MacRumors

The iPhone 17 lineup brings a new video feature that lets you record from both the front and rear cameras simultaneously. Dual Capture creates picture-in-picture recordings that should be perfect for reaction videos, tutorials, or any scenario where you want to capture both yourself and the action in front of you. Here's what you need to know about the feature.

Dual Capture works across the iPhone 17 series, including the iPhone Air. Here's how to get up and running with the new feature.

iPhone 17: How to Enable Dual Capture Mode

1. Open the Camera app on your iPhone.
2. Tap Video at the bottom.
3. Tap the icon made up of dots at the top right of the interface, or alternatively, tap again the selected video option in the carousel at the bottom of the interface.
4. Select Dual Capture from the pop-up menu, then tap in the viewfinder.
5. Tap the shutter to start recording via both front and rear cameras.

Once you have used Dual Capture mode, for the rest of the app session the camera interface will show a handy new icon in the top-right corner, allowing you to turn it on and off without involving the pop-up menu.

What You Can Do While Recording

Once you start recording, you gain several useful controls. On iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max models, you can switch between the 48MP main camera, 48MP ultrawide, and 48MP telephoto lenses for different perspectives without stopping your recording.

The smaller front camera window can also be moved around the screen by dragging it with your finger, which is handy if the preview window blocks something important in your shot. Bear in mind that any repositioning of the window gets saved in your final video, though.

Recording Quality and Limitations

Dual Capture records in either 1080p or 4K resolution at 24 or 30 fps. For maximum editing flexibility later, 4K at 30fps will likely deliver the best results.

The feature does come with some trade-offs. For one, you're locked into Apple's single layout design, where the rear camera takes up most of the frame while the front camera appears in a smaller window. Unlike Samsung's similar feature, you can't switch the feeds or choose a split-screen layout that shows both cameras equally.

Lastly, bear in mind that everything saves as one video file, not separate clips for each camera.

Repair site iFixit today did one of its traditional teardowns on the iPhone Air, which is Apple's thinnest iPhone to date and the first major redesign we've seen in the ‌iPhone‌ line in several years.

To fit all of the necessary components in a 5.6mm frame, Apple designed a camera "plateau." The iPhone Air's logic board is partially inside of the camera bump, providing space for a large, metal-encased battery. The position of the logic board also ensures that it's protected from bending stress if the ‌iPhone Air‌ happens to flex, though we've seen in several tests that the titanium frame of the device is almost bend-proof.

iFixit tried bending the ‌iPhone Air‌ frame without any of the components inside, and it wasn't quite as durable as it is when it's fully packed. The frame easily bent, because there are weak points where Apple had to add plastic gaps to prevent cellular interference. As to whether the weak points will be an issue for ‌iPhone Air‌ owners, iFixit says "time will tell."

Earlier this week, iFixit took apart MagSafe Battery that Apple designed for the ‌iPhone Air‌, and speculated that Apple was using the same battery for the accessory that it used in the ‌iPhone Air‌. That's now confirmed, and Apple did indeed include an ‌iPhone Air‌ battery inside the MagSafe Battery pack. The battery has a 12.26 watt-hour capacity, and you can take the battery out of the ‌MagSafe‌ Battery pack and put it in an ‌iPhone Air‌ with no issue.

Though the ‌iPhone Air‌ has a thinner design than usual, it's easier to repair than you might think. There isn't room for layers of components, and iFixit says that the thin chassis keeps parts from getting buried. Apple is using a clipped-in display and back glass that's easier to remove. For the battery, Apple is using adhesive that can be loosened with low-voltage electrical current. It's a design that Apple introduced last year with the iPhone 16, and now it's expanded to other models.

Apple 3D printed the USB-C port for the ‌iPhone Air‌ to get it to fit in the chassis, and iFixit found that the company is indeed using a 3D printed titanium alloy that's not as scratch resistant as the frame, but is "structurally robust." The USB-C port is glued in place, but it is modular and can be removed if needed.

The ‌iPhone Air‌ logic board includes the C1X 5G modem, the N1 networking chip, and the A19 Pro, all of which Apple designed. The ‌iPhone Air‌ is the first ‌iPhone‌ to have so many custom-designed Apple chips. The other iPhone 17 models also have the A19 and the N1, but the ‌iPhone Air‌ also gets the C1X instead of a Qualcomm modem.

Overall, iFixit gave the ‌iPhone Air‌ a provisional repairability score of 7 out of 10, because it's easier to get to the battery and not too difficult to replace a screen. Apple has also made efforts to release spare parts and manuals for ‌iPhone‌ repair, and has scaled down software locks and restrictions on parts pairing, improving its ‌iPhone‌ repairability scores.

Make sure to watch iFixit's full video to see the ‌iPhone Air‌ disassembled piece by piece.

Apple just launched the AirPods Pro 3, and today Amazon introduced the first discount on the earbuds at $10 off their original price. You can get the AirPods Pro 3 for $239.00 on Amazon, down from $249.00.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Although not a particularly large discount, considering the earbuds just launched this week it's a noteworthy sale for anyone looking to purchase the brand new model. Free delivery options are estimated for September 25, while Prime members should see delivery windows around September 21 in many cases.

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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It was another busy week in the Apple world, with Monday seeing the release of iOS 26, macOS Tahoe, and other operating system updates, while Friday saw the launch of all of the hardware announced at the company's "Awe Dropping" event, including the iPhone Air, iPhone 17 lineup, three new Apple Watch models, and the AirPods Pro 3.

We're also looking forward to what's coming in additional updates to iOS 26 and on the hardware front in the coming months, so read on below for all the details!

Top Stories

iOS 26 Features: The Ultimate Mega Guide

iOS 26 is finally here for everyone! Over the past several months, MacRumors has been working on a series of in-depth feature guides and how-tos that walk you through the design changes and updates in Apple's new software, and our ultimate guide includes a big chunk of that iOS 26 coverage. It's a useful resource for iPhone and iPad users who haven't had a chance to test out ‌iOS 26‌ until now, or those who might want a recap on what's new.

The new Liquid Glass design is of course the headline feature of iOS 26, and in fact across all of Apple's new operating systems this year, but not everyone is a fan of it.

macOS Tahoe Now Available With Liquid Glass Design, Phone App, Spotlight Actions and More

iOS 26 naturally gets the bulk of the attention given the size of the iPhone user base, but macOS Tahoe brings a lot of the same updates and some other changes to the Mac platform as well. Take a look at our video and list of some of the top macOS Tahoe features to check out first.

Apple's other platforms also got the usual updates, with watchOS 26, tvOS 26, visionOS 26, and HomePod software 26 delivering improvements across the board with Apple's newly unified version numbering system.

First iPhone Air, iPhone 17, and iPhone 17 Pro Orders Now Arriving to Customers

Apple customers in Australia and New Zealand were the first to receive their iPhone Air, iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max orders, with the rest of the world gradually following. Early orders of the AirPods Pro 3, Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3, and Apple Watch SE 3 are also arriving.

While many iPhone configurations saw extended shipping estimates during the pre-order period, Apple retail stores appeared to have decent supply of most models as stores opened for the launch. Supplies have since tightened somewhat, but Apple is resupplying its stores daily so hopefully you shouldn't have to wait long if you place an order now for pickup.

AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 Get iOS 26 Features With New Firmware Update

The new AirPods Pro 3 just launched on Friday, but users of the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation got early access to some of the new capabilities thanks to a firmware update.

The new Live Translation feature revealed at last week's event comes to the older models, as do Hearing Aid functionality enhancements, improved "studio-quality" audio capture, a camera remote gesture, and more.

Apple Reportedly Plans to Launch These 10 Products in 'Coming Months'

With four new iPhone models, three updated Apple Watch models, and AirPods Pro 3 having debuted last week, you might think Apple will be taking a break before introducing any more new products, but that doesn't appear to be the case.

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple has at least ten new products ready to launch in the coming months, starting as early as October. We're expecting updates to the Apple TV, HomePod mini, AirTag, iPad Pro, and more, with several Mac updates likely to arrive in early 2026.

iOS 26.1 to iOS 26.4: Here Are 5 New Features to Expect on Your iPhone

iOS 26 may have just been released, but Apple will still be bringing additional refinements over the coming year before its next major update with iOS 27.

The biggest mid-cycle update we're expecting to see is the personalized Siri that was delayed from earlier this year. We should be seeing that around iOS 26.4 in the first half of 2026. Other updates we may see include support for digital versions of U.S. passports in the Wallet app, upgrades for RCS messaging, new emoji, a Weather via satellite feature we've spotted in iOS 26 code, and more.

MacRumors Newsletter

Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.

So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!

Happy iPhone 17 day! The iPhone Air and the other new ‌iPhone 17‌ models are now available in stores and in the hands of customers. We picked up the ‌iPhone Air‌, iPhone 17 Pro, and ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max for a first impressions video.

Unsurprisingly, the ‌iPhone Air‌ is incredibly thin, and holding one after holding the much larger Pro models makes for a real "wow" moment. If the weight of the bigger iPhones bothers you, the Air will be a relief.

There's not too much to say about the Air other than fawning over its 5.6mm thin design. It does have the A19 Pro for performance on par with the Pro models, but it's limited to a single-lens rear camera. If you use the Ultra Wide or Telephoto lenses, you'll miss them. Apple did make some under-the-hood changes that allow the Air to support editable portrait mode photos with a single lens, and you do get the same 18-megapixel front-facing camera that the other models have.

Moving on to the Pro models, the 17 Pro and Pro Max feel hefty this year compared to the Air. The 17 Pro is probably the size that most people will prefer because it's a good blend of pro features, display size, and weight.

Apple made interesting color choices this year, and the bright orange Pro color stands out. We got the Pro Max in the orange shade and the Pro in the silver, and the silver is surprisingly nice. It's one of the better light silver shades that Apple has come out with. There is no titanium this year, because Apple discovered that it wasn't great for dissipating heat. We're back to aluminum, and there's a whole new vapor chamber cooling system to maximize the thermal performance of the A19 Pro chip.

You won't see it, but the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ models have a little bit of water inside to direct heat away from the chip and through the aluminum casing. It's still early, but the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ models don't seem to have the immediate heat issues of the 16 Pro models when doing GPU-heavy tasks.

Apple updated the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ design, and instead of a camera bump, we have a whole camera plateau. It's big, but some people might appreciate the symmetry of the new design. There's also a two-tone sort of look because most of the frame is aluminum with just a rectangle at the back made from Ceramic Shield material for wireless charging. This is the first time that Apple has used Ceramic Shield for the back of the iPhone, and it's supposed to be more durable. Apple says the front cover is Ceramic Shield 2, which is more scratch resistant than before. There's an updated anti-reflective coating as well, but it's subtle.

Battery life on the ‌iPhone Air‌ is impressive for its size, but the Pro and Pro Max have bigger gains. Battery life is six hours longer per Apple's testing, though we'll need more time to see what that means in day-to-day usage.

The new front-facing camera has a feature that lets you take landscape or portrait selfie shots without rotating the phone, which is unique. You can also record with the front and rear-facing cameras at the same time if you want to do reaction-style videos.

The Pro models have a 48-megapixel Telephoto lens with 4x or 8x zoom, so you can zoom in further than before. It's useful to have another focal length, and it produces nice bokeh for portrait shots.

Make sure to stay tuned to MacRumors because we'll have more in-depth videos coming, including Camera comparisons and videos where we pit Apple's new iPhones against popular smartphones from Samsung and Google.

Apple is increasing production on the standard iPhone 17 due to unexpected demand for the device, reports The Information. Following a strong pre-order weekend, Apple told two suppliers to increase daily ‌iPhone 17‌ output by at least 30 percent.

The ‌iPhone 17‌ is priced starting at $799, and it is $200 cheaper than the iPhone Air. It's $300 less than the iPhone 17 Pro, which now starts at $1,099. This year, the ‌iPhone 17‌ got "Pro" features with the addition of a 120Hz refresh rate and Always-On display technology, plus it is the same size as the 17 Pro at 6.3 inches.

According to The Information, Apple's decision to increase ‌iPhone 17‌ production suggests that the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ models are not selling as well as usual this year. If that's the case, it could have consequences for Apple's gross margin and September quarter revenue.

Ahead of the ‌iPhone 17‌ launch, Apple allocated 25 percent of its ‌iPhone 17‌ production to the standard model, 10 percent to the Air, and 65 percent to the Pro and Pro Max, as those are typically Apple's best-selling devices.

The standard iPhone and the two Pro models have been staples in Apple's ‌iPhone‌ line, but the company has struggled to find a fourth model that draws consumer interest. It started with the "mini" iPhones that were smaller than the ‌iPhone 17‌. Those didn't sell as well as expected, so Apple moved on to the "Plus" size, offering standard ‌iPhone‌ features paired with a larger display. The Plus ‌iPhone‌ sales were also disappointing, so Apple has now moved to the ultra thin Air, and the company is hoping that a fresh design will lure customers into upgrading.

The ‌iPhone Air‌ is not yet available in China because of regulatory issues with the eSIM-only design. As a result, more Chinese customers may be opting for the standard ‌iPhone 17‌.

Apple updates its device forecasts on a weekly basis, so the mix of ‌iPhone‌ models that suppliers are asked to prioritize could shift.

It's iPhone launch day, and you can find great deals on the latest iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone Air models at popular cellular carriers. We're also tracking notable discounts on Apple Watch bands that pair with your new Apple Watch Series 11, plus all-time lows on iPad Air and MacBook Air.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Apple's New Products

• What's the deal? Get first-ever offers on AirPods Pro 3, Apple Watch Series 11, and more
• Where can I get it? Best Buy, AT&T, and more
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Apple last week announced a huge collection of new products, and we're tracking a few notable offers you can get when ordering select devices. Highlights include $20 in Best Buy credit for members when pre-ordering the AirPods Pro 3, big trade-in values when purchasing the new Apple Watch Series 11, and special trade-in offers on iPhone 17/Air models at select carriers.

• AirPods Pro 3 - $249.00 [Best Buy/Amazon]
• Apple Watch Series 11 - $399.00 [Best Buy/Amazon]
• Apple Watch SE 3 - $249.00 [Best Buy/Amazon]
• Apple Watch Ultra 3 - $799.00 [Best Buy/Amazon]

Apple Watch Bands

• What's the deal? Take 70% off Apple Watch bands
• Where can I get it? Woot
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

At Woot this week you can get the Solo Loop for just $14.99 ($34 off) and the Braided Solo Loop for $29.99 ($69 off). All bands in this sale are in brand new condition and come with a one-year Apple limited warranty, and they will all be compatible with the new Apple Watch Series 11.

iPad Air

• What's the deal? Take $150 off M3 iPad Air
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

We're tracking record low prices across the entire M3 iPad Air lineup this week, with discounts available at both Amazon and Best Buy. Prices start at $449.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi 11-inch M3 iPad Air, down from $599.00. Across the board these are all $150 discounts on the M3 iPad Air, and each one is a match for the best-ever price seen on these tablets.

MacBook Air

• What's the deal? Take $200 off M4 MacBook Air
• Where can I get it? Amazon
• Where can I find the original deal? Right here

Amazon this week is hosting massive discounts across the entire M4 MacBook Air lineup, with deals that represent all-time lows across every model of the computer. In total, you'll find $200 off the M4 MacBook Air notebook right now, with both 13-inch and 15-inch models on sale.

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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Apple today updated Final Cut Pro for the Mac and iPad with support for ProRes RAW video recording on iPhone 17 Pro models, and a few other new features.

Here are Apple's release notes for the Mac update:

Final Cut Pro 11.2 includes the following enhancements and bug fixes:
• Unlock even more controls for ProRes RAW video shot on iPhone, so you can adjust exposure, color temperature, tint, and demosaicing. (ProRes RAW capture requires supported iPhone models.)
• Edit and play back your Apple Log 2 footage with the vibrancy of the original scene by applying the Apple Log 2 LUT.
• Includes stability and performance improvements.

And for the iPad update:

Final Cut Pro for iPad 2.3 includes the following features and enhancements:
• Unlock even more controls for ProRes RAW video shot on iPhone, so you can adjust exposure, color temperature, tint, and demosaicing. (ProRes RAW capture requires supported iPhone models.)
• Edit and play back your Apple Log 2 footage with the vibrancy of the original scene by applying the Apple Log 2 LUT.
• Easily access app commands and shortcuts from the new menu bar by swiping down from the top edge of iPad or moving your pointer to the top when using a trackpad. (Requires iPadOS 26.)

Final Cut Pro for Mac version 11.2 and Final Cut Pro for iPad version 2.3 are available now in the App Store, as free updates for existing users.

In the U.S., Final Cut Pro remains priced at $299.99 on the Mac App Store for new users, while the iPad version costs $4.99 per month or $49 per year.

Final Cut Pro companion apps Compressor and Motion on the Mac also received updates today.

Last, Apple released Final Cut Camera 2.0 for the iPhone.

Apple today released version 2.0 of its Final Cut Camera app for the iPhone, with support for new features across the iPhone 17 and iPhone Air lineup.

Final Cut Camera 2.0 supports ProRes RAW video recording and genlock on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, and it offers new manual adjustments for the Center Stage front camera across the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone Air models.

Here are Apple's release notes for Final Cut Camera 2.0:

Final Cut Camera 2.0 includes the following features and enhancements:
• Capture ProRes RAW in open gate for full-frame resolution and incredible editing performance.*
• Record in high dynamic range and an even wider color gamut with Apple Log 2 in ProRes or HEVC.*
• Easily enable timecode options including Time of Day, Record Run, or external timecode for precise identification of your footage. (Requires iOS 26.)
• Genlock multiple video sources with precise frame alignment using a compatible sync generator.*
• Quickly switch to the 200mm (8x) telephoto lens to capture the perfect shot.*
• Dynamically adjust the video orientation to vertical or horizontal with the front-facing camera, regardless of how you hold your iPhone.*
*Requires supported iPhone models.

Read our coverage of the Final Cut Camera 2.0 announcement for more details.

As reported by Bloomberg today, some of the new iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air models on display at Apple Stores today are already scratched and scuffed.

French blog Consomac also reported on this topic.

The scratches appear to be most prominent on models with darker finishes, including the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max in Deep Blue, and the iPhone Air in Space Black.

It is unclear how common this is, or how these devices were handled.

iPhone 17 Pro models feature an aluminum unibody, with a glass-like Ceramic Shield area on the back of the devices, while iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame with a glass back. Titanium and glass are stronger/harder than aluminum, so it is understandable that iPhone 17 Pro models may be more prone to scratching.

As for the iPhone Air, it features a titanium frame with a glass-like Ceramic Shield back, but evidently some scratches are still visible on the Space Black finish.

Of course, some customers visiting an Apple Store are not as careful with iPhone display models as they would be with their personal iPhone, so this is not necessarily a huge problem. But, it is a good reminder to be especially careful.

On this episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through iOS 26 and Apple's other major software updates, which officially launched this week.

‌iOS 26‌ introduces a major visual overhaul with "Liquid Glass," making system elements more translucent and fluid. There are a series of new communication features, such as backgrounds in Messages and Call Screening. The Lock Screen can adapt dynamically to photo subjects, while Photos gains a new Library and Collections layout and spatial 3D effects for favorites. Apple also added a new Games app that combines a user's game library with Game Center content.

iPadOS 26 focuses on transforming multitasking by replacing Split View and Slide Over with a full window management system. Users can freely resize app windows, minimize or maximize them with macOS-style traffic-light controls, and use a menu bar across apps. A new Mac-style toolbar and a redesigned cursor are also present.

macOS 26 brings Liquid Glass to the desktop for a refreshed aesthetic. Spotlight is overhauled with new search categories and quick keys, Control Center is more customizable with new menu bar options, and iPhone Live Activities can now be viewed directly on the Mac.

watchOS 26 brings improvements to the Control Center and Smart Stack, and brings Notes to the Apple Watch for the first time. New health features include hypertension notifications and Sleep Score, while fitness gains an AI-powered "Workout Buddy" for personalized guidance. A new wrist flick gesture lets users dismiss calls or alarms more intuitively.

Having tested the updates for several months, we take an overall look at the updates. We discuss polarized reaction to Liquid Glass, and Apple's controversial decision to remove the iPad's Split View and Slide Over. We also talk through enhancements to Apple Intelligence, such as improved Visual Intelligence and the ability to access Apple's on-device foundation models directly in Shortcuts.

‌iOS 26‌, ‌iPadOS 26‌, ‌watchOS 26‌, macOS 26, tvOS 26, and visionOS 26 are available now. The MacRumors Show has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips.

You can also listen to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or your preferred podcasts app. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your podcast player.

If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up to hear our discussion all of Apple's recent announcements, including the iPhone 17 lineup, new Apple Watch models, AirPods Pro 3, and more.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by interesting guests such as Kayci Lacob, Kevin Nether, John Gruber, Mark Gurman, Jon Prosser, Luke Miani, Matthew Cassinelli, Brian Tong, Quinn Nelson, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Sam Kohl, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie.

‌The MacRumors Show‌ is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread to engage with us directly. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.

Apple is losing employees to OpenAI as work on the company's first hardware products ramps up, The Information reports.

OpenAI has purportedly talked to suppliers about products that resemble a smart speaker without a display, as well as glasses, a digital voice recorder, and a wearable pin. The company is targeting late 2026 or early 2027 for the release of its first device.

OpenAI has succeeded in luring Apple employees away with lucrative compensation packages, and promises of less bureaucracy and more collaboration. It has offered stock grants that can exceed $1 million.

This year alone, OpenAI has recruited more than two dozen employees from Apple who worked on hardware, up from 10 last year. Those recruits worked on Apple's user interfaces, wearables, camera, and audio technology.

One recruit, Cyrus Daniel Irani, worked for Apple for 15 years and designed Siri's multicolored waveform introduced with the iPhone 6S. Another, Erik de Jong, was a senior executive working on Apple Watch hardware.

Interestingly, OpenAI has seen an "influx" of Apple employees reaching out independently to enquire about working there. There is particular enthusiasm to work with other former Apple employees like Jony Ive and Tang Tan, who are promising to re-create how industrial designers and hardware teams used to work together on bolder products at Apple.

Some Apple employees have reportedly been frustrated with only "incremental changes" to the products they work on and bureaucracy. Some have also been discontented at Apple's lackluster stock gains over the past year.

The report claims that Apple seems to be startled at the bleed of talented employees toward OpenAI. Last month, the company abruptly canceled an offsite meeting in China for its American and Chinese manufacturing and supply chain teams because Apple executives were worried that the meeting would keep too many people away from Cupertino for too long at a time when they needed to prevent further defections to OpenAI.

Moreover, Luxshare, the Chinese assembler of iPhones and AirPods, has been contracted to assemble at least one of OpenAI's upcoming devices. OpenAI has also apparently approached Goertek, which assembles AirPods, HomePods and Apple Watches, to supply components such as speakers.

YouTube channel REWA Technology today shared an iPhone 17 Pro teardown video, offering a closer look inside the model with a SIM card tray.

We are still waiting for repair website iFixit to share a more comprehensive teardown of the latest iPhone models, but this video provides a good look in the meantime.

The device features various internal design changes, including larger rear camera lenses. There is a new vapor chamber cooling system for improved heat dissipation. There is also an Apple-designed N1 chip for Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread.

Based on a combination of teardown videos published online, and Apple's energy labels in the EU, we have now confirmed most of the SIM and eSIM-only battery capacities across the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air lineup.

Model	SIM Card	eSIM-Only	YoY Increase (eSIM-Only)
iPhone 17	TBD	3,692 mAh	+3.7%
iPhone Air	—	3,149 mAh	—
iPhone 17 Pro	3,988 mAh	4,252 mAh	+18.7%
iPhone 17 Pro Max	4,823 mAh	5,088 mAh	+8.6%

Here are the battery capacities for all iPhone 16 models:

Model	SIM Card and eSIM-Only
iPhone 16	3,561 mAh
iPhone 16 Plus	4,674 mAh
iPhone 16 Pro	3,582 mAh
iPhone 16 Pro Max	4,685 mAh

All of the iPhone 14 through iPhone 16 models lack a SIM card tray in the U.S., but Apple had simply put a piece of plastic where the tray used to be inside those devices. Starting with the iPhone 17 series, eSIM-only models sold worldwide have a larger battery that fills the space formerly occupied by either the SIM card tray or the plastic piece.

All of the iPhone 17 models are eSIM-only in the U.S., Canada, Japan, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and select other countries.

The iPhone Air costs a whole $200 more than the iPhone 17, yet lacks many of its features. Here's how the two devices compare.

Instead of the familiar split between standard and Pro models, Apple this year introduced the new ‌iPhone Air‌ and expanded the feature gap between tiers. The result is a predicament between the affordable and practical ‌iPhone 17‌, and the super-thin and all-new ‌iPhone Air‌, with distinct trade-offs in size, materials, camera hardware, and battery life along the way. While they both share brighter displays, ProMotion, and an all-new 18-megapixel camera, their designs, display sizes, and camera features are more specialized than ever before.

This guide offers a detailed look at every difference—dimensions, design, cameras, battery life, and pricing—so you can make an informed choice. Whether you prioritize design, photography, or battery life, this year's iPhones are no longer one-size-fits-all devices, and understanding the lineup is key to choosing the best model for you and your budget.

Sizes and Weights

	‌iPhone 17‌	‌iPhone Air‌
Height	5.89 inches (149.6 mm)	6.15 inches (156.2 mm)
Width	2.81 inches (71.5 mm)	2.94 inches (74.7 mm)
Depth	0.31 inches (7.95 mm)	0.22 inches (5.64 mm)
Weight	6.24 ounces (177 grams)	5.82 ounces (165 grams)

Designs and Performance

‌iPhone 17‌	‌iPhone Air‌
Anodized aluminum frame	Polished titanium frame
	Camera plateau
Ceramic Shield front	Ceramic Shield front and back
6.3-inch display	6.5-inch display
Stereo speakers	Mono speaker
A19 chip	A19 Pro chip
8GB memory	12GB memory
256GB or 512GB storage	256GB, 512GB, or 1TB storage
Available in White, Black, Mist Blue, Sage, and Lavender	Available in Cloud White, Space Black, Sky Blue, and Light Gold

Camera

‌iPhone 17‌	‌iPhone Air‌
Dual rear cameras	Single rear camera
48-megapixel ultra wide camera
0.5x, 1x, and 2x optical zoom options	1x and 2x optical zoom options
Macro photography
Spatial photos
Cinematic mode
Macro video recording, including slo‑mo and time‑lapse

Battery Life and Charging

‌iPhone 17‌	‌iPhone Air‌
3,692 mAh battery	3,149 mAh battery
Up to 30-hour battery life	Up to 27-hour battery life
MagSafe wireless charging up to 25W	‌MagSafe‌ wireless charging up to 20W
Up to 50% charge in 20 minutes with 40W adapter or higher	Up to 50% charge in 30 minutes with 20W adapter or higher, or 30W adapter or higher paired with ‌MagSafe‌ Charger
	Support for Apple ‌MagSafe‌ battery

Pricing

	256GB	512GB	1TB
‌iPhone 17‌	$799	$999
‌iPhone Air‌	$999	$1,199	$1,399

Which One Should You Choose?

Many users may find it difficult to justify buying the ‌iPhone Air‌ up against the ‌iPhone 17‌. Not only does it cost $200 more, but it misses out on a wide range of features such as stereo speakers and physical SIM. It lacks the Ultra Wide camera and a host of camera features like Macro Photography, Spatial Photos, and Cinematic Mode. It also charges more slowly and has three hours less battery life.

The ‌iPhone Air‌ wins out in terms of design, with a strikingly thin and light polished titanium frame. It has Ceramic Shield back glass and a larger display, as well as the A19 Pro chip with 12GB of memory, which should deliver better performance. It is a whole new take on what the iPhone should be and likely provides a glimpse at the long-term direction of the device, being the basis for a future foldable.

The ‌iPhone 17‌ is an extremely solid device at an affordable price. While the ‌iPhone Air‌ has a slightly larger display and should perform better than the ‌iPhone 17‌, its added cost and lack of features available on the cheaper device may be hard to rationalize for many customers. You should only buy the ‌iPhone Air‌ if you are comfortable with these drawbacks in exchange for a more luxurious, radically thin design.

While the iPhone Air is equipped with Apple's custom C1X modem for cellular connectivity, all of the iPhone 17 models are outfitted with Qualcomm modems still.

A teardown video shared on Chinese platform Bilibili today (via Reddit) appears to confirm the iPhone 17 Pro Max is equipped with Qualcomm's Snapdragon X80 modem in particular. The same modem is likely used in the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro.

Qualcomm says the Snapdragon X80 contains AI accelerator hardware that intelligently enhances cellular data speeds, latency, coverage, and power efficiency.

In addition, the Snapdragon X80 modem supports mmWave 5G, which is available on iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max models sold in the U.S. only. Apple's C1 modem in the iPhone 16e and C1X modem in the iPhone Air are limited to sub-6GHz 5G.

mmWave is a set of 5G frequencies that promise ultra-fast speeds at short distances, which is ideal for dense urban areas. By comparison, sub-6GHz 5G is generally slower than mmWave, but the signals travel further, better serving suburban and rural areas.

iPhone 18 Pro models are expected to use Apple's custom C2 modem, with mmWave 5G support, as Apple continues to phase out Qualcomm modems.

The Snapdragon X80 is already outdated. Qualcomm has since unveiled its Snapdragon X85 modem, and Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon said Android smartphones using it would have a "huge delta" in performance compared to iPhones.

We are still waiting for Snapdragon X80 vs. C1X speed tests.

Apple's new iPhones launch today, and there are plenty of options to choose from when it comes to protecting your new device from drops and scratches. In this article, we're taking a look at some of the best options for iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Air cases, as well as a few charging accessories.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Highlights for cases include early discounts from popular brands like Casely, which is offering a 17 percent discount sitewide when using the code UPGRADE at checkout. For sturdier protection, OtterBox has 30 percent off when you bundle multiple accessories with the purchase of a new iPhone case.

Not all of the brands in the lists below are offering discounts at this time, but they could still be worth shopping if you're looking for the latest accessory for your iPhone 17. If you've yet to pre-order an iPhone 17 or iPhone Air, you can still find great discounts at all of the expected carriers.

Accessories

Charging

• Anker - Get 20% off sitewide with code Ankermacrumors2025
• Belkin - Save on Qi2 wireless charging stations
• Twelve South - Shop new charging accessories like the PowerBug
• Verizon - Bundle and save on iPhone cases and charging accessories

Cases

• AT&T - Save on iPhone 17 cases and more
• Burton Goods - Get 15% off your first order with code First15
• Casely - Get 17% off sitewide with code UPGRADE
• Casetify - Shop colorful new iPhone 17 cases
• Nomad - New leather cases for iPhone 17
• OtterBox - Get 30% off when you purchase power, screen, or accessories with a phone case
• ZAGG - Get 20% off when you buy two items

Apple Accessories

• Crossbody Strap - $59.00
• iPhone Air Case - $49.00
• iPhone Air Bumper - $39.00
• iPhone 17 Silicone Case - $49.00
• iPhone 17 Pro TechWoven Case - $59.00
• iPhone 17 Pro Silicone Case - $49.00
• iPhone 17 Pro Max TechWoven Case - $59.00
• iPhone 17 Pro Max Silicone Case - $49.00

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.

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In iOS 26, Apple has added a new feature to its Home screen customization options that can match the color of your app icons with the actual color of your iPhone. The image below demonstrates the effect on the new iPhone 17 Pro in Cosmic Orange.

In iOS 18, Apple introduced Tinted app icons. The option applies a color filter over app icons, widgets, and even system UI elements, and with iOS 26, Apple has built on the theme with a new option that matches the color of your iPhone model.

iOS 26 knows the exact finish and color variant of your iPhone – Deep Blue, Sage, or Lavender, for example – because Apple has the device's SKU mapped at the firmware level (SKUs are a unique identifier that companies use to track and manage inventory). This allows iOS to identify your model and match a precise color profile.

This filter uses a base color taken from your iPhone's chassis color, then automatically adjusts brightness, saturation, and contrast so icons remain legible while still reflecting the hardware's tone. The following steps show you how it's done.

1. On your iPhone's Home screen, long press a space between app icons.
2. Tap Edit in the top-left corner, then select Customize from the popup menu.
3. Choose Tinted from the options panel that appears, then tap the far-left iPhone button under the two horizontal color sliders.
4. Select Light, Dark, or Auto, based on your preferences.

That's all there is to it. We've heard of the iPhone color matching option not working for some users who have updated older iPhone models to iOS 26. This is likely a bug that Apple will hopefully fix in a forthcoming update.

Match App Icons With Your iPhone's Case Color

If you press the button immediately right of the new iPhone color tint option, iOS 26 will even match app icon colors to your iPhone's case color. However, this only works with official Apple MagSafe cases that include a small NFC chip with color variant information.

Note that Tinted mode looks different in iOS 26 than it did in iOS 18. Rather than icons featuring a black background with colored graphics, icons adopt the full color that you select with white graphics in Light Mode. In ‌Dark Mode‌, backgrounds are a much darker shade of the color you choose, but aren't entirely black.

It's iPhone launch day, and MacRumors videographer Dan Barbera is here to tell you why the iPhone 17 is the best ‌iPhone‌ that Apple has to offer this year. Dan has been using the ‌iPhone 17‌ for the last week, and he has some thoughts on feature set and value.

The ‌iPhone 17‌ is still priced starting at $799, but this year, it has some features that were previously limited to the Pro models. It supports 120Hz ProMotion refresh rates for smoother scrolling and video, and Always-On display technology.

It has a larger 6.3-inch display that matches the size of the iPhone 17 Pro, and it has a faster A19 chip. It's not quite as good as the A19 Pro in the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ models, but it's more than fast enough for everyday use. You do get 4GB less RAM, but the ‌iPhone 17‌ still works with Apple Intelligence and supports all of the same AI features as the other ‌iPhone 17‌ models.

The front glass is more durable and less prone to scratching, and you get two camera lenses, which is one more lens than you get with the iPhone Air. The ‌iPhone 17‌ has Wide and Ultra Wide cameras, but it lacks the Telephoto that comes with the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ models. The Ultra Wide camera is the same 48-megapixel camera that was added to the iPhone 16 Pro models last year, and this is the first time the ‌iPhone 17‌ has had two 48-megapixel lenses.

You do get the same 18-megapixel front-facing camera that's in the Pro models. It supports taking selfies in portrait or landscape mode without having to rotate your phone, which is a neat feature. There's also dual capture, so you can record with the front and rear cameras at the same time.

Battery life is up, and you get up to 30 hours, which is eight hours more than the ‌iPhone 16‌. Charging is faster too, and with a 40W adapter, you can charge to 50 percent in 20 minutes.

At $799, the ‌iPhone 17‌ offers quite a few pro-level features, which makes it a steal for the price. It's definitely worth considering if you're upgrading from an older phone.