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iPhone

Apple is giving iPhone 14 and 15 users another free year of satellite features

by admin September 10, 2025

iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 users are getting another year of free access to satellite connectivity features, according to a footnote on Apple’s newsroom posts for the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro. “The free trial will be extended for iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 users who have activated their device in a country that supports Apple’s satellite features prior to 12 a.m. PT on September 9, 2025,” Apple says.

Apple originally launched its Emergency SOS service via satellite shortly after it released the iPhone 14 lineup, in November 2022, and at the time, Apple said the feature would be free for the first two years. (The feature is still free for two years after activation on iPhone 14 models and newer.) But in 2023, Apple added an additional free year for existing iPhone 14 users, meaning that the deadline to potentially start paying for the earliest adopters would be November 2025. Now, it appears that deadline has been bumped to November 2026.

With iOS 18 last year, Apple expanded its satellite messaging features to let you text friends or family when you’re off the grid. Today, Apple also announced that the new Apple Watch Ultra 3 will have satellite connectivity features.

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September 10, 2025 0 comments

Gaming Gear

Apple debuts A19 and A19 Pro processors for iPhone 17, iPhone Air, and iPhone 17 Pro

by admin September 10, 2025

Apple announced a suite of four new iPhones today, and with them, new processors to power the devices. Additionally, the company also has new networking and cellular chips.

The phones include the iPhone 17, iPhone Air (a new 5.6-mm thin design), iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max.

The base iPhone 17 will be powered by the A19 system on a chip, while the rest of the lineup relies on the more powerful A19 Pro. These chips are likely built on TSMC’s latest N3P process node, which is also expected to be used for Apple’s upcoming M5 chips for iPads and Macs.

A19

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(Image credit: Apple)(Image credit: Apple)(Image credit: Apple)(Image credit: Apple)

The A19 boasts six CPU cores and five GPU cores. The processor has four efficiency cores and two performance cores, while the GPU continues advancements in hardware-accelerated ray tracing, mesh shading, and MetalFX upscaling.

A19 Pro

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The A19 Pro will power the new iPhone Air alongside the iPhone 17 Pro line. Like the A19, its six-core CPU utilizes two performance and four efficiency cores. The performance cores have better branch prediction and increased front-end bandwidth, while the new efficiency cores have a 50% increase in last-level cache.

N1 and C1X

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(Image credit: Apple)(Image credit: Apple)(Image credit: Apple)

Apple is continuing its expansion into all of the chips in its phones. On the iPhone Air, Apple has built its own networking chip, N1. This chip will allow for Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth connections, and Thread. The new N1 chip is found on all of Apple’s latest iPhones.

Complementing the iPhone Air’s new A19 Pro is a new Apple-designed N1 chip. This chip takes over wireless duties, including Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread support. Apple states that this integrated chip design will yield performance and efficiency benefits for functions such as AirDrop and Personal Hotspot.

Apple also announced an update to its in-house C1 modem, which was first introduced with the iPhone 16e. The new C1X modem promises up to a 2x boost in performance, but it still doesn’t include high-bandwidth, high-capacity mmWave technology. The iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro models still feature Qualcomm 5G modems, so they retain mmWave support. Apple also boasts of an improvement in efficiency with the C1X.

iPhone 17, iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro pricing and availability

(Image credit: Apple)

All of the iPhones will see pre-orders on Friday, with availability beginning on September 19. The iPhone 17 will start at $799, while the iPhone Air will begin at $999. The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max will start at $1,099 and $1,199, respectively. All of the phones will start with 256GB of storage. For the first time, the 17 Pro Max will also offer a 2TB option.

In addition to the iPhones, Apple today also announced the AirPods Pro 3, Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch SE 3, And Apple Watch Ultra 3.

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September 10, 2025 0 comments

Product Reviews

What’s the Real Difference Between the iPhone Air and iPhone 16?

by admin September 10, 2025

Thin phones are in. The iPhone Air (not the iPhone 17 Air, as rumors previously suggested) will be the thinnest iPhone ever, or at least that’s what Apple claimed at its “Awe Dropping” product debut Tuesday. Whether that matters to you depends on the size of your pocket, though. If you were wondering just how this compares to the last-gen iPhone 16, we have most of the specs necessary to offer a point of comparison. The iPhone Air effectively replaces the usual Plus model in the latest smartphone lineup. If you were thinking about jumping on the upgrade, perhaps you should hold your horses and consider if you’ll be giving anything up for the sake of a cake-cutting iPhone.

The closest comparison to what you can get in the U.S. is the $1,100 Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge. That device’s 5.8mm thickness is slim enough to cut a slice of pie, but it also gives up flagship-level battery life with its 3,900mAh battery. The first iPhone Air will also miss out on the battery life Apple fans have come to expect from their phones. It’s better to think of the Air as an alternative device, a phone with a very specific use case (extremely thin pockets) and a user base with specific needs (wanting to be the cool kids on the block with the latest iPhone design).

But we’ll need to put the new Air through its paces. Perhaps, with time, it will prove as landmark a device as the original MacBook Air was close to two decades ago. Or maybe China-based companies like Tecno will figure out slim devices with good batteries far faster than the engineers in Cupertino. Time—as always—will tell.

iPhone Air Versus iPhone 16: Design

Your regular iPhone 16 came with several new features that would normally be relegated to the Pro models. For one, it featured an all-new Camera Control capacitive button used for snapping photos or modifying photo settings without having to touch the screen. It included Apple’s A18 chip, which sported a beefed-up CPU and GPU with enough power to handle on-device ray tracing; being close enough to the iPhone 16 Pro, the device felt like a bargain. The good news is the iPhone Air still has the Camera Control button as well as the Dynamic Island on the main display, rather than any sort of notch.

The iPhone Air boasts Ceramic Shield 2 on the glass and back for better scratch and crack resistance, plus titanium sides that are supposed to keep the device from bending under pressure. Apple’s older phone from 2024 was 7.8mm thin, which is standard for a phone that weighs in at just 170g, or .37 pounds. Few people would call that thick or heavy. Compared to the Air, the 16 is a brick. The iPhone Air weighs in at 165g, or .36 pounds. The difference in weight is so minimal, though at 5.6mm thick, the Air is many times thinner than the 16. If you want a point of comparison, glance at this video showing off the S25 Edge at 5.8mm versus the Air.

iPhone Air thinned comparison with Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge #AppleEvent pic.twitter.com/BlujtA6wV1

— Ray Wong (@raywongy) September 9, 2025

The major distinction between the old and new devices is what lies inside. Apple designed the Air from the ground up with new in-house 5G modems and wireless chips. The iPhone 16, by comparison, uses a Qualcomm-made 5G modem. The new device also comes stock with 256GB of storage for its base price, whereas the iPhone 16 makes do with 128GB. While the iPhone 16 and iPhone 17 sport a host of calming colors (pink, teal, and ultramarine blue), the base 17 also comes in calming lavender and sage hues. The iPhone Air will seem a little more mundane with black, white, light gold, plus a “sky blue” hue, which I imagine is similar to the gray-blue of the MacBook Air with M4.

iPhone Air Versus iPhone 16: Battery

If you’re looking for the main distinction between Apple’s new phone category and its battery. The iPhone 16 was rated for up to 22 hours of battery life in video playback tests, but in real life, we’ve seen the iPhone 16 go for more than a full day after regular use and still have some juice for the following morning. The iPhone 16’s battery capacity sits at 3,561mAh, which doesn’t seem especially high until you consider the limited refresh rate and Apple’s good standby power savings on the base iPhone.

Apple has yet to share precise specs for the iPhone Air’s battery capacity. Instead, the company repeatedly promised the device would have a “full-day” battery life. On the specs page, Apple said the Air managed to hit 27 hours in video playback tests, though only 22 hours when streaming. That’s better than a base iPhone 16, though not nearly as good as the iPhone 16 Plus, which the Air is effectively replacing in Apple’s 2025 iPhone lineup. Apple emphasized all the extra work it did to maximize battery efficiency.

iPhone Air with battery pack pic.twitter.com/dSy3jy8LAx

— Carolina Milanesi (@caro_milanesi) September 9, 2025

The iPhone Air promises to support a separate “iPhone Air MagSafe Battery” sold separately from the main unit. This battery, which is three-quarters the size of the actual phone, should push the battery life further at the cost of the thin frame. At least, the new device is compatible with the Qi2 standard up to 20W as well as MagSafe.

iPhone Air Versus iPhone 16: Camera

The iPhone Air is supposedly very durable, but you’ll need to give up on an ultrawide sensor. © Raymond Wong / Gizmodo

The older iPhone contained a 48-megapixel Fusion camera as well as a 12-megapixel ultrawide. The main sensor also enabled 12-megapixel 2x telephoto pictures. The device also made use of the TrueDepth camera for Face ID. The iPhone Air is notable since it contains a single camera bump, just like the iPhone 16e. The new device sports the 48-megapixel Fusion main camera that also allows for 2x, 12-megapixel telephoto shots. Unfortunately, there’s no ultra-wide lens to speak of. The new device can also handle 4K video up to 60 FPS, the same as the iPhone 16.

The Air has one sensor that beats the 16. The slim device sports an 18-megapixel “Center Stage” front camera compared to 12 megapixels on the iPhone 16. Apple suggested users would end up spending more time with the front camera with the inclusion of better image stabilization.

iPhone Air Versus iPhone 16: Display

With a 6.3-inch OLED display at 2,556×1,179 resolution, the regular iPhone was still a looker even compared to the larger, higher-resolution Plus model. The device was limited to a 60Hz refresh rate, which miffed some users when comparing their phones to mainline Android devices. Still, that means the device lasts longer compared to other devices.

The iPhone Air is slightly larger at 6.5 inches, less than the iPhone 16 Plus, though it sports a big, 2,736×1,260 resolution screen at 460 PPI, or pixels-per-inch—the same as the older phone models. However, the Air features a much faster screen at a 120Hz refresh rate that can go down to 1Hz if you enjoy an always-on display blazing from your nightstand.

First look at how thin the iPhone Air is #AppleEvent pic.twitter.com/0uMLAJayOi

— Ray Wong (@raywongy) September 9, 2025

The Air may have a brighter display at both HDR and SDR brightness for viewing outside, though the device is not designed to share screens over USB. Compared to the iPhone 16, which supported DisplayPort over USB-C, the iPhone Air doesn’t.

iPhone Air Versus iPhone 16: Chip

The iPhone 16’s A18 chip was one of Apple’s best for the regular iPhone, often meeting benchmarks of the A18 Pro-level chip except in intensive situations, like ray tracing scenarios when gaming. The A18 was built on a six-core CPU and five-core GPU design with a 16-core neural engine.

Not much has changed in configuration, though Apple swears the Air’s A19 Pro is a true next-gen chip despite it all. The A19 Pro uses a six-core CPU with two performance and four efficiency cores, alongside a five-core GPU (the iPhone 17 Pro devices make use of a six-core GPU, which will make them slightly better for graphics tasks). The device still supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing.

The A19 Pro is supposed to make the phone more energy efficient while improving on single-thread performance, which is how Apple is implying it should be able to handle simple tasks faster than before. How well it performs in the field, especially considering its awkward battery life specs, will determine if the thin frame is worth all the other small trade-offs.

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September 10, 2025 0 comments

Product Reviews

Beats’ new iPhone 17 case has a lanyard that turns into a kickstand

by admin September 10, 2025

Beats has launched a new collection of cases to go with Apple’s latest iPhones, including one with a removable lanyard that doubles as a kickstand. Lanyards and cross-body straps for phones are becoming pretty common these days. If you’re someone who travels every now and then, they can help protect you from pickpockets or from accidentally leaving your phone behind while you struggle with your luggage. The lanyard on Beats’ case comes with something extra: It has an adaptor at the end that slides open and attaches to a magnetic part on the side of the case so that it can act as a kickstand for hands-free phone use. The Beats iPhone 17 Kickstand Case with MagSafe & Camera Control is available in Granite Gray, Bedrock Blue, Lime Stone and Pebble Pink. You can get it from Apple’s website for $59.

The new collection also includes a basic case that Beats describes as “thin, light, and precisely crafted.” It’s available in the same colors, with the same matte hard outer shell that prevents fingerprints and an interior microfiber lining. This model will set you back $45 and is the only one in the collection that you can get for the iPhone Air.

Finally, the Beats iPhone 17 Rugged Case with MagSafe & Camera Control will give you some extra protection if you tend to drop your devices. Beats designed it with a rugged polymer backing that’s complemented by impact-absorbing sidewalls. It has an enclosed bottom for enhanced protection and a textured matte exterior to give you a good grip on your phone. The manufacturer said it put the case through repeated drop and scratch tests, as well as multiple thermal, mechanical and chemical tests to simulate real world use. Beats’ rugged case is available in Everest Black, Rocky Blue, Alpine Gray and Sierra Orange for $79.

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September 10, 2025 0 comments

Product Reviews

The iPhone Air’s battery pack is slim, but not as slim as the iPhone Air

by admin September 10, 2025

I took a first look at the battery pack this afternoon, and it has a significantly slimmer design than the old version. This version of the battery pack is thinner and longer, stretching as far across the back of the phone as it can before bumping into the camera bar. Slimming it down reduces the potential battery size, but it makes the pack more appropriately balanced with the phone as a result. The new model didn’t feel goofy to hold in the same way that the thick old version did.

Applying a battery pack to the super-slim iPhone Air comes with some drawbacks. Namely, it makes the phone bigger again. With the battery pack on, the iPhone Air feels a lot more like any other iPhone and makes it thicker than other iPhones, too. The battery pack is slightly thicker than the iPhone Air. In my brief time with it, the pack didn’t feel overwhelmingly bulky, but it tempered some of the benefits of the new phone’s design.

Another drawback: this battery pack is exclusive to the iPhone Air. While it can technically snap onto anything with magnets, it’s sized to fit the iPhone Air specifically. That means it might fit onto Apple iPhone Pro Max, but the smaller model — with a 6.3-inch screen compared to the Air’s 6.5-inch — likely won’t work.

Beyond that, the battery pack is styled much like the original. It’s light to hold and has a soft matte exterior. There’s a small light near the bottom that glows to show charging status when it attaches to a phone. I get the sense that many people will want Apple to bring this design to its other phone models. Or they’ll choose an Air so they can get this, regardless of whether the overall battery gains actually add up.

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September 10, 2025 0 comments

Gaming Gear

Apple says the iPhone 17 comes with a massive security upgrade

by admin September 10, 2025

It’s less noticeable than a thinner profile or trick camera lenses, but Apple is pointing out another upgrade in the iPhone 17 family of phones that it says is part of “the most significant upgrade to memory safety in the history of consumer operating systems.” Explicitly targeting the spyware industry that produces exploits for tools like Pegasus to hack on targeted devices, a series of changes in Apple’s chips, OS, and development tools are part of what it calls Memory Integrity Enforcement (MIE).

With the introduction of the iPhone 17 lineup and iPhone Air, we’re excited to deliver Memory Integrity Enforcement: the industry’s first ever, comprehensive, always-on memory-safety protection covering key attack surfaces — including the kernel and over 70 userland processes — built on the Enhanced Memory Tagging Extension (EMTE) and supported by secure typed allocators and tag confidentiality protections.

The approach is similar to what we’ve seen from Microsoft’s introduction of memory integrity security features for Windows 11, as well as a series of changes that have arrived to prevent speculative-execution vulnerabilities like Spectre. Apple’s blog post also mentions efforts by ARM with the Memory Tagging Extension (MTE) to fight memory bugs, which is supported on Google’s Pixel phones starting with the Pixel 8 series and enabled for supported apps if you turn on Advanced Protection.

Apple says its implementation goes a step further, with the ability to protect all users by default and by designing its A19 and A19 Pro chips for enhanced security, while still adding memory safety changes for older hardware that doesn’t support the new memory tagging features. The company also says its new mitigation for Spectre V1 leaks works with “virtually zero CPU cost” — as performance hits have been an issue for memory integrity and other security features — with all of the changes making “mercenary spyware” even more expensive to develop.

The folks behind the security-focused GrapheneOS project acknowledged the “major security improvements” that will help iPhone security in a post on X, but also said they had issues with the presentation and how it portrayed iOS security vs features like MTE, already released for Android. We’ll learn more about how much has changed once these updates reach devices and attackers take their turn trying to crack open the iPhone 17 and iPhone Air’s security.

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September 10, 2025 0 comments

GameFi Guides

Apple Reveals Ultra-Thin iPhone Air Alongside Smarter Wearables

by admin September 9, 2025

In brief

New Center Stage camera adds smarter framing, 4K HDR, and dual capture across iPhone 17 models.
iOS 26 brings on-device AI tools, including live translation, smart screenshots, and spam filters.
Final Cut Camera 2.0 adds ProRes RAW, genlock, and Apple Log 2 to iPhone 17 Pro for pro video work.

Apple’s new iPhone Air, its slimmest smartphone yet, led a slate of product announcements Tuesday, as the company focused on design, performance, and somewhat restrained emphasis on artificial intelligence across its devices.

Instead of spotlighting a major AI overhaul, humanoid robots, or a Siri reboot, the company leaned on thinner and more efficient phones—including enhanced iPhone 17 models alongside the Air—higher-performance chips, and incremental steps toward embedding AI and machine learning into its health, fitness, photo, and video applications.

One example: The new AirPods Pro 3 will offer a feature called Live Translation, enabling the earbuds to translate speech in real time through Apple Intelligence. They also include upgraded ANC, heart-rate monitoring, and extended battery life.

Apple also highlighted the expanded use of recycled titanium and aluminum after the company said in August it would bring iOS device glass manufacturing back to the United States. Here is what was announced on Tuesday.

iPhone 17 and iPhone Air

The iPhone 17 introduced several upgrades, including a 6.3-inch Super Retina XDR display with slimmer borders, 3,000 nits of peak brightness, and a second-generation Ceramic Shield that Apple claims triples scratch resistance. A 48-megapixel Dual Fusion camera system now includes a new square-sensor front camera, offering wider fields of view and AI-assisted group framing.

Powering the device is Apple’s A19 chip, a six-core CPU paired with integrated Neural Accelerators. Apple said it enables on-device generative AI tasks and doubles graphics performance compared with the iPhone 13. Battery life stretches to 30 hours of video playback, with fast charging via a 40W adapter.

The iPhone 17 starts at $799 with 256GB of storage and comes in black, lavender, mist blue, sage, and white. Preorders open Sept. 12, with availability beginning Sept. 19.

iPhone Air. Image: Apple

More notably, Apple introduced the iPhone Air—a 5.6-millimeter device that repositions internal components to maximize battery life in what it calls its lightest, most durable frame yet. The Air features a 6.5-inch display with ProMotion support up to 120Hz and uses the same Ceramic Shield on both front and back.

The phone runs on the A19 Pro chip and adds a new C1X modem that Apple says is twice as fast while drawing 30% less power. Connectivity includes Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, Thread, and faster 5G. The camera array includes a 48-megapixel main sensor with what Apple says is optical-quality 2x telephoto and Focus Control for portraits.

A magnetic battery pack accessory can extend use by up to 40 hours. The iPhone Air starts at $999.

iPhone Pro models

The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max round out the lineup, built with aerospace-grade aluminum, a vapor chamber cooling system, and the new A19 Pro chip. Both models feature Super Retina displays—6.3 inches for the Pro, 6.9 inches for the Max—and maintain the 3,000-nit brightness standard.

The Pro cameras go fully triple-lens: 48-megapixel main, ultra wide, and a telephoto with a tetraprism lens capable of 4x optical zoom at 100mm and 8x digital zoom at 200mm. Pro-level video tools include ProRes RAW, Apple Log 2, and genlock syncing.

Apple claims the Pro Max delivers the longest battery life of any iPhone, with up to 39 hours of video playback. Both models support eSIM in select markets. The iPhone 17 Pro starts at $1,099; the Pro Max at $1,199, with capacities up to 2TB.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro. Image: Apple

Apple’s new Center Stage front camera, available across the iPhone 17 Pro, Pro Max, and iPhone Air, introduces the first square sensor on an iPhone and brings several AI-driven improvements to both photography and video.

The upgraded 18-megapixel camera offers a wider field of view and allows users to capture photos and videos in portrait or landscape—even while holding the phone vertically. The system uses AI to detect subjects and automatically adjust framing during group selfies, expanding the field of view and rotating orientation to include everyone in the shot.

Video tools now include ultra-stabilized 4K HDR recording and a new Dual Capture mode that records from the front and rear cameras simultaneously—aimed at creators filming reaction or commentary content while capturing action in the background.

During FaceTime and third-party video calls, Center Stage uses subject tracking to keep users centered and in frame, adapting as they move or shift positions.

Final Cut Camera 2.0

Apple also announced Final Cut Camera 2.0, a major update to its pro video app that brings ProRes RAW and genlock support to the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max.

ProRes RAW lets users capture raw sensor data for flexible post-production editing, while genlock enables frame-accurate sync across multiple devices for professional multi-cam setups. The update also adds open gate recording, Apple Log 2 for expanded dynamic range, and 200mm telephoto capture at up to 4K60 fps.

Final Cut Camera 2.0 integrates with the new Center Stage front camera, offering manual control over orientation and framing for creators recording with the front lens. The app also supports timecode modes and pairing with Final Cut Pro for iPad via Live Multicam.

AirPods Pro 3 and Apple Watch

Apple also upgraded its line of wearables. The AirPods Pro 3, priced at $249, introduce real-time translation powered by Apple Intelligence. Spoken results play through the earbuds, with contextual text appearing on paired iPhones.

The earbuds now include a custom heart-rate sensor, support for 50 workout types, and a new “Workout Buddy” feature that offers voice coaching during exercise. Battery life hits eight hours, or 10 in hearing-aid mode. Foam-infused tips come in five sizes, including an XXS fit.

On the wrist, the Apple Watch Series 11 adds a new ceramic coating, liquid glass face, and a circular 5G antenna for improved efficiency. Battery life reaches 24 hours. Health features include AI-powered hypertension detection, with FDA clearance pending, and new sleep tracking with quality scoring.

The Apple Watch SE 3 gets an always-on display, the S10 chip, and faster 5G, with sleep tracking, ovulation history, and apnea notifications.

At the top end, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 adds a larger, wide-angle OLED display, 42 hours of battery life (72 hours in low power mode), and two-way satellite messaging for emergency communication. It’s positioned for endurance athletes, with enhanced GPS, cycling metrics, stroke detection for swimmers, and offline hiking maps. Pricing starts at $799.

Apple Intelligence

Apple continued its measured rollout of artificial intelligence with iOS 26, introducing new features under the “Apple Intelligence” label that rely on on-device processing and privacy-first design.

Live Translation, one of the flagship additions, enables real-time text and audio translation across Messages, FaceTime, and Phone—with results delivered both audibly and on-screen. Apple said the feature works entirely on-device and does not require an internet connection.

New visual intelligence tools allow users to take screenshots and immediately search or act on what’s shown—such as identifying landmarks, extracting text, or navigating to settings. These updates build on Apple’s approach of integrating machine learning into existing workflows rather than overhauling the interface.

The company also introduced screening tools for phone calls and messages designed to filter out spam and unwanted interruptions, using AI to prioritize relevant contacts.

Under the hood, iOS 26 features Apple’s own foundation model—running locally on-device—which is now accessible to third-party developers. Apple said apps can leverage these capabilities to deliver personalized, private AI functions, even when offline.

Despite the new tools, Apple Intelligence stops short of offering a conversational assistant or chatbot. Instead, the company framed the features as utility-focused enhancements, embedded within apps and designed to avoid dependence on the cloud.

Generally Intelligent Newsletter

A weekly AI journey narrated by Gen, a generative AI model.

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September 9, 2025 0 comments

Product Reviews

Apple gives iPhone 14 and 15 owners an extra free year of satellite connectivity

by admin September 9, 2025

Tucked away in Apple’s iPhone 17 press releases was a bonus for off-grid owners of older models. The company gave iPhone 14 and 15 owners free access to satellite features for another year. This is Apple’s third extension since Emergency SOS via satellite launched with the iPhone 14.

“The free trial will be extended for iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 users who have activated their device in a country that supports Apple’s satellite features prior to 12AM PT on September 9, 2025,” the company’s copy reads. An Apple support page lists Armenia, Belarus, China mainland, Hong Kong, Macao, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Russia as unsupported countries.

Apple’s off-grid feature set began in 2022 with Emergency SOS via satellite. In iOS 18, it expanded to include Messages via satellite, Find My access and roadside assistance. The features work through a partnership with Globalstar.

As for why Apple keeps extending the free access, a Redditor floated a logical-sounding theory after last year’s announcement. “I can’t see Apple ever charging for [Emergency SOS via satellite],” u/rotates-potatoes posted. “The positive PR of ‘saved by Apple’ is too good, and the negative PR of ‘died because they didn’t pay $3’ is too bad.” (It’s worth noting that the pricing was speculative. Apple hasn’t said how much it plans to charge.)

You can demo the features on your iPhone right now. To test Emergency SOS, head to Settings > Emergency SOS, and scroll down to “Try Demo” (at the bottom). For the texting feature, go to Settings > Apps > Messages, and scroll down to “Satellite Connection Demo.”

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September 9, 2025 0 comments

Gaming Gear

Apple’s iPhone 17 Event Is Today. Here’s How to Watch

by admin September 9, 2025

Apple’s annual fall iPhone launch event is here. The keynote kicks off at 10 a.m. PT. Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 lineup, which could include a slimmer version of the phone, as well as the Apple Watch Series 11 and the AirPods Pro 3.

The invite, which Apple sent on Aug. 26, shows the title “awe dropping,” with a dynamic Apple logo that seems to reference Siri’s colorful glow.

Watch this: iPhone Air Is a Wild Card – and Starts a Big Change for Apple

06:39

There’s also an interactive element when you view the invite on Apple.com. With a finger (phone or tablet) or a mouse/trackpad pointer (computer), you can move across the logo and watch the colors go from a cool blue to a vivid orange, possibly evoking the Liquid Glass design element in iOS 26, which exhibits light-bending qualities across apps and functions. You can read more theories about what the fall event invite might signify.

The keynote will be held at Apple Park in Cupertino, California. CNET will be covering the announcements live, so be sure to follow along.

Get ready for an awe dropping #AppleEvent on Tuesday, September 9! pic.twitter.com/uAcYp2RLMM

— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) August 26, 2025

How to watch Apple’s iPhone 17 reveal

Technically, Apple has yet to confirm the iPhone 17, but the company typically unveils its latest handsets at its fall event.

You can tune into the iPhone 17 event by watching the official livestream on Apple’s website or via the livestream on Apple’s YouTube channel. Those streams are scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET. CNET’s reporters will also be on the ground and bringing you all the updates.

What might Apple be cooking up?

Rumors for the upcoming slate of iPhones have been plentiful. Stealing the spotlight is the supposed iPhone 17 Air, which could follow in the footsteps of Samsung’s sleek Galaxy S25 Edge and have a slim profile and lightweight design. The Pro model could get a scratch-resistant, antireflective display and an 8x telephoto lens, and the Pro Max could pack a bigger battery. The baseline iPhone 17 could also boast a higher refresh rate. It’s possible that all the phones may include an Apple-developed 5G modem called the C1 chip, which debuted on the iPhone 16E, as well as in-house Wi-Fi chips.

We also expect to learn more about the public rollout of iOS 26 later this fall. The new operating system features a Liquid Glass interface that brings a more transparent, lens-like look to the iPhone and other Apple devices. The Camera app also gets a more minimalistic design, Messages lets you create polls in group chats and a new screening tool can better detect spam texts. You can check out all the features coming to iOS 26.

Watch this: Apple Will Reveal the iPhone 17 Soon. Here’s What We Want

05:23

Will there be a Siri overhaul?

What we might not hear as much about is the updated version of Siri that Apple unveiled at its Worldwide Developers Conference last year. The smarter version of the AI assistant has faced repeated delays and may not arrive until next year. But Apple could discuss other Apple Intelligence updates and features arriving on its new devices.

Watch CNET’s livestream

CNET’s reporters will be on the ground, bringing you all the latest updates and impressions of whatever Apple has in store. You can watch our livestream here starting at 9:30 a.m. PT/12:30 p.m. ET:

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September 9, 2025 0 comments

Gaming Gear

The iPhone 17 Series Gets the Biggest iPhone Design Refresh in Years

by admin September 9, 2025

Apple has largely stuck with the same iPhone design since the iPhone 11 debuted in 2019, but change is afoot in Cupertino. While the iPhone 17 may resemble iPhones of the past few years, there’s an entirely new camera layout for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Also, there’s a brand-new iPhone! The iPhone Air replaces what was supposed to be the iPhone 17 Plus. It, too, features a new look, and it’s the thinnest iPhone Apple has ever made.

The changes on the standard iPhone 17—typically Apple’s most popular iPhone model—aren’t as drastic. The company announced the new handsets alongside new Apple Watches and AirPods Pro at its annual September event at the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple Park in Cupertino, California.

Preorders are available on Friday, with the iPhone 17 starting at $799, the iPhone Air costing $999, and the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max seeing an increase to $1,099 and $1,199. Here’s everything you need to know.

The iPhone Air

Apple’s iPhone Air is joining a slew of other phones that launched in 2025, which tout incredible thinness, like the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge and the Honor Magic V5. It’s 5.6 mm thick—an incredible feat, as that’s even thinner than Samsung’s handset, and a 2.65 mm drop from the iPhone 16 Pro.

iPhone Air is the thinnest iPhone ever made.

Courtesy of Apple

That’s about seven credit cards stacked on top of each other. With it comes weight savings of 24 grams compared with the regular iPhone 16, and this combo can dramatically alter how the phone feels in your hand, especially considering it sports a large 6.5-inch screen. It’s also the only iPhone this year employing titanium to help with the durability of the frame. Speaking of which, Apple says this phone uses its new Ceramic Shield 2 material on the front for 3x better scratch resistance and 4x better drop protection. The back glass uses the original Ceramic Shield glass mixture.

There’s still a camera bump, except it’s now horizontal (ahem, like a certain Google phone), but as you’ll see, there are compromises: You only get one camera. It can simulate a 2X optical zoom like most iPhones today, but unlike Samsung’s thin phone, there’s no ultrawide camera, making it less versatile for shutterbugs.

This phone debuts Apple’s C1X modem, which allows for sub-6 5G but no millimeter wave 5G, and it also features the first-ever Apple N1 wireless networking chip. The N1 has Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread support, which can improve local smart home controls with supported devices.

It still maintains features from previous iPhones, like the Dynamic Island, which takes up less space on the front, the Action Button, and Camera Control. The selfie camera has been upgraded to 24 megapixels and supports Apple’s Center Stage technology, which keeps you in the frame. The selfie camera has a square sensor, so you can take selfies in landscape or portrait orientation without having to switch the phone into landscape orientation. Apple has also added the ability to shoot videos with both the front and rear cameras at the same time.

The internals of the iPhone Air have been designed to maximize battery space.

Courtesy of Apple

Apple says inside is a “high-density battery,” which likely alludes to silicon-carbon battery technology to achieve this level of thinness. The phone is powered by the new A19 Pro chip, features Apple’s ProMotion 120-Hz refresh rate for the display, and has magnetic Qi2 25W wireless charging. It’s available in black, white, light gold, and light blue.

You might think this super-thin iPhone will have limited battery life, but Apple is still claiming the same video playback numbers as the iPhone 16 Plus: 27 hours. This is likely why Apple is selling a new low-profile MagSafe power bank to help users keep their slim phone topped up. Let’s just see how often you need to use it.

The iPhone 17 Pro

The first thing you’ll notice about the iPhone 17 Pro and the iPhone 17 Pro Max is the redesigned camera array on the back, which Apple calls the “Camera Plateau.” Gone is the square-shaped camera module in favor of a long, horizontal camera bar. Maybe it means the iPhone finally won’t rock on a table. There’s also a slightly different color tone below, indicating the split between the new aluminum chassis and the glass.

The forged plateau creates extra space for components, like a larger battery.

Courtesy of Apple

You heard that right, Apple’s priciest models are reverting to aluminum instead of the titanium of yesteryear. Aluminum handles heat better and is cheaper and lighter, not to mention a better carbon footprint (it’s 100 percent recycled aluminum). Now the only titanium model in the company’s lineup is the iPhone Air. You’d think this would bring a price drop, but alas.

Apple is also debuting a vapor chamber cooling system on these phones, helping them keep cool under load. This is something Android phones have used for years, so it’ll be interesting to see how it impacts performance across the board, whether you’re shooting 4K video or playing a graphically demanding game.

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September 9, 2025 0 comments