Tag:

iPhone

iPhone Air revealed as Apple’s thinnest phone yet

by admin September 9, 2025

Apple has lifted the lid on the iPhone Air, a new addition to its lineup measuring just 5.6mm thick. Tim Cook described it as delivering “pro performance in a thin and light design.”

The phone sports a 6.5-inch ProMotion display that hits 120Hz and 3,000 nits peak brightness. Apple says durability is improved with a ceramic shield and titanium frame. Inside, it runs on the new A19 Pro processor, paired with a faster C1x modem and the N1 chip for Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread support.

Article continues after ad

Battery life is rated for “all day,” with up to 40 hours of video playback. The thin build means only e-SIMs are supported, while adaptive power mode in iOS 26 aims to stretch charge further.

Apple

Cameras, accessories, and release

The iPhone Air features a 48MP dual system with a 12MP telephoto lens. A new function combines the front and rear cameras for simultaneous recording, and the 18MP selfie camera includes Center Stage support.

Article continues after ad

It launches in black, white, beige, and light blue, alongside new accessories like a translucent case, a reinforced bumper, and a cross-body strap. Pricing starts at $999 for 256GB, and the device releases on September 19.

Article continues after ad

This new iPhone comes alongside the AirPods Pro 3, which Apple has finally released with a new Heart Rate sensor and improved active noise cancelling.

Source link

September 9, 2025 0 comments

Game Reviews

Samsung Cuts Galaxy Z Flip7 to Record Low Without Trade-In, Fighting Back Against Apple’s iPhone 17 Release

by admin September 9, 2025

For all the Android-heads out there, you can upgrade whatever you’re working with now to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 for a discounted price. At this time, Samsung’s seventh generation flippable smartphone has dropped by 14% for the base storage option and by 12% for the large storage option. The 256GB Galaxy smartphone is down from $1,100 to $950, saving you $150. Likewise, the 512GB model is down from $1,220 to $1,070, also saving you $150. Amazon has three color options all on sale. Choose between blue shadow, coral red, or jet black.

Samsung first launched it flippable and foldable lines of smartphones back in 2020. If you’ve been afraid to jump on as an early adopter before the kinks have all been worked at, well now we’re on the seventh generation. It’s got quite a bit of updates since then so now’s a good time to get on board.

See at Amazon

When closed, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 can display the time, date, your notifications, and other brief details across its edge-to-edge cover screen.

Take hand-free selfies. Just open the Flip7 at a 90-degree angle so it can stand itself up. now you can use the outer camera lenses to take high-quality selfies (higher than front-facing cameras tend to be). Even use it for recording videos or taking video calls as you’re able to see your video and your callers video thanks to the cover screen. The outside features a 12MP ultra-wide lens as well as a 50MP wide lens capable of 2x optical quality zoom. If you still want to use the inside main camera, that one is 10MP.

Flip Without Fear

Now I’d understand your main concern with a flip phone being it’s durability. Plenty of flip phones snapped at their hinges back in the day, so how does the Flip7 hold up? Well, it’s built with Armor FlexHinge which is designed to close thinner while protecting the phone’s hinge. There are seven generations of iteration and innovation at play here. Additionally, it’s protected with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 and is encased in a strong yet light Armor Aluminum frame.

Though, the most underrated feature is being to hang up dramatically. When’s the last time you yell “Good day!” through the phone and then slammed it shut. Gently pressing the End Call button just doesn’t have the same oomph.

Get yourself the Samsung Galaxy Flip7 in three stylish colors for $150 off for a limited time. The 256GB model is down to $950 while the 512GB model is down to $1,070.

See at Amazon

Source link

September 9, 2025 0 comments

Gaming Gear

The 2025 Apple Event Is Tomorrow: What To Expect From iPhone 17

by admin September 9, 2025

Nothing in this world is certain, except for death, taxes and the reveal of a new iPhone every year. Since receiving our invites to attend Apple’s “awe dropping” iPhone 17 event, we’ve been hard at work deciphering what the enigmatic Apple logo heatmap could mean. While that’ll remain a mystery until Tuesday, we have seen a lot of the expected product lineup through leaked photos and rumors from industry analysts.

In addition to the base model, you can expect an iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max and a slim version, nicknamed the iPhone 17 Air, to be revealed during the event. We’re also likely to see an Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3 and maybe an Apple Watch SE, which was last updated in 2022. The AirPods Pro 3 might also make their debut.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source on Chrome.

iOS 26 and its minimalistic Liquid Glass feature tie the whole lineup together. The latter was showcased at WWDC 2025 and should be released shortly after the event.

Here are the biggest rumors and leaks about Apple’s new hardware. We’ll continue updating this piece ahead of the iPhone 17 event tomorrow. Whether you plan to watch the stream or just check in with the big announcements, CNET experts are bringing the latest live Apple event coverage to you before the keynote begins.

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

06:39

Here’s what the iPhone 17 could look like, in an array of different colors.

Zain bin Awais/CNET

What is the ‘awe dropping’ Apple event on Sept. 9?

If you’re excited about the new iPhone’s debut, you won’t have to wait long. Now that invites have gone out, we can officially confirm that Apple is planning its event for Tuesday, Sept. 9 at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT.

It turns out the leaks and rumors surrounding the event date were accurate. We can expect to see a full slate of product launches at the “awe dropping” Apple event, starting with the iPhone 17. The heatmap Apple logo included in the event invites hints at a new feature, but we don’t know what that could be.

iPhone 17

The standard iPhone is the cornerstone of Apple’s September presentation, and the iPhone 17 should be no different. All in all, this year won’t mark a groundbreaking shakeup for the iPhone. That’s supposedly coming next year, for the iPhone’s 20th anniversary. But there are still new features to get excited over in the meantime.

The largest alteration to the design is rumored to be the phone’s camera bump, which will more closely resemble the pill-shaped design of Google’s Pixel. Analyst Jeff Pu also believes that the selfie camera will be 24 megapixels — a solid upgrade from the 12-megapixel front-facing camera present in the iPhone 16 lineup.

There are conflicting rumors about the iPhone 17’s internal specs. Pu said that the new phone will have the same A18 chipset used in the iPhone 16, while leaker Fixed Focus Digital suggested that the phone will be upgraded to the A19 chip. It’s unknown whether the iPhone 17 will get a physical battery upgrade, but the Adaptive Power feature included within iOS 26 should help extend the phone’s battery life nonetheless.

Prominent leaker Majin Bu posted photos of the purported iPhone 17 lineup on X, and if they’re accurate, the device will come in black, blue, silver, purple and green.

Based on the Sept. 9 event date, we can expect preorders for the new Apple hardware to begin on Sept. 12, with a release date of Sept. 19.

The iPhone Plus might be replaced with a sleeker iPhone 17 Air in this year’s product lineup. Here’s a rendering of what that might look like.

Zain bin Awais/CNET

iPhone 17 Air

The iPhone 17 Air could replace the Plus model in the lineup. Its key feature could be an ultra-thin design, like Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Edge. It will be interesting to see if the slim design comes with a sacrifice to battery life, like with the S25 Edge. A Bloomberg report states that the Air could be as thin as 5.5mm. Pu notes that the Air will likely have a 6.6-inch display, with a resolution of 1,260×2,740 pixels.

There is a mix of rumors about the Air’s chip, with trusted sources such as Bloomberg reporting that it will have the standard A19 chip. More recently, MacRumors reported on a leaker’s assertion that the phone will contain the A19 Pro chip, but there’s no substantial evidence pointing toward either claim.

According to MacRumors, the Air has a 2,800-mAh battery — though it might be the first Apple phone to use a high-density silicon battery, which could increase actual battery capacity by between 15% to 20%. Note that the Adaptive Power feature shipping with iOS 26 might help with the battery life.

Judging by the numerous leaked photos and renders, it’s also extremely likely that the Air will have only one wide-angle rear camera, like the iPhone 16E. The front camera may also be moved to the left of the Dynamic Island cutout (that camera sensor bar at the top of the phone’s display) to maintain its form.

While the iPhone 17 is expected to stay at the baseline 8GB of memory, the Air could have 12GB of RAM, which is the same memory that the Pro and Pro Max phones are rumored to include.

A CNET mock up of the iPhone 17 Pro.

Viva Tung/CNET

iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max

Whereas the Air is expected to make sacrifices to achieve its design, the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max are the most premium models in the lineup. Recent photos substantiate rumors that the Pro’s chassis will change from titanium to aluminum, making it lighter than previous models.

The biggest rumored upgrades coming are the cameras. MacRumors reported that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an 8x optical zoom telephoto lens, up from the 5x one on the 16 Pro. Pu wrote that the Pro phones will feature a 48-megapixel telephoto camera, which is a substantial improvement over the 16 Pro’s 12-megapixel sensor. He similarly reports that the selfie camera will be upgraded to 24 megapixels, up from the 12-megapixel front-facing camera on the 16 Pro.

As reported on by MacRumors, one leaker claimed the iPhone 17 Pro Max will have the biggest battery in any iPhone to date — and the Pro will likely have a similarly sized battery. Bu claimed that both phones will have a vapor chamber cooling system, which could help keep these batteries from overheating on the sunniest summer days.

The Pro phones will come with the A19 Pro chip, but while the iPhone 17 Air could likely have a five-core GPU, the Pro and Pro Max will have a six-core GPU, ensuring better performance across the board.

For folks who care about showing off their new phone, you’ll be happy to know that one supposed leaker on Weibo claimed that one of the color choices for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max is related to the slick iOS 26 Liquid Glass design, while we’ve seen leaked mockups of the Pro in black, silver, dark blue and orange.

It’s time for an upgrade to the Apple Watch and its premium edition. The budget smart watch might also get a new iteration this year.

Vanessa Hand Orellana/CNET

Apple Watch Series 11, Ultra 3 and SE

The Apple Watch Series 11 could get key improvements to its core features, battery life and performance.

We might not see a drastic change in design from the Apple Watch Series 10, but MacRumors reports that the Series 11 could get a more energy-efficient screen with higher resolution and better brightness settings (which could improve battery life). Keeping with the trend of upgrading the processor in each new Apple Watch, we should see an S11 chip present in the Series 11.

Gurman reported in March that Apple has been testing blood pressure tracking for future Apple Watch models, but it’s unclear how far along in development that feature is and whether it’s ready for release with the Series 11.

What is extremely likely to debut at this event, on the other hand, is the Apple Watch Ultra 3, since MacRumors found imagery for the smartwatch buried within the iOS 26 beta. The photos show an Ultra watch with a slightly larger display, clocking in at a 422×514-pixel resolution. The Ultra 3 would likely share an S11 chip with the Series 11. While the Ultra 2 already boasts the longest battery life of any Apple Watch, an S11 chip could see even greater returns on a single charge for the Ultra 3 — it could last three or four days in low-power mode.

The most unique feature that could come to the premium new Apple Watch is satellite connectivity. According to Gurman, Apple has been exploring adding this feature to the next Ultra model — if implemented, it would enable emergency messaging and location sharing in areas without cell service. Google’s new Pixel Watch 4 is the first smartwatch to support satellite connectivity.

There are some hints that we might see a new SE model. For starters, there hasn’t been an SE since 2022, which means Apple could be primed for a release this year. A report from Gurman also stated that a next-gen SE could be in the works. According to Gurman, the next SE design could largely focus on an improved exterior, but it’s also likely that the budget watch could get an upgrade to Apple’s S9 chip.

The WatchOS 26 AI-powered Workout Buddy feature will also be standard for any new Apple Watch introduced at this event, though it will need to be paired with an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone.

It’s been a couple of years since a new AirPods Pro model has been released — but we might just see a new iteration come September.

John Kim/CNET

AirPods Pro 3

It’s been a hot minute since Apple updated the AirPods Pro, according to CNET’s resident headphone reviewer David Carnoy. The second iteration of the premium wireless earbuds was released in 2022, and the company has been radio silent about the AirPods Pro 3 despite releasing new AirPods models every year since 2019.

That’s likely to change very soon, as MacRumors contributor Steve Moser found references to the AirPods Pro 3 in the underlying code for iOS 26’s first beta.

Bloomberg’s Gurman predicts that the product announcement will happen during the iPhone 17 event. He also reported that the new design will likely feature heart-rate monitoring as a key feature, similarly to the Powerbeats Pro 2. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo further reported that the company is looking to add infrared cameras to future AirPods, but this hardware might not be ready until the AirPods Pro 4.

It’s also rumored that the AirPods Pro 3 could have an interactive touchscreen display in the charging case, doubling as a remote control. It’s also possible that the new wireless earbuds will have an H3 chip, an improvement over the AirPods Pro 2’s H2 chip that could improve battery life, enhance sound quality, provide better active noise cancellation and perform better during voice calls.

If you’re tired of light and dark mode, the new “all clear” Liquid Glass mode in iOS 26 might be just what you’re looking for.

Apple/Screenshot by Jeff Carlson/CNET

Announcement, beta and iOS 26 launch

A new generation of Apple hardware calls for new software as well, and iOS 26 is changing far more than the operating system’s naming convention. The iOS 18 successor — which was announced at WWDC — is on its fifth public beta, which fixes a number of bugs from the previous update and brings the software more in line with the most recent developer beta version.

We know what many of the main features of iOS 26 will look like before its full release. The design is largely minimalist, with a heavy emphasis on Liquid Glass, which presents a colorless “all clear” alternative to the light and dark mode interfaces. This unobtrusive design will make dynamic changes to the lock screen, where the time and date will change to fit your photo, and Safari, where unused tabs will gravitate toward the top of the screen.

The Camera, Photos and FaceTime apps are also going back to basics with simplified designs, while the Messages app is getting more colorful. The biggest features for iOS 26 are call screening for unknown numbers, live translation for calls and texts, a dedicated Games app and lyrics translations on the Music app.

For an in-depth breakdown of all of the iOS upgrades Apple has revealed (as well as the updates the company didn’t mention), check out the roundup from CNET’s Jeff Carlson here.

We’ll continue to update this piece as more details for the Sept. 9 “awe dropping” iPhone 17 event are confirmed. Check back for more information about release dates and upcoming Apple hardware as it becomes available.

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

05:23

Source link

September 9, 2025 0 comments

Gaming Gear

iPhone 17 Pro: Every New Feature We Know

by admin September 8, 2025

The 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max could get a price increase in the US.
The iPhone 17 Pro might have a rear camera bump that stretches across the entire phone.
iPhone 17 Pro rumors point to camera upgrades and a telephoto lens with up to 8x optical zoom.
The iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max are expected to be released Sept. 9, 2025.

Apple’s “Awe Dropping” event is Sept. 9, and we expect to see new iPhone models, including the iPhone 17 Air. But according to rumors and leaks, the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max are also due to arrive with plenty of upgrades and new features.

Last week, MacRumors reported (citing a Trendforce report) that the base iPhone 17 Pro will cost $1,199, $200 more than the iPhone 16 Pro, but will have twice as much storage: 256GB instead of the standard 128GB. The entry-level iPhone 17 Pro Max will also have 256GB, but the price will start at $1,299 ($100 more than the 16 Pro Max).

This pricing news follows a recent alleged image of the iPhone 17 Pro’s aluminum chassis that appeared on the Chinese social media site Weibo, as reported by MacRumors. The photo shows an unfinished aluminum frame with cutouts for the cameras and a full-body wide camera bump (which lines up with other rumors). It’s impossible to know if this is indeed an actual body for an iPhone 17 Pro or just a mock-up that someone made. But if it’s true, it validates previous rumors that Apple could be changing the iPhone Pro models’ frame from titanium to aluminum, which is much lighter.

Although speculation about an ultrathin iPhone 17 Air has hogged the spotlight, the Pro models tend to have more upgraded features. In addition to the camera, the Pro could get a surprising new color and the much-coveted scratch-resistant, antireflective display.

A rumored video of the iPhone 17 Pro surfaced on X via @skyfops, though it’s unclear whether the clip shows the real device or just a dummy model:

I just spotted a test development iPhone in the wild 🤩🤩🤩 pic.twitter.com/iS3PtKWqxJ

— Fox Pupy 🦊🧡 (@Skyfops) July 28, 2025

Apple hasn’t announced anything or confirmed any rumors, and we likely won’t find out for sure until the next iPhone officially comes out. Until then, we’re tracking all the biggest leaks and rumors about the iPhone 17 Pro and sharing what we’ve heard so far.

Read more: I May Upgrade to the iPhone 17 Pro Max If These 6 Rumors Are True

Watch this: iPhone SE 4 vs. iPhone 17 Air Rumors: Does Size Matter Over Cost?

06:50

iPhone 17 Pro’s rumored camera bump redesign and movable telephoto lens

The iPhone 17 Pro’s camera has been the subject of multiple rumored changes, but recent ones come from an anonymous tipster.

MacRumors says a tipster who claimed to be familiar with an iPhone Pro commercial revealed features that included a telephoto lens — upgraded to 8x optical zoom from 5x on the iPhone 16 Pro — that can apparently move. A moving lens could allow continuous optical zoom at various focal lengths, according to MacRumors.

CNET Managing Editor Patrick Holland, who’s been reviewing phones for CNET since 2016, noted that Sony, which for years made the sensors for the iPhone, had a couple of phones with a variable zoom lens that worked like an actual camera zoom lens. While Apple may not use the exact same technology as Sony’s, Holland notes, it could adapt some of it for the iPhone 17 Pro.

MacRumors also reported the iPhone 17 Pro could have an additional Camera Control button, which would be in addition to the bottom-right edge camera button the iPhone 16 models sport, as well as a new camera and video app.

In January, Bu posted a leaked image on X suggesting that the phone could feature a pill-shaped camera bar that looks a lot like the camera bar on Google’s Pixel 9 phone.

That raised the question of whether the iPhone 17 Pro would align the three camera lenses in a single row or leave them stacked in a pyramid design, as it did with the iPhone 16 Pro.

In February, Bu posted CAD renders of what could be the iPhone 17 lineup, and Front Page Tech also shared iPhone 17 Pro renders in this video on YouTube (Apple filed a lawsuit against YouTuber Jon Prosser, featured in this video, over leaks about the iOS26):

Both showed horizontal camera bars for the iPhone 17 Pro models that keep the stacked lens layout.

Pu wrote in March that the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max will feature a 48-megapixel telephoto rear camera, up from 12 megapixels on the iPhone 16 Pro models. That would mean all three cameras on the iPhone 17 Pro models — wide-angle, ultrawide and telephoto — would be 48 megapixels.

And as for your selfies, analyst Jeff Pu reports that the front-facing camera will be upgraded from 12 megapixels on the iPhone 16 to 24 megapixels on all iPhone 17 models.

Front Page Tech reported in April that the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max may also add a built-in video feature that allows you to record with the front and rear cameras simultaneously. The feature would let you overlay a shot of your face over an outward-facing video. A video upgrade from the already stellar iPhone 16 Pro could add some serious value for video creators considering the iPhone 17 Pro.

Read more: Apple, Please Don’t Let AI Ruin the iPhone 17’s Camera

Pro displays could get an antireflective upgrade

On July 16, MacRumors cited a “reliable source” in reporting that the Pro and Pro Max could get a scratch-resistant antireflective display, reversing itself on previous reports that Apple had to scrap plans due to scaling issues. If the latest rumor proves true, the upgrade from Apple’s Ceramic Shield display could prove an enticing feature for the Pro and Pro Max.

Holland called the antireflective display one of the best attributes of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.

Apple Insider reported in May that the iPhone 17 could get a larger display than the iPhone 16. DSCC founder and Counterpoint Research VP Ross Young posted on X that the base iPhone 17 will be 6.3 inches, an upgrade from the iPhone 16’s 6.1-inch display. In theory, that means the iPhone 17 would have the same screen size as the iPhone 17 Pro.

The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max are rumored to continue with a 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display, respectively, similar to the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Rumored design changes for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max

The latest rumors about the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max design include colorful developments and a new frame composition.

Orange among the Pro color lineup

Rumors of a new color for the iPhone started in April, when Twitter user and leaker Majin Bu (not the Dragon Ball Z character) posted that the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max could get a sky blue option.

But on July 14, Bu posted that Apple is ditching sky blue for the Pro Models, with only the rumored iPhone Air claiming the hue. Then on July 29, Bu posted a video on X of Pro mockups in four colors:

black
silver
dark blue
orange

What’s your favorite iPhone 17 Pro color? pic.twitter.com/yVck0lXuss

— Majin Bu (@MajinBuOfficial) July 29, 2025

Digital blogger Weibo said that one of the colors is “related to the liquid glass design of iOS 26,” saying it would be white but with different visual effects depending on which light it was in.

For reference, the iPhone 16 and Plus made a splash last year when they debuted pink, teal and ultramarine color options, alongside the standard white and black. The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max introduced a new color, desert titanium — a restrained shade of peach — alongside the classic natural titanium, white titanium and black titanium options.

The Pro models have traditionally featured more muted colors, so the prospect of an orange or glass-inspired color could offer an exciting new look for the Pro.

Apple logo moving lower

The Apple logo on the back of the phone may be moving lower on the Pro models, as shown in a Bu post on X of an iPhone 17 mockup:

iPhone 17 Pro design: logo moves lower.
Here’s why
Full Article:https://t.co/xeC6d0oBeN pic.twitter.com/Q8QwkT56IL

— Majin Bu (@MajinBuOfficial) June 28, 2025

The change in location is reportedly coming to make room for the larger camera bump design.

Improved audio quality

On June 2, wccftech, said the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max would get longer earpieces, citing a post on X from @duanrui1205. In theory, that could signal improved audio clarity. At the Worldwide Developers Conference later in June, Apple said audio quality will improve with software updates in AirPods with H2 chipsets. CNET got to learn firsthand how Apple tests, calibrates and tunes the audio (and video) on an iPhone. Additional improvements in audio quality could potentially elevate an already impressive feature.

More RAM for iPhone 17 lineup

Apple Intelligence and AI are likely to play more prominent roles with the iPhone 17. To support the new features, all the iPhone 17 models will step up to 12GB of RAM, tipster Digital Chat Station reported in April. Kuo said the iPhone 17 Air and Pro models would get that increased 12GB of RAM, but not the base model.

Considering that the iPhone 16 lineup had 8GB of RAM across all models, this could be a big upgrade for the iPhone 17.

Aluminum frames for all, except Air

There’s been plenty of discussion about whether the iPhone 17 Pro will ditch its titanium alloy frame for an aluminum one. In February, MacRumors said Pu predicted that the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will have all-aluminum frames or potentially part glass, part aluminum for better durability. The iPhone 17 Air would stick with Apple’s current titanium frame — or possibly a mix of titanium and aluminum.

Dynamic Island size in question

Pu predicted in May that all iPhone 17 models will use a new metalens technology for the proximity sensor, which could result in a smaller Face ID sensor and Dynamic Island, according to a report by 9to5Mac. However, Pu’s report contradicts Kuo, who said that the iPhone 17’s Dynamic Island would remain “largely unchanged” compared with the iPhone 16.

Dimensions

According to a report by 9to5Mac in May, the iPhone 17 Pro line may be thicker, 8.725mm, compared with the iPhone 16 Pro, which clocks in at 8.25mm thick. That larger size could potentially make room for more battery.

In a post on X on July 11, Majin Bu showed a video of a case for a thicker iPhone 17 Pro model, with the design likely based on the iPhone 17 Pro’s rumored dimensions:

New Magsafe Case Design for iPhone 17 Pro pic.twitter.com/ynavEmiPam

— Majin Bu (@MajinBuOfficial) July 11, 2025

New A19 Pro chip could improve performance

There’s been some back and forth about the chip for the rest of the iPhone 17 lineup, but rumors have consistently given the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max the A19 Pro chip.

More recently, MacRumors reported that a Weibo account known as Fixed Focus Digital said the iPhone 17 Air will also come with an A19 Pro chip, like the Pro models. But the Air would have a 5-core GPU, according to the rumor, whereas the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max would get a 6-core GPU. An upgraded GPU could improve graphics and video rendering.

Battery life could get a big boost

What good is a new phone if it doesn’t last all day, right? The iPhone 17 Pro Max will get the biggest ever battery in an iPhone, the Weibo leaker known as Instant Digital said in a post on X, as reported by MacRumors. However, the site noted Instant Digital’s spotty record with Apple rumors. If the Pro’s dimensions are identical to the Pro Max’s, as they’re rumored to be, it stands to reason that the Pro could get the bigger battery, too.

And Majin Bu posted on July 3 that the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max will feature a vapor chamber cooling system, which could help prevent the bigger battery from overheating.

iPhone 17 Pro release date expected in September

Apple is holding an event on Tues. Sept. 9. We expect the iPhone 17 series to be announced along with new Apple Watches and AirPods. Preorders for a new iPhone typically begin the Friday after an announcement, with the phone shipping a week later. Based on the Sept. 9 event date, the preorder date could be Sept. 12.

Tariffs could raise the price, but there are other factors

Trump has raised, lowered and paused tariffs a dizzying number of times since February, all of which could affect the cost of the iPhone 17 Pro.

Apple, which says it could move much of US iPhone production from China to India, has escaped many of the tariff hikes thanks to a reciprocal tariff exemption list that includes many phones, laptops and other electronics that Apple produces.

However, all the reprieves appear to be temporary so reciprocal tariffs could still affect prices by the time the iPhone 17 is released.

Trump threatened Apple with a 25% tariff on all iPhones made outside the country in a social media post on May 23. Later that day, he said that all smartphones — not just iPhones — would be hit with the 25% tariff by the end of June if they don’t move operations to the US.

Regardless of how tariffs play out, Apple plans to raise iPhone prices later this year, The Wall Street Journal reported. Apple apparently plans to ascribe the price increase to better features and design costs so it can avoid pointing the finger at tariffs and incurring the wrath of Trump (like Amazon temporarily did).

Holland points out that the iPhone is overdue for a price bump. He noted that Apple has never increased the price for an iPhone Pro ($999) since the iPhone X was first introduced in 2017.

So yes, you should expect to pay more for the iPhone 17, regardless of tariffs.

Read more: Thinking About Buying a New iPhone? Here’s Why You Should Wait

Are new iPhone rumors and leaks to be trusted?

Here’s the part where I come in and say: Everything’s a rumor until Apple officially releases the next iPhone. Rumors and speculation leading up to the iPhone’s release are often based on insider knowledge or leaked information from teams working on the iPhone’s designs, but those designs are works in progress — not necessarily the final product.

Source link

September 8, 2025 0 comments

Product Reviews

If the iPhone 17 doesn’t get ProMotion, I won’t be upgrading my iPhone 12

by admin September 8, 2025

In 2020, I bought an iPhone 12 to replace my aging Pixel 3, and nearly five years later, I’m still using that same device because it works fine and Apple has yet to bring the feature I want most on a regular iPhone: a ProMotion display. If you’re not familiar with the company’s marketing lingo, ProMotion is its way of describing a high-refresh rate display.

Apple introduced ProMotion with the iPhone 13 Pro. Since then, every Pro model has offered a 120Hz refresh rate display with the ability to scale down to 1Hz for always-on functionality. That’s great for gaming and day-to-day use; higher refresh rates make every interaction on the iPhone’s touchscreen look and feel smoother. In fact, high refresh rate displays are such a well-liked feature that most Android manufacturers have begun offering them on their entry-level devices, but it’s still something you need to spend $1,000 to get on an iPhone..

If you ask me, that’s a problem for Apple. The closest I got to upgrading was in 2023 when it released the iPhone 15, which was the first regular model to include the company’s Dynamic Island display cutout after it debuted on the iPhone 14 Pro. In the end, even the iPhone 15, with its better display, camera and USB-C charging, wasn’t enough to convince me to part with the iPhone 12, because the new model didn’t include a ProMotion screen. I imagine I’m not the only person who kept their old iPhone for the same reason.

At this point, Apple’s trickle-down strategy is painfully behind its competitors. In 2022, when display analyst Ross Young correctly predicted the entire iPhone 15 would offer Dynamic Island displays, he said the company likely wouldn’t bring ProMotion to its regular iPhones until 2024 at the earliest. He blamed the timing on a supply chain that “[couldn’t] support” the feature on Apple’s more affordable handsets. Whether or not that was true, I don’t know. In 2020, the same year Apple released the $799 iPhone 12, Google came out with the $700 Pixel 5, which came with a 90Hz OLED.

Either way, it appears my long wait is about to come to an end, with all four 2025 iPhone models — the iPhone 17, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max and new iPhone 17 Air — reportedly set to offer 120Hz displays. For me, this is the year I upgrade, but I do wonder what it means for the future of the iPhone line.

If I had to guess, Apple’s decision to hold off on bringing ProMotion to the regular iPhone had more to do with the company wanting to give people a reason to spend extra on a Pro model than the limits of one of the largest and most efficient supply chains on the planet. If the pre-release rumors turn out to be true, the iPhone 17 will leave the iPhone Pro in an awkward place. With ProMotion gone as a differentiating feature and the Pro and Pro Max rumored to be made from aluminum again, there aren’t many reasons to go for the more expensive models other than if you want a telephoto camera or a bigger display in the case of the Pro Max.

I suspect this may be the last year we see an iPhone Pro, at least in the format we know it as now. When Senior Editor Devindra Hardawar and I got a chance to talk to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman during a recent episode of the Engadget podcast, he mentioned that Apple plans to go all in on the iPhone Air. At first, it may offer only a single camera and worse battery life than its siblings, but Gurman said Apple was confident it could further shrink those components over time and make the Air the equal of its current devices.

In other words, the iPhone Air might be a side project now, but it’s easy to envision a future where it becomes the company’s flagship. Maybe it’s wishful thinking, but I’m hopeful Apple plans for a future where the Air and regular iPhone offer similar features, but the company charges a premium for getting those in a sleeker package.

Source link

September 8, 2025 0 comments

Gaming Gear

The iPhone 17 Air Could Use a Silicon-Carbon Battery. What Is It?

by admin September 8, 2025

Apple has taken the second approach with caveats. Rumors suggest the iPhone 17 Air’s battery capacity will sit around 2,900 mAh, a steep drop from prior iPhone models, especially at the 6.6-inch screen size. But the company is supposedly making up for it with power-saving tricks to make sure battery life remains similar to other iPhones, including Apple’s more efficient C1 modem that debuted on the iPhone 16e earlier this year.

Luebbe declined to comment on whether Group14’s silicon-carbon composite is being used in the iPhone 17 Air’s batteries; Sila Nanotechnologies and Enovix did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

What’s the Catch?

The problem with silicon batteries is that they expand. When you lithiate raw silicon, Luebbe says it can expand up to three times its initial volume. Lithium-ion batteries also swell; you’ve probably heard of or maybe even experienced this, as it can happen for a myriad of reasons. It means something has gone wrong, and the battery is now a safety risk.

It’s this problem that researchers and companies have spent decades trying to solve, and the solution lies in the carbon part of the name. It starts to get a bit technical here—and each silicon anode company has its own proprietary process—but Luebbe says Group14’s approach is to start with a porous carbon material.

“Imagine a carbon sponge, but the pores of that sponge are on the single-digit molecule wide, we’re talking less than 10 nanometers wide,” he says. These pores are filled with silane gas (the silicon), but only about halfway. The particle you’re left with is made up of silicon, carbon, and void space. When the lithium ions head over from the cathode to the anode and the silicon lithiates, it expands to fill the void spaces of the particle.

“It mitigates the expansion at the particle level, so the battery doesn’t see the expansion, so it stabilizes the battery, and you get excellent cycle life,” Luebbe says. “That’s the critical insight in the invention: really learning how to internalize that expansion, so that it’s insulated from the battery chemistry and mechanical operations.”

Vincent Chevrier has been a researcher in the silicon field for 15 years and is a partner at battery consulting firm Cyclikal. He says while silicon is here to stay as a material to be used in lithium-ion batteries, there are still a few challenges for broader adoption, namely cost.

Companies like Group14 use silane gas instead of solid silicon, which yields better battery performance, but could be 10 times the cost. That could make it harder to sell their composite to battery makers, and it could drive up the prices of consumer electronics. The iPhone 17 Air is rumored to cost around $1,099, a potential $200 bump from the iPhone 16 Plus it’s expected to replace, though there could be other factors affecting its price, like tariffs.

Chevrier also says he often sees silicon-carbon makers inflate the energy density claims. Group14, for example, says on its website that its silicon batteries can deliver up to 50 percent more energy density than conventional lithium-ion batteries. But if the material is just dropped in to replace graphite and not much else is changed with the battery, you’re more likely going to see a 10 percent boost in energy density with a switch to a silicon-carbon anode. Redesign the battery cell, and then it’d be possible to see an increase of up to 30 percent.

Source link

September 8, 2025 0 comments

Product Reviews

How to Watch Apple’s iPhone 17 Announcement, and What to Expect

by admin September 7, 2025

Ah, September. The kiddos head back to school, the geese head south for the winter, and we all head to Cupertino to see the new iPhones.

Apple’s latest product launch event is happening on September 9. The livestreamed announcement starts on Tuesday at 10 am Pacific, 1 pm Eastern, and 6 pm British Summer Time. You can watch the livestream right here on this page, on Apple’s website, or on Apple’s YouTube channel. If you’re already deep in the Appleverse, you can also watch in the Apple TV app on any screen where it runs.

For weeks, little nuggets of information about Apple’s forthcoming device lineup have been regularly extracted from the various online rumor mines. Based on those whispers and Apple’s typical release schedule (which rarely varies) we can expect an event filled with announcements. We’ll likely see a full line of iPhones 17, including the base model, the Pro models, and a brand-new ultra-thin version called the iPhone Air. We are also expecting new Apple Watches and new AirPods. All of these devices will surely have some sort of AI-enabled capabilities. There might even be some Apple TV news.

Just know that Apple always stays tight-lipped in the lead-up to its launch events, so the information we’re providing here is speculative. Also, the company likes to drop a surprise or two during its presentation, so keep an eye out for WIRED’s roundup of everything Apple announces once the event ends.

In the meantime, here’s what to look out for.

Air Born

The biggest news of the event might just be about one of the lightest gadgets in the lineup. We’re expecting a new addition to the iPhone lineup called the iPhone 17 Air.

This phone is expected to be noticeably thinner and lighter than other iPhones. The Air is rumored to have a 6.6-inch OLED screen and come in at a svelte 5.5 mm thick. (That’s 2.3 mm thinner than the iPhone 16.)

Given the phone’s slim size, the Air might come with some design tweaks and sacrifices to its internal powers to keep its lithe form. Rumors have indicated that the USB-C port won’t be centered along the bottom of the phone.

Source link

September 7, 2025 0 comments

Product Reviews

How to watch Apple debut the iPhone 17 lineup at its ‘Awe Dropping’ event on September 9

by admin September 6, 2025

It’s September, and that usually means it’s iPhone season. Like clockwork, Apple once again appears set to show off new smartphones with its latest showcase next week. The upcoming event has been dubbed “Awe dropping,” so we’re hoping for a few announcements that’ll warrant the tagline. The showcase begins on September 9 at 1PM ET/10AM PT.

If you want to tune in to hear what Tim Cook and crew have to say about the presumed iPhone 17, you can stream the show on Apple’s website or YouTube channel. We’ve also got the livestream embedded below so you can follow along with our liveblog while you watch.

With just a few days to go until the “Awe dropping” event, it seems like we’ve already gotten a lot of advanced insights about what the iPhone 17 lineup has in store. Apple introduced the software side of the equation with the iOS 26 unveil at WWDC this summer, and since then we’ve gotten some pretty reliable insights on the hardware.

The big reveal is expected to be an ultralight smartphone, likely called the iPhone 17 Air. This would be Apple’s first application of its Air nomenclature for mobile, and when we had Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman on the Engadget Podcast at the end of August, he suggested that the first iteration of the smartphone might come with some growing pains. We also anticipate seeing a base iPhone 17, an iPhone 17 Pro, and an iPhone 17 Pro Max.

Beyond the smartphones, the “Awe dropping” event could also include three new Apple Watches and updated AirPods Pro earbuds. Bloomberg reports that Apple has several other devices in the works as well, including a new AirTag, Apple TV and iPad Pro, but it’s not as certain if those will pop up at this specific event. Either way, you can tune in on September 9 to hear about all the new product launches.

Source link

September 6, 2025 0 comments

An image of iPhone 17 dummy units in five shades

Gaming Gear

Apple will need to show off truly unique AI features for the iPhone 17 to convince me to upgrade

by admin September 6, 2025

Apple’s next big iPhone event is just around the corner, and the iPhone 17 lineup is likely to take center stage. I’ll be looking to see how Apple melds the new hardware with its AI ambitions. Because unless there’s something unique to the new devices, specifically relating to AI, I’m not sure I really want to upgrade.

There have been rumors flying around Apple’s AI plans ever since Apple Intelligence started rolling out. But that has mostly seemed like just the same set of AI features available on every device with an occasional Apple twist. If the company wants this launch to stand out, it’ll need to show how the iPhone 17 can do something that no other Apple device, perhaps no other smartphone, can do using AI. Something connected to the hardware.

My high expectations fit with Apple’s teasing of “Awe Dropping” news. Presumably, that’s not just because of how much the high-end version of the new phones will cost. But Apple will need more than just a coat of AI paint on the otherwise impressive piece of technology.

Unique AI

Apple has come off as pretty cautious about AI until now. Sure, Apple Intelligence can help with rewriting emails, summarizing notes, and making personalized emojis, but it’s hardly rewriting how people live their lives.

I admit I’m not sure what my ideal announcement would be. But it shouldn’t be just another text editor or image generator. I want an AI feature that feels like it couldn’t exist on anything but this phone. Something so tightly tied to the hardware, sensors, and Apple ecosystem that it becomes immediately obvious why this phone couldn’t have come out last year or even last week.

Perhaps it’s an AI model that can read my expression and start giving me directions home just from a confused look on my face. Or turning a still into an AI-powered GIF faster than I could type a description of one.

I’m not expecting a holographic AI double of myself to appear in the air or anything, but so many ideas we’ve accepted as common features would have been far-fetched at best a few years ago. And the new iPhones are certain to have the hardware to power some wild ideas. Faster processors, keen sensors, and neural engines that can mimic human conversation at an astonishing level are capable of doing much more than creating an emoji of a dog with a cowboy hat.

So if Apple wants to win me over at this upcoming iPhone event, I don’t need another time-lapse video of Cupertino drone shots and a Jony Ive knockoff voice; I want to see AI doing things my phone never could. Otherwise, I’m happy sticking with my already quite powerful device that’s already paid for. When Tim Cook says there’s one more thing, it should be something I won’t be able to see anywhere else.

Source link

September 6, 2025 0 comments

Samsung Galaxy S25 FE in hand with long green leaves behind

Product Reviews

Hands on: I spent time with the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE and it absolutely crushes the iPhone 16e in every way that matters

by admin September 4, 2025

Why you can trust TechRadar

We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Samsung Galaxy S25 FE hands-on: Price and availability

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

To understand the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE, you need to know two things. First, it’s a phone for Samsung fans, even if Samsung no longer says FE stands for Fan Edition. Second, it costs only $50 / £50 / AU$100 more than the Apple iPhone 16e, but it gives you so much more that it might be a much better value. There are still questions to be answered (Exynos, really?), but the Galaxy S25 FE makes a lot of sense.

I spent an afternoon with the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE – and the new Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra and Tab S11 tablets – and got a feel for what Samsung is cooking with this new bargain model. Actually, it’s only a bargain if you were wishing for a Galaxy S25. It still costs $649 / £649 / AU$1,099, and Samsung also sells less expensive Galaxy A-series models like the Galaxy A56.

Samsung Galaxy S25 FE hands-on: Galaxy S features

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Why pine over a Galaxy S25 when the Galaxy A56 is within reach? First of all, the Galaxy S phones have more advanced software. They will usually get OneUI and Android updates first, and they pack more features, especially Samsung DeX, one of my favorite tricks that Samsung phones can pull.

Samsung Galaxy S25 FE hands-on: Design

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The Galaxy S25 FE and S25 Plus aren’t exactly the same. The FE is slightly chunkier in every direction, but not so much bigger that it’s cumbersome. It’s only a tenth of a millimeter thicker, according to Samsung. My calipers aren’t so precise.

The colors are… boring. Very, very boring. There is blue, black, blue, and white. Seriously, there are two blue colors: Icyblue and Navy blue. I remember when the FE phones used to be more colorful, but this year’s Galaxy Z Fold 7 FE is glossy black and white, and the flat S25 FE only adds dark and light shades of blue. Sigh.

Image 1 of 4

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The Galaxy S25 FE is a nice step down for folks who want to save money on a real Galaxy S device, and it’s also an incredible competitor stacked up against Apple’s latest bargain model, the iPhone 16e. If the iPhone 16e seemed a bit dowdy before, the Galaxy S25 FE puts to rest any question that the iPhone isn’t a serious device.

For just a bit more money, the Galaxy S25 FE gives you a much bigger display – 6.7-inches versus 6.1-inches. The Galaxy display has a higher peak brightness, and it can refresh up to 120Hz. Of course, there’s also a much larger battery inside.

Samsung Galaxy S25 FE hands-on: Cameras and specs

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The Galaxy S25 FE gives you three cameras instead of the questionable single-camera setup on the iPhone 16e, and that includes a real telephoto zoom lens with 3X optical zoom. More importantly, the main 50MP camera uses a sensor that is much larger than the paltry sensor on the iPhone 16e’s 48MP camera.

The Galaxy S25 FE charges as fast as the Galaxy S25 Plus – up to 45W wired if you have the right charger. That’s much faster than the iPhone 16e. Usually, an iPhone has an advantage with magnetic wireless charging, but Apple oddly omitted the magnets from the bargain iPhone, so it doesn’t have the MagSafe leg up on Android phones.

The biggest letdown on the Galaxy S25 FE is the processor. It uses a Samsung Exynos 2400 chipset, which isn’t even the latest Exynos processor. I asked Samsung reps why it doesn’t use the Exynos 2500, but they didn’t have a substantive answer.

There’s a big difference between the Exynos 2400 in the Galaxy S25 FE and the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chipset in the Galaxy S25. Even the newer Exynos 2500 doesn’t come close to measuring up. The Snapdragon 8 Elite is more than 50% faster than the Exynos 2400, based on single core test results in Future Labs benchmark testing.

Samsung Galaxy S25 FE: The Exynos question

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

In battery testing, a phone like the Galaxy S25 Edge with the Snapdragon inside lasted much longer than a phone like the Galaxy Z Flip 7 with an Exynos 2500 inside, even though the S25 Edge has a smaller battery.

The difference between the Apple A18 chipset in the iPhone 16e and the Exynos 2400 in the Galaxy S25 FE is even more stark. In our benchmark tests, the iPhone completely blows away the Exynos in every test – including single- and multi-core processing, graphics, and real-world tasks.

Does that mean the iPhone 16e will be better for gaming and other processor-intensive tasks than the Galaxy S25 FE? Maybe, but I’ll need to spend more time with the phone to compare it against the iPhone’s performance head-to-head. I’m sure Samsung’s phone will be able to run the latest games, but I may need to dial down graphics settings to achieve the highest frame rate and take advantage of the 120Hz display.

I’ll know more soon once I’ve had more time with this phone, but it still feels like Samsung is making the Galaxy S25 FE for its biggest fans. The phone gets the latest OneUI interface and all of Samsung’s best software features. It has a big display and more cameras than the competition. It’s even more colorful – though that’s not a big win when the competition is literally black and white.

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

You might also like…

Samsung Galaxy S25 FE: Price Comparison

Source link

September 4, 2025 0 comments