With the pumpkin spice approaching, it’s time to make a bunch of new iPhones. Welcome to the special edition Engadget Communications, Break everything Apple announced in the past 24 hours. Of course, it is worth noting this year that the iPhone Air is worth noting. Launched with the basic iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, it’s a fun new iOS flavor.
iPhone Air: This is a brave choice to tag the new super phone with the same suffix as the game-changing MacBook Air. Unless the slim profile and accompanying compromises, it is not as surprising as before. Early rumors suggest that it may arrive without a single port, with only wireless charging and WiFi.
Instead, the iPhone Air (No. 17) is an engineering miracle. Its body thickness is only 5.6mm, made of aerospace grade titanium and also has a ceramic shield 2 on both sides, which helps make it more durable than any previous iPhone.
It has the same A19 Pro chip as the iPhone 17 Pro, and Apple’s N1 chip for wireless connectivity and the new C1X modem, and it is reportedly twice as fast as the C1 introduced by the iPhone 16E.
However, compromise must happen. Apple can use a 48-megapixel camera to make the iPhone air thinner, but it does try to make it work as much as possible. It has a large two-micron quad-element pixel sensor that stands out in low light and has 2x telephotos with optical quality. Apple says that’s the equivalent of four lenses in their pockets, “But why doesn’t the base iPhone 17? It also seems a bit weak compared to the S25 Edge (Samsung’s ultra-slim smartphone) and the 200MP main camera.
Worrying that thin batteries mean unstable battery life? Apple claims iPhone Air will get “all-day” battery life, partly because the hardware is designed to stuff more batteries into smaller designs and software, such as adaptive power mode. To alleviate these problems, Apple has made a new Super Magsafe battery pack for increased duration.
The “first” of the new Apple product also has an invisible attraction. I remember upgrading for a year in my iPhone 7 contract to get the first iPhone without a home button. The iPhone X is perhaps a good comparison. The iPhone X and iPhone Air are both the same price: $999.
-Mat Smith
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Our First Impressions and Hands-Online at Apple iPhone 17 Event
New heat, new camera, new colors!
So, if the iPhone Air catches the headlines, what about the Pro model? Apple’s most powerful iPhone now has an A19 Pro chipset and comes with 6.9- (iPhone 17 Pro Max) and 6.3-inch (iPhone 17 Pro) screen sizes. The glass has been replaced by Ceramic Shield 2, which makes the iPhone 17 Pro more durable than ever.
A new rear camera setup includes a new 48MP telephoto lens that can emit 8x “optical mass” zoom at 12MP and shoot at 4x its full resolution. The wide and super sensors also have a resolution of 48MP, which can solve all of these sensors. The iPhone 17 Pro series starts at $1,099 for the 256GB model and will be available for pre-orders starting Friday, September 12.
The maximum base storage is 256GB.
When the iPhone 13 arrives in four colors, it has a more efficient power, a sleeker screen and a new selfie cam. This is probably the most interesting update: The company improves the selfie cameras are “center stage” front-facing cameras with better stability, wider view and a new bigger Square sensor. Because it is square, you don’t have to rotate your iPhone when you want to take photos or videos in landscape mode.
Live translation is built into the bud.
Yes, we have updated Apple’s AirPods Pro – arguably, I’ve used the most Apple hardware in the past three years. I even bought a separate USB-C charging case. The company has improved wireless buds in some major aspects. The maximum features include a heart rate sensor that connects the iOS workout app (and third-party apps) with the new live translation feature (LA Pixel Buds), which instantly converts foreign languages and even lowers the speaker’s audio so you can better hear the translated sound. They will support English, French, German, Portuguese and Spanish when they are released. The buds themselves are smaller to fit more ears and now have five tip sizes, higher than three tips.
There is no feature yet to make it less unbearable for people to talk to you while wearing Airpods. The AirPods Pro 3 costs $249 and reservations are currently open.
Everyone’s stuff?
The Series 11 is twice as scratch-resistant as the previous Apple watches and now even has a 5G connection. The watch will monitor hypertension using improved algorithms and built-in heart rate monitor. If the watch determines the pattern of high blood pressure, you will get an alert in the health app. The biggest upgrade is probably up to 24 hours of battery life on one charge.
The Ultra 3 has a larger display, satellite connectivity and emergency SOS. The Watch Ultra 3’s new 3D-printed shell has even smaller bezels, while the display technology has been adjusted (LTPO3) to improve viewing angles.
The Apple Watch SE will be updated with a new Always display, optional 5G, an improved S10 chip, and support for gestures like double-click and wrist flick. The Apple Watch SE will also offer sleep apnea notifications and a new sleep rating feature available on the 11-series watches. The Apple Watch Series 11 starts at $399, the Ultra 3 starts at $799, and the SE starts at $249.
