stickers, images, sound effects, voice cleanup, and more based on text prompts
• Background noise cancellation, speech enhancement, and Voice Enhance
• Apps are basic free download, no watermarks and ads, advanced features require paid subscription
• Existing Premiere Rush apps will stop new downloads on September 30, with technical support through September 2026

youtube

Hype

• Fan-engaged ranking system to help creators with less than 500,000 subscribers grow
• Worldwide adoption in August 2025
• Viewers redeem points with the "Hype" button on videos within 7 days on channels with 500k-500k subscribers 3x/week
• As your Hype numbers accumulate, your video will be featured on a new leaderboard in the Explore menu, with an added bonus for lower subscriber counts.
• Exclusive badges for selected videos → Increased acquisition opportunities for smaller channels independent of algorithmic recommendations
• Future feature expansions include paid Hype, category leaderboards, sharing, and more.
• New feature introduced to replace the old "rising to the top" system after it was retired

AI-powered age estimation

• AI estimates your age based on account activity, search/viewing patterns, account creation date, and more
• Automatically apply protective measures when you are presumed to be underage, such as blocking restricted content, limiting personalized ads, reducing sensitive content recommendations, and enhancing privacy notifications.
• Verify your age with ID, mugshot, credit card, etc. if it's estimated incorrectly

Monetization policies and content quality

• Tighter monetization criteria for AI-generated content or reused content from existing footage
• Simplistic repetition-low-quality content can limit monetization; enforce policies around originality and creativity
• YouTube Partner Program (YPP) terms remain in place, but increased likelihood of review and restrictions based on content quality

Instagram

Introducing Reposts

• Introduced public feed posts and a repost feature that allows you to share Reels with your own followers
• Shared content is saved to the "Reposts" tab within the user's profile, where it can be revisited at any time.
• Automatically credits the original author and protects the original work when spreading the content.

Increase exposure to friend-driven content

• New "Friends" tab within Reels, giving you an at-a-glance view of your friends' Reels activity (likes, comments, shares, etc.)
• Designed to help users discover content based on their interactions with friends
• Amplify Reels' community-driven consumption experience with a more personalized browsing experience

Introduced maps and location sharing

• Share "last active location" only with friends the user selects
• Explore where your friends have posted content and place-based tagged content with the Map feature
• Feature is opt-in by default, with the ability to set location visibility on a per-friend or per-group basis
• Location sharing features have come under scrutiny by some local authorities due to privacy concerns

Provide privacy and control options

• Control the visibility of your interactions within the "Friends" tab, such as likes and comments you leave.
• Ability to hide specific user activity, fine-tune visibility of activity, and more
• Support for parental controls and activity notifications for younger users
• Connects with location sharing and friend-based navigation for more granular privacy controls

netflix

Overhauling the TV app interface

• Bringing a new interface design to Netflix's TV apps (e.g., Apple TV 4K, SmartTV, etc.)
• Introduced a top navigation bar instead of the traditional sidebar approach (Home, Shows, Movies, My Netflix, etc.)

New "My Netflix" tab

• A hub for users to manage their saved content, what they're watching, what they've set up notifications for, and more in one place.
• Highlighting personalized content consumption flows and simplifying navigation within the platform

Enhance content preview information

• Automatically display additional information on each content thumbnail, including plot, cast, runtime, awards, top 10 rankings, etc.
• Improvements to help users make more informed content selections without clicking

New content

• Original Series: Wednesday Season 2, Alice in Borderland Season 3, Beauty in Black Season 2 Back public
• Movies: The Wrong Paris, AKA Charlie Sheen, Love Con Revenge Enhanced genres and more
• Added many popular classic movie licenses: 8 Mile, Bridesmaids, The Amazing Spider-Man etc.

Naver

Announcing the expansion of our AI briefing service

• NAVER announced that it will expand the coverage of its "AI Briefing" feature, which provides summarized information in search results.
• Previously only worked for some search queries, but will be rolled out to more question-based searches
• Also revealed plans to introduce a dedicated "AI Tab" for conversational search in 2026

Renewing your blog

• NAVER revamps its home screen and rebrands for 22nd anniversary of blogging service
• Moving away from the traditional "Neighborhood Newest" structure to a personalized recommendation interface that shows Neighborhood Top Stories and content based on your history.
• Revamped slogan to "Discover the History of History" and expanded the blog beyond a place to record to a platform for discovery and connection
• As of August 2025, we remain the largest platform for written content in the country with approximately 3.3 billion cumulative posts and 37 million cumulative blogs

Kakao

KakaoTalk UI / Friends tab feed type reorganization announced

• KakaoTalk's default entry tab, the "Friends" tab, will be revamped to an Instagram-style feed-like UI.
• Moved away from the traditional phone number-based alphabetical friends list to a structure that displays friends' daily content and images/videos shared in Hangouts
• Kakao is reorganizing the five main tabs across KakaoTalk to focus on content discovery, including enhancing the short-form content consumption experience.

Improved message deletion

• Expanded message deletion time to up to 24 hours, instead of the previous 5 minute limit
• Changed deleted messages to say "Message deleted" and not show who deleted them
• This feature applies to both mobile and PC versions, giving users more flexibility to manage their messages

AI services in full swing and new technology announcements on the horizon

• Kakao formalizes 'Kanana' brand to unify its AI services
• Language models, AI agents, on-device AI technology, B2C services, and AI infrastructure will operate under this brand.
• Emphasize lightweight AI that works directly on the user's device (on-device AI) to protect privacy and improve responsiveness
• New AI services, KakaoTalk reorganization, OpenAI collaboration products, and more will be unveiled at the if(kakao)25 conference in late 2025

Coupang

Tighter product thumbnail rules and changes to visual comparison criteria

• Coupang is cracking down on thumbnail image rules, especially for rocket-shipped products
• Backgrounds are white, no wording, no brand logos, and only single products are displayed, with the possibility of expanding to all products in the future.
• Consumers will compare products based on price and default image rather than design and marketing factors, potentially increasing price competition among merchants

Baemin

Change the configuration at the bottom of the app's main screen

• Starting the third week of August 2025, the bottom menu (UI) on the main screen of the Delivery.ethnic app will be redesigned.
• Break away from the traditional navigation structure and reorganize it for quick access to frequently used features and key content.
• This is an attempt to be more user-centered, and may be rolled out to other screens in the future.

Enhancing AI-powered menu recommendations

• 'Bae Min Story 2025' Report Reveals Plans to Enhance Personalized Menu Recommendations Using AI
• Introducing features utilizing GPT-based language models or image generation AI (such as DALL-E) is also under internal review and development.
• Evolving toward more sophisticated recommendation experiences by analyzing user preferences, context, and order context
• The technical foundation is led by the Elegant Brothers AI research team

toss

Enhance app accessibility features

• Improved support for assistive features such as increased text size, high contrast mode, less color-dependent screen view, and VoiceOver / TalkBack on both iOS and Android.

Launched "Money Tip of the Day" widget feature

• Added the "Money Tip of the Day" widget to the Toss app. You can use it by selecting the blank space on the home screen → Add widget → Toss widget.

My Finances consolidation/at-a-glance functionality

• View multiple financial product accounts in one place in the Toss app, including savings, subscriptions, securities, loans, and more.
• You can also collect your income/spending, card performance, and regular expenses like utilities and subscriptions within the app.