MacRumors

The thin and light iPhone Air does not have a physical SIM slot, and is limited to eSIM-only operation. That's something of a problem, because in China, carriers have not traditionally supported eSIM for the iPhone even though it's widely used around the world.

Until now, iPhones sold in China have always had a physical SIM slot, and that's still the case for the iPhone 17, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max. There wasn't space for a SIM tray in the ‌iPhone Air‌, but China won't have to go without. Apple was able to work with China Unicom to bring the ‌iPhone Air‌ with eSIM to the Chinese market.

On its website in China, Apple says that customers will need an eSIM-supported carrier and mobile plan to use the ‌iPhone Air‌. The company also clarifies that not all carriers support eSIM, and that customers who want to use the ‌iPhone Air‌ will need to sign up for a plan with China Unicom. As of right now, China Unicom is the only carrier that supports eSIM.

China has a requirement that links a user's ID to their cellular phone, something that's harder to do with an eSIM over a physical SIM. China Unicom customers who buy an ‌iPhone Air‌ will be required to visit a China Unicom retail store to verify their IDs with store staff and activate their device.

Apple has a support document on the ‌iPhone Air‌ in China that further says only the model A3518 ‌iPhone Air‌ will be able to be activated via eSIM in China. All other ‌iPhone Air‌ models, including those purchased outside of China, will not be able to install an eSIM profile from a China mainland carrier.

Chinese customers who have an eSIM-capable ‌iPhone Air‌ purchased in China will be able to activate an eSIM from a local carrier when traveling, but eSIMs from non-China mainland carriers cannot be installed while located in China mainland.

The Apple Watch Series 11 features the device's first ever decisive battery life increase, reaching a full 24-hours.

Since the Apple Watch was first unveiled in 2014, it has featured what Apple called an "all-day" 18-hour battery life through each successive generation until now. With the Series 11, battery life reaches 24 hours. The Apple Watch SE 3 continues to feature an 18-hour battery life.

This significant increase comes despite the Apple Watch Series 11 featuring the same casing and chip as the Series 10, so it is not entirely clear where efficiency savings or changes have been made to obtain a longer battery life.

The Apple Watch Series 11 also supports fast charging, with just 15 minutes providing up to eight hours of battery life.

Apple has confirmed the battery capacities for the iPhone 17, iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max models that were announced earlier today.

Apple is required to publish energy labels on its iPhone product pages in the EU, and they reveal the official mAh battery capacities for the devices.

Here are the battery capacities for each model, according to Apple:

• iPhone 17: 3,692 mAh (+3.7% over iPhone 16)
• iPhone Air: 3,149 mAh
• iPhone 17 Pro: 4,252 mAh (+18.7% over iPhone 16 Pro)
• iPhone 17 Pro Max: 5,088 mAh (+8.6% over iPhone 16 Pro Max)

All of the above capacities are likely for eSIM-only models.

Apple says eSIM-only models of the new iPhones are equipped with a larger battery that fills the space formerly occupied by the physical SIM card tray.

Here are the battery capacities for the iPhone 16 series:

• iPhone 16: 3,561 mAh
• iPhone 16 Plus: 4,674 mAh
• iPhone 16 Pro: 3,582 mAh
• iPhone 16 Pro Max: 4,685 mAh

Apple has released an optional MagSafe Battery for the iPhone Air.

Apple's iPhone lineup now consists of seven models with five different storage options, including a 2TB configuration for the first time ever. Here's how much everything costs.

The full selection of iPhone models and storage options to be available from Apple going forward is as follows:

To make way for the latest models, the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max have all been discontinued. Notably, the iPhone 16 is now available exclusively with 128GB of storage, while the iPhone 16 Plus now only offers 128GB and 256GB options.

Pre-orders of the iPhone 17, Air, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max begin on Friday, September 12, with availability starting on Friday, September 19.

Looking for a new MagSafe battery to power your pre-ordered iPhone 17? You might be out of luck if you were eyeing Apple's latest offering.

Apple's newly released MagSafe battery pack comes with a big caveat: it only works with the all-new ultra-thin iPhone Air. The $99 accessory isn't compatible with the iPhone 17 or iPhone 17 Pro, according to Apple's official product page.

The compatibility restriction is a result of the battery's unusual design. Apple's store images show the tall battery pack would physically interfere with the camera systems on its other new iPhone models when attached.

That's in stark contrast to Apple's previous MagSafe Battery Pack, which worked across multiple iPhone generations before being discontinued in 2023. The new battery's exclusive compatibility reflects the iPhone Air's unique 5.6mm profile and smaller 3,149 mAh internal battery.

The news may be disappointing for iPhone 17 users, but the move makes sense given the iPhone Air's compromised battery life. Third-party MagSafe options do of course remain available for other models.

Apple's Live Translation feature, unveiled during its AirPods Pro 3 announcement, is expanding to older models including AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation and AirPods Pro 2.

The new Live Translation functionality requires AirPods updated with the latest firmware to pair with an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone running iOS 26 or later, so iPhone 15 Pro and newer models are supported. Apple has been beta testing firmware in concert with iOS 26 beta updates, and we expect the firmware to drop the same day that iOS 26 is officially released on September 15.

Live Translation enables hands-free communication by allowing users to speak naturally while wearing AirPods. For conversations with non-AirPods users, the iPhone can display live transcriptions horizontally, showing translations in the other person's preferred language.

The feature becomes more powerful when both conversation participants wear compatible AirPods with Live Translation enabled. Active Noise Cancellation automatically lowers the volume of the other speaker, helping users focus on translated audio while maintaining natural interaction flow.

The feature supports real-time translation between English (UK and U.S.), French, German, Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish. Apple plans to add Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese (simplified) support later this year.

AirPods Pro 3 are available to pre-order now, with a launch on Friday, September 19.

The iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max can charge at up to 25W using the next-generation Qi2.2 chargers. Qi2.2 is an upgraded specification that matches the 25W charging speed of the updated MagSafe specification introduced last year.

Apple debuted ‌MagSafe‌ 2 last year, and the iPhone 16 models, ‌iPhone 17‌, and ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ models can charge at up to 25W over ‌MagSafe‌, so now the new devices will be able to get the same charging speed with Qi2.2.

Qi2.2 charging speeds require a Qi2.2 charger, and accessory makers are starting to come out with wireless charging options that support the new standard.

The iPhone Air is limited to 20W charging over ‌MagSafe‌ and Qi2.2, so it is not able to reach the 25W charging speeds that other models are capable of.

The iPhone 17 Pro and ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max are available in just three color options, notably with no black option.

The new high-end models are available in Silver, Cosmic Orange, and Deep Blue. Orange is a new addition to the Pro lineup, while blue returns from the iPhone 15 Pro.

Natural, Desert, and Black have not been carried over, making this year's selection of color options the smallest since the iPhone XS, which was just available in Silver, Space Gray, and Gold. This also marks the first time Apple's high-end iPhones have not been available with a black or dark gray color option in any way.

Pre-orders start Friday, September 12, ahead of deliveries to customers and in-store availability beginning Friday, September 19.

The iPhone Air can charge with MagSafe at up to 20W, according to Apple's technical specifications page for the new device.

20W is 5W slower than the 25W that the other iPhone 17 models (and iPhone 16 models) can charge at using one of Apple's updated ‌MagSafe‌ adapters. It is also limited to 20W Qi2 speeds instead of the 25W enabled by Qi2.2.

To fast charge wirelessly, the ‌iPhone Air‌ needs a ‌MagSafe‌ charger paired with a 30W adapter or higher, but for charging over USB-C, 20W is sufficient for fast charge. Fast charging provides a 50 percent charge in a 30 minute period.

With the ‌MagSafe‌ Battery that Apple designed for the ‌iPhone Air‌, wireless charging is limited to 12W unless the ‌MagSafe‌ Battery is plugged in and providing passthrough charging capabilities.

The ‌iPhone Air‌ has the smallest battery of the ‌iPhone 17‌ lineup, which could explain why it is not able to charge at the same speed. It uses high density battery technology, and that may also be a factor.

Apple has announced that its new hypertension detection feature, initially exclusive to the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Apple Watch Series 11, will be expanded to include earlier Apple Watch models.

The feature will be available on Apple Watch Series 9 and later, plus Apple Watch Ultra 2 and later models, with watchOS 26. FDA clearance is expected soon, with availability in over 150 countries this month.

Hypertension detection uses the optical heart sensor to analyze blood vessel responses over 30-day periods, alerting users to consistent signs of chronic high blood pressure. Hypertension affects approximately 1.3 billion adults globally and often goes undiagnosed due to lack of symptoms.

Apple says its hypertension notifications were developed using machine learning and training data from studies involving over 100,000 participants. The technology was validated in clinical trials with more than 2,000 participants. Apple expects the feature to notify over 1 million people with undiagnosed hypertension within its first year.

Users who receive notifications are advised to monitor their blood pressure for seven days using a third-party cuff and share results with healthcare providers, following American Heart Association guidelines.

watchOS 26 will be released on September 15, while the new Apple Watch Series 3 and Apple Watch Series 11 will begin shipping September 19.

Following today's "Awe dropping" special event, the Apple Watch lineup now contains five models at different price points.

The full new Apple Watch lineup is as follows:

• Apple Watch SE 3 (40mm): Starts at $249
• Apple Watch SE 3 (44mm): Starts at $279
• Apple Watch Series 11 (42mm): Starts at $399
• Apple Watch Series 11 (46mm): Starts at $429
• Apple Watch Ultra 3: Starts at $799

All of the new Apple Watches are available to pre-order now, with availability starting on Friday, September 19.

To make way for the latest models, the Apple Watch SE 2, Apple Watch Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 have all been discontinued.

All of Apple's new iPhone models feature a significantly upgraded 18-megapixel front-facing camera with Center Stage and a square sensor.

Users can expect significantly better selfies, especially in low-light conditions. The improvement is one of the biggest upgrades to the iPhone's front-facing camera ever. The history of major upgrades to the iPhone's front-facing camera is as follows:

• iPhone 4 (2010): 0.3-megapixels
• iPhone 5 (2012): 1.2-megapixels
• iPhone 6S (2015): 5-megapixels
• iPhone 7 (2016): 7-megapixels
• iPhone 12 (2020): 12-megapixels
• iPhone 17 (2025): 18-megapixels

The new 18-megapixel camera is present on the iPhone 17, iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max. The only iPhones still on sale with a camera below 18-megapixels are the iPhone 16e, iPhone 16, and ‌iPhone 16‌ Plus which retain a 12-megapixel camera.

The new front-facing camera features Center Stage for the first time, keeping the user in frame during video calls. It also enables ultra-stabilized video in 4K HDR. In addition, users can record on the front and rear cameras simultaneously with Dual Capture.

The sensor is square, which is a first for the iPhone, allowing users to take photos and videos in portrait or landscape while holding their iPhone vertically.

Apple continues to phase out the physical SIM card tray on iPhones, with the latest models relying solely on eSIM technology in more countries.

The new iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max support eSIMs only in these countries and regions, according to Apple:

• Bahrain
• Canada
• Guam
• Japan
• Kuwait
• Mexico
• Oman
• Qatar
• Saudi Arabia
• United Arab Emirates
• United States
• U.S. Virgin Islands

If you are unaware, an eSIM is essentially a digital version of a SIM card. The latest iPhones do not support physical SIM cards in the above countries and regions, so this is a major change that customers in those places will have to adapt to.

Apple says eSIM-only models of these iPhones are equipped with a larger battery that fills the space formerly occupied by the physical SIM card tray.

Apple started phasing out SIM cards starting with the iPhone 14 series, in the U.S. only.

iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max models sold everywhere else, including in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and South Korea, still have nano-SIM card trays alongside eSIM support. In China, the devices support nano-SIM cards only.

As for the all-new, ultra-thin iPhone Air, that is an eSIM-only model worldwide. Yes, that includes China, contrary to some rumors leading up to today.

iPhones with eSIM capabilities support at least eight eSIMs, allowing you to conveniently switch between supported carriers around the world.

When the iPhone 14 series launched in 2022, Apple promoted eSIMs as being more secure than physical SIM cards, as they cannot be removed from an iPhone that is lost or stolen. In addition, at least eight eSIMs can be managed on an iPhone at once, eliminating the need to obtain, carry, and swap SIM cards while traveling.

For the first time ever, the new Apple Watch lineup does not contain a new chip.

The Apple Watch SE 3, Apple Watch Series 11, and Apple Watch Ultra 3 all contain the S10 chip. Until now, every new Apple Watch generation featured a new S-series chip since the device's introduction.

Often, these chips were simply rebadged with few to no changes, with the same CPU used across chips. For example, the S6, S7, and S8 chips all shared the same CPU. Similarly, the S9 and S10 are essentially the same chip. The S10 was merely reduced in size to accommodate the smaller casing of the Apple Watch Series 10.

As a result, Apple sticking with the S10 chip for the Series 11 and Ultra 3 is not materially different to if it contained an "S11" chip as expected, and it looks like the company is simply holding off on that name for a more substantial change in the future. The S10 chip comes as the biggest upgrade to the Apple Watch SE, which previously had the S8.

For the first time, every model in Apple's latest flagship iPhone 17 lineup features a base 256GB storage capacity, up from the lowest 128GB option in the iPhone 16 series.

The regular iPhone 17 now comes in 256GB and 512GB storage options, while the all-new ultra-thin iPhone Air and the iPhone 17 Pro come in 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB capacities.

Meanwhile, the iPhone 17 Pro Max is offered in the same three capacities as the iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro, but with the addition of a maximum 2TB option. The price-to-capacity ratio is as follows:

The iPhone 17 Pro begins at $1,099 for the 256GB model, while the larger Pro Max starts at $1,199 with the same storage. That represents a modest increase for the Pro, although it matches the price point of the 16 Pro's 256GB option. New this year, the Pro Max offers a 2TB configuration, topping the range at $1,999.

It is worth noting that we have seen 2TB storage rumors for the iPhone 14 Pro, ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro, and the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌, without Apple upgrading the storage space. Finally, the 2TB rumor has come to fruition with the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

Pre-orders start Friday, September 12, ahead of deliveries to customers and in-store availability beginning Friday, September 19.

Apple's iPhone 17 Pro and ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max replace the titanium frame introduced two years ago with a new aluminum design. Here's why.

Apple introduced titanium to the iPhone with the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max back in 2023, with the change even becoming the device's marketing tagline. While the devices were said to be more durable, they also suffered from complaints about overheating.

The titanium frame provided excellent rigidity and durability, but aluminum is lighter and offers better heat dissipation, which Apple has prioritized alongside the introduction of the A19 Pro chip and a new vapor chamber cooling system. Aluminum's thermal conductivity is substantially higher than titanium's, helping to distribute heat away from critical components under heavy workloads.

Titanium's machining complexity, slower production speeds, and higher scrap rates may have also contributed to the decision. Titanium frames require specialized tooling and precise CNC milling, while aluminum is less expensive and easier to produce at scale.

Aluminum also has a smaller carbon footprint than titanium, especially when sourced through Apple's low-carbon smelting partnerships. Apple's ability to recycle aluminum efficiently at scale may better align with its environmental strategy, while titanium's more energy-intensive production makes it less suitable for widespread use.

The new aluminum chassis on the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ series also enables new color options, with Apple introducing a new dark blue and a vibrant orange finish. Titanium's limitations in anodization are believed to have constrained Apple's ability to offer brighter finishes in previous Pro models.

However, titanium will not disappear entirely but instead become a defining feature of the newly introduced iPhone Air, an ultra-thin model measuring 5.6mm thick. The use of titanium is likely necessary to maintain structural rigidity while achieving unprecedented thinness.

Apple today announced the newest generation of iPhone with the iPhone Air, iPhone 17, and iPhone 17 Pro. Alongside these devices, there's a bunch of new compatible accessories, including TechWoven Cases, Clear Cases, Crossbody Straps, and Silicone Cases, all of which we're recapping below.

iPhone 17

The ‌iPhone 17‌ has a new Silicone Case and it comes in Purple Fog, Neon Yellow, Anchor Blue, Light Moss, and Black. It costs $49.00.

iPhone 17 Pro

The ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ has multiple case options, including a Clear Case at $49.00, Silicone Case at $49.00, and TechWoven Case at $59.00.

The Silicone Case colors include Neon Yellow, Purple Fog, Midnight, Orange, Terra Cotta, and Black.

The TechWoven Case colors include Blue, Purple, Sienna, Green, and Black.

iPhone 17 Pro Max

Similarly, you'll find the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max has a Clear Case for $49.00, Silicone Case for $49.00, and TechWoven Case for $59.00.

The Silicone Case colors include Neon Yellow, Purple Fog, Midnight, Orange, Terra Cotta, and Black.

The TechWoven Case colors include Blue, Purple, Sienna, Green, and Black.

iPhone Air

Apple is selling the iPhone Air Case with MagSafe in two colors for $49.00.

Crossbody Strap

The new Crossbody Strap comes in Neon Yellow, Light Blue, Blue, Purple, Sienna, Orange, Tan, Green, Light Grey, and Black. It's priced at $59.00.

Beats

There are a few other new accessories available on Apple's store today, including Beats cases for the ‌iPhone 17‌, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max. You can find these accessories and more on Apple.com, and they're all available to purchase today.

Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of watchOS 26, tvOS 26, and visionOS 26 to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming one week after the ninth betas were released. The release candidates are the final versions of ‌watchOS 26‌, tvOS 26, and visionOS 26 that will debut to the public as long as no last minute bugs are located.

The software updates can be downloaded through the Settings app on each device. visionOS 26 is only available to developers, but ‌watchOS 26‌ and tvOS 26 can be downloaded by public beta testers too.

‌watchOS 26‌ and tvOS 26 adopt new Liquid Glass design changes inspired by visionOS, much like iOS 26 and macOS 26. watchOS has a new AI-powered Workout Buddy for motivation and the Smart Stack incorporates more personal context for better suggestions. There's also a new Notes app and support for Live Translation.

tvOS 26 supports karaoke using an iPhone as a microphone, improvements for using AirPlay speakers with a TV, new Aerial screen savers, and support for quicker logins to apps at setup thanks to Apple Account syncing.

visionOS 26 adds support for spatial widgets that can be placed anywhere in the space around you, along with refinements to make personas more lifelike and support for shared spatial experiences between two Vision Pro users.

‌watchOS 26‌, visionOS 26, and tvOS 26 will launch on September 15.