Apple will host its annual iPhone event on 9 September, where the company is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 line-up, new watches and other devices.
The event will be held at the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino, California and serve as a showcase of the company’s efforts to integrate artificial intelligence into its devices.
It will be closely watched by investors worried about the company ceding ground to faster-moving rivals in the race to deploy AI technology.
Media reports have said Apple will also unveil a slimmer version of its latest iPhone, possibly branded as the iPhone Air, echoing its iPad Air and MacBook Air lines.
The company is also expected to showcase new entry-level, high-end Apple Watches, upgraded iPad Pros and a faster version of the Vision Pro headset.
Under pressure from the Trump administration, Apple has boosted its already hefty investment in the US to US$600-billion over the next four years, creating jobs and shifting some work there in the hopes of sidestepping potential import duties.
Apple faces pressure from tariffs imposed on US imports from countries including its production hubs, China and India.
In June, Apple announced a slew of AI and software features, along with an overhaul of its operating system — redesigning its icons and menu to resemble what it calls “liquid glass”.
Trailing the competition
However, Apple’s delay in embracing the AI market has left it trailing Big Tech stalwarts. Smartphone maker Samsung and Chinese firms Honor and Huawei have taken advantage of the gap Apple left in the industry, luring customers with their own AI offerings
Here’s what Apple is expected to announced on 9 September, according to the latest speculation from publications that keep a keen on eye on these things, including 9to5Mac, MacRumors, The Verge and Tom’s Guide…
iPhone 17 Air
Rumor has it the iPhone 17 Air will be Apple’s thinnest iPhone ever – around 5.5 mm thick, with a 6.6‑inch OLED ProMotion display . Expect compromises: a single 48-megapixel rear camera, likely reduced battery life, and an eSim-only design . It may also feature Wi‑Fi 7, Apple’s C1 5G modem, USB‑C, MagSafe and possibly 25W wireless charging .
A “light blue” finish is expected, and Apple might even revive an iPhone 4-style bumper case designed specifically for the ultra-thin body.
iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max (Ultra?)
The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max (possibly to be called the 17 Ultra) stand apart in both substance and sheen. They’re rumoured to offer superior battery life, possibly via a thicker chassis and bigger cells.
Camera-wise, they’re expected to pack a full triple-lens setup: 48MP main, telephoto and ultra-wide . Other juicy possibilities include an anti-reflective display layer, 12GB RAM and the full-fat A19 Pro chip (the Air may carry a binned version, with a disabled GPU core).
Shared magic
Rumours are swirling that all iPhone 17 models will benefit from ProMotion displays, 120Hz refresh rates, and vapour-chamber cooling for better heat dispersion. Most, if not all, are slated to feature 12 GB RAM, while the base iPhone 17 might stay at 8 GB.
All models will ship with iOS 26, sporting a slick new “Liquid Glass” interface and AI-driven enhancements via Apple Intelligence.
A particularly novel rumour is that reverse wireless charging may debut, but only on the Pro models. Envisage dropping your AirPods or Apple Watch on the back to power them up. Leakers like Fixed Focus Digital have flagged this, though portrayals remain speculative.
Chromatic twists
Colours are in the rumour pot, too: expect a bright new orange for the Pro duo, while the Air may appear in a light blue shade.
Read: Apple plans product blitz to reignite growth
Rumours also suggest a US$50 price hike across most models (at least in the US), boosting the base iPhone 17 to around $849, with the Air starting $949, and the Pro edging up to $1 049, driven by US President Donald Trump’s tariff war. What’s less clear for now is whether Apple will impose price hikes across the rest of the world, too. If it’s purely tariff-related, this shouldn’t happen, but it might. We’ll know in less than two weeks. – Zaheer Kachwala, (c) 2025 Reuters, with additional reporting © 2025 NewsCentral Media
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