Anthropic Files for Nasdaq IPO; Apple Launches iPad mini 8

"IT Morning News" time, hello everyone. It is Tuesday, October 27, 2026. Here is today's important tech news:

1. The largest IPO in human history! Anthropic files for NASDAQ IPO, ticker symbol "ANT". AI unicorn Anthropic has officially filed its S-1 document to sprint toward a NASDAQ listing under the symbol "ANT." Revenue in the first half of 2026 surged 13-fold year-on-year, turning an adjusted operating profit, though it reported a massive book loss due to changes in the fair value of convertible notes. The company has signed huge computing power leasing agreements, with future minimum payments totaling approximately $417 billion. >> See details

2. Starting at 5,499 yuan: Apple releases iPad mini 8 tablet, featuring an 8.5-inch 60Hz OLED screen, A20 Pro chip, and IP67 dust and water resistance. The new iPad mini features an 8.5-inch OLED screen, is 14% thinner than the previous generation, and is equipped with the A20 Pro chip for stronger performance. Pre-orders open at 1:10 AM on October 29, with an official release on November 6. Prices start at 5,499 yuan. >> See details

3. Audi China splits the "Four Rings" and letter-based branding: FAW strengthens the Four Rings, SAIC focuses on AUDI. Audi China announced strategic agreements with FAW and SAIC, clarifying a "dual brand, dual partner" channel architecture: FAW will strengthen the Four Rings brand for intelligent luxury new energy and fuel vehicles, while SAIC-Audi will focus on the letter-based AUDI brand for new energy vehicles. SAIC-Audi may continue to sell Four Rings products until the end of 2027. >> See details

4. University professors' salaries to be paid via digital RMB wallets; multiple universities in Jiangsu receive notice. The Finance Department of Yangzhou University issued a notice on October 20 stating that, following a preliminary notice from the Provincial Department of Finance, starting in November 2026, salaries for the university's full-time staff (including personnel agency staff) will be issued through digital RMB wallets. Relevant personnel are requested to complete the opening and upgrading of their digital RMB wallets by October 23 based on their current payroll card status. >> See details

5. Apple responds to iPhone Duo inner screen cracking issue: Only a small number of devices affected, users can apply for replacements. Apple acknowledges that a small number of iPhone Duo units have inner screen faults, with cracks appearing near the hinge. Users can contact AppleCare or visit a store for a replacement. iFixit teardowns suggest abnormal support rod retraction may be the culprit, and reports that some online images of cracks were AI-generated. >> See details

6. Apple iPad mini (A20 Pro) 512GB model only equipped with 6-core CPU and dual 16-core Neural Engine. The 128GB and 256GB versions of the A20 Pro chip feature a 5-core CPU and a single 16-core Neural Engine, while the top-spec 512GB version is upgraded to a 6-core CPU and dual 16-core Neural Engine, providing a significant performance boost over the previous generation. >> See details

7. 2026 CCTV "HarmonyOS Starlight Gala" scheduled for December 5, witnessing HarmonyOS application experience entering a mature and user-friendly stage. CCTV announced on October 26 that the 2026 "HarmonyOS Starlight Gala" will be held on December 5 at the "Spring Cocoon" stadium in Shenzhen Bay Sports Center to collectively witness the HarmonyOS application experience entering a mature, user-friendly phase. >> See details

8. Apple iPad mini (A20 Pro) upgrades to an OLED panel, but retains a 60Hz refresh rate. Apple released the new iPad mini on October 26, featuring the A20 Pro chip. Pre-orders begin at 1:10 AM on October 29, with the release on November 6 and pricing starting at 5,499 yuan. >> See details

9. Road test video of the new Xiaomi SU7 Ultra camouflage car exposed; massive rear wing design is eye-catching. Blogger @DuteDot released a road test video of the new Xiaomi SU7 Ultra camouflage car. The footage shows that the car retains the overall design of its predecessor but features a brand-new, massive rear wing. The blogger remarked that the aerodynamics of the new Ultra look extremely aggressive. >> See details

10. Apple details the iPad mini (A20 Pro)'s all-new Acoustic Display: Woofers can work with the screen to produce sound. The new iPad mini uses the A20 Pro chip and features an Acoustic Display to achieve IP67 dust and water resistance while providing an improved audio experience. The 12-megapixel Center Stage front camera has been moved to the landscape bezel, and dual front-and-back microphones make it better for video calls. Pre-orders begin at 1:10 AM on October 29, with release on November 6, starting at 5,499 yuan. >> See details

11. Rumor: Tencent's "Green Bubble" short drama mini-program has over 100 million MAU, with a 44.1% week-over-week increase in the first week of October. QuestMobile data shows that as of August this year, Tencent's "Green Bubble" (WeChat) short drama mini-program reached 143 million MAU. In the first week of October, weekly active users reached 89.68 million, up 44.1% from the first week of September. The replacement of the original "short drama" mini-program entry point, coupled with traffic support from WeChat ecosystem features like Channels, has become key to its growth. >> See details

12. CCTV exposes "Electric Bicycle Charging Gadget" adapters for new energy vehicle charging piles: No safety certification, extremely prone to causing fires. A parking lot in a residential area in Fengxian District, Shanghai, caught fire after residents used illegal adapters to charge electric bicycles using NEV charging piles; there were no casualties. CCTV warns that such adapters lack safety certification, are highly dangerous, and their unauthorized use is strictly prohibited. >> See details

13. Apple iOS / iPadOS 27.2 official version released: Enhances Siri AI, updates Apple Music brand visuals. Apple pushed the iOS / iPadOS 27.2 update (internal version number: 24B119) to iPhone and iPad users on October 27, 28 days after the last official release. >> See details

14. Downloading 20,000 4K movies in 1 second: 3.2Pb/s, Chinese team sets world record for single-fiber bidirectional real-time optical transmission capacity. This scheme validates the industrialization potential of ultra-wideband expansion for multi-core fibers, providing next-generation high-speed optical communication technology support for large-scale computing hubs, backbone transmission, and 6G connectivity. >> See details

15. Xpeng Motors responds to vehicle being totaled without airbag deployment: Did not meet sensor trigger conditions; respects customer's request for third-party appraisal. Xpeng Motors stated: The customer's vehicle collided on October 15. Analysis of backend data and driving footage shows the vehicle was in manual driving mode at the time of the collision, with the driver continuously pressing the accelerator and steering sharply before the impact. The accident did not meet the trigger conditions for the vehicle's airbag collision sensors. Regarding the customer's request for a third-party appraisal, the company respects this request and will cooperate with the follow-up work. >> See details

16. Rumor: More users report iPhone Duo inner screen "cracking" issues. Some users report cracks appearing along the hinge area accompanied by display anomalies. There are cases of failure during setup or charging; while Apple stores in various locations have provided replacements, Indian users have questioned the efficiency of after-sales service. >> See details

17. Native desktop-class application "WPS for Pad" officially launches on Xiaomi App Store, supports 18 Fold and tablet device downloads. Kingsoft Office's official WPS Weibo announced on October 26 that "WPS for Pad," a native desktop-class application tailored for tablets, has officially launched on the Xiaomi App Store. Users of Xiaomi tablets and the Xiaomi 18 Fold can upgrade their devices to Xiaomi HyperOS 4 and search for "WPS for Pad" in the Xiaomi App Store to download it. >> See details

18. Harmony Intelligent Mobility's Maextro brand resumes Weibo updates, releases images of the S800 "Collection Grand View" model. After the braking pedal bracket fracture incident, the Maextro Weibo account resumed updates on October 26 and released a set of promotional images for the Maextro S800 "Collection Grand View." Following the joint notification from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and other departments regarding the brake pedal bracket issue, the account previously released a statement announcing active compliance and full cooperation with the joint investigation team. >> See details

19. Netizen successfully installs "True" Pure-Blood HarmonyOS 6 on OnePlus Ace 5: Model displays as Huawei Mate 80 Pro, achieves perfect GPU fix. Bilibili user @RryanLyu released a video on the evening of October 25 sharing their latest modding success—successfully flashing HarmonyOS 6 onto a OnePlus Ace 5 with a perfect GPU fix. The video shows that after flashing, the model displays as a Huawei Mate 80 Pro, and features like the side shortcut bar function normally. >> See details

20. iFixit teardown of Apple iPhone Duo: Potentially identifies the cause of foldable screen failure. iFixit released a deep teardown report of the Apple iPhone Duo, noting that the internal hinge structure is more complex than patent drawings, integrating numerous gears, springs, and linkage joints. It received a 5/10 repairability score, the highest in the history of foldable screens. Addressing the horizontal bright line on the inner screen after hinge noise, they identified stress concentration at the junction of the central hinge support structure and the ribbon cable opening. >> See details

21. Rumor: Domestic Top 5 manufacturers will all launch "wide-screen foldable" phones next year; projects all approved. According to a digital blogger, the wide-screen foldable phone projects for the top 5 domestic manufacturers for 2027 have all been approved, with accelerated testing covering imaging, mid-range, and performance positioning. OPPO is expected to launch first, followed closely by Honor. Apple has not yet followed suit. >> See details

22. DJI launches exclusive hosting service for consumer drones in Beijing: Free storage for up to one year, then 199 yuan per unit/year. DJI is offering a hosting service for individual drones in Beijing, providing one-stop management including storage, battery maintenance, and inspection/repairs. Applications open on October 26. Eligible users can enjoy up to one year of free hosting, including one round-trip free shipping for pickup/delivery. Note that logistics are only available for pickup/delivery outside of Beijing. >> See details

23. Lens Technology responds to rumors of a 30% increase in Apple iPhone Duo orders: Does not comment on specific percentages; production lines are working overtime. As Apple's first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, faces supply shortages, market rumors suggest orders have been increased by 30%. Lens Technology stated it does not comment on specific percentages, noting that relevant production lines are operating at full capacity with overtime and that they are prepared to flexibly respond to demand growth. >> See details

24. Rumor: Apple's first touchscreen MacBook Pro expected to support 5G cellular connectivity. Apple is testing MacBook Pro configurations equipped with the M5 Pro chip and C1 modem. It is expected to use an eSIM solution, providing an experience consistent with cellular iPads, where users will need to sign up for a multi-device data plan. >> See details

25. Huawei's Richard Yu previews 2026 CCTV HarmonyOS Starlight Gala: Paying tribute to every ecosystem builder and thanking all users for walking together. The 2026 "HarmonyOS Starlight Gala" will be held on December 5 at the "Spring Cocoon" stadium in Shenzhen Bay Sports Center. Huawei Executive Director and Product Investment Review Committee...