Apple’s pitch is clear with its latest devices — offer variety, introduce new health features and deliver a design refresh. Unveiled at the company’s HQ in Cupertino on Tuesday, among the stars of the show is a new addition — the iPhone Air, which is in the lineage of its line of slim MacBooks, besides a fresh design on the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max.
Also introduced is the new AirPods Pro 3 that features the company’s smallest heart rate sensor and a real-time live translation feature. Even the Apple Watch Series 11 comes with important health updates, including a “groundbreaking feature that alerts you to possible hypertension by wearing the watch”.
“Apple design has been fundamental to who we are and what we do,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook.
At 5.6vmm, the skinny iPhone Air will boost a slenderising trend in smartphones without compromising battery life, while also making devices lighter.
The late Steve Jobs changed the future of laptops when he introduced the MacBook Air by pulling it out of a manila envelope in 2008, when laptops were bulky. The crowd was stunned by its thinness, and sales soared because of its efficiency and sleek design. Apple expects the iPhone Air to do the same — offer a glimpse of the future.
The new model replaces the iPhone Plus option, adding variety to the lineup while allowing Apple to redesign components in ways that may shape future iPhones. Powered by the latest A19 Pro processor, the phone also features Apple’s new C1x modem, which improves connectivity and makes the phone slimmer.
The Pro lineup — iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max — has undergone a complete redesign. The back of the phones looks different, while the new camera zone spans the width of the top third of the device. For those eager to show off new technology, the revamp delivers.
By having the A19 Pro processor, camera technology is receiving a significant boost, especially now that the telephoto lens is moving from a 12 MP sensor to 48 MP.
The three new smartwatches that are coming are Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3, and Apple Watch SE. The Series 11 is the first Apple Watch with 5G connectivity, an upgrade from versions that relied on a slower 4G LTE connection. It will also be the first Apple Watch with the ability to monitor for serious medical conditions, including hypertension and chronic high blood pressure, by reviewing data collected over the past 30 days.
AirPods 3 wireless sound cans now feature heart-rate tracking to help those who are not looking for a smartwatch.
Bloomberg earlier reported that Apple is producing the new iPhone models in India. Despite the 50 percent tariffs slapped on India by the Trump administration as a penalty for purchasing Russian oil, Apple’s relationship with India remains unscathed under exemptions.
In August, CEO Tim Cook said Apple will invest $600 billion — including an additional $100 billion — to expand the company’s operations in the US over the next four years, helping keep Apple out of Trump’s crosshairs with respect to tariffs.
The new launches set the stage for delivering on new Apple Intelligence promises. During a July earnings call, Cook said Apple was “making good progress on a more personalised Siri” and promised a release next year.
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