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With AirPods Pro 3 coming September 19, it’s time to sell your old AirPods for quick upgrade cash. The bad news is that Apple doesn’t let you trade in old AirPods, and neither will most other buyback services.

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Apple’s super-slim iPhone Air will not launch in China on September 19. The company also did not start accepting preorders for the device today in the country. 

The issue stems from the iPhone Air only supporting eSIM — it lacks a physical SIM slot. So, the company needs additional regulatory approval for the phone’s launch in China.

Apple is now accepting preorders for the iPhone 17, iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. The devices will hit store shelves next Friday, on September 19 — the same day preorders get delivered.

Update: An hour after the pre-orders started, demand for the iPhone 17 Pro Max is already starting to exceed supply. An order placed now in the U.S. for most configurations of this top-of-line model won’t ship until late September, and others won’t arrive before October.        

Apple is already taking preorders for the AirPods Pro 3, Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3. All three will be available at retail starting September 19.

Ahead of the watchOS 26 release on September 15, Apple has secured FDA clearance for the hypertension notifications feature. The approval came through late Thursday night.

Hypertension notifications will be available in over 150 countries at launch, including the US, the UK, Europe and others.

The critically acclaimed Apple TV+ sci-fi series Foundation, based on Isaac Asimov’s legendary stories about a galactic empire in its lengthy death throes, will live on for a fourth season, the streamer said Thursday. The welcome news comes ahead of the season-three finale on Friday. (And that usually means Thursday night after 6 p.m. PT, when the streamer often posts the next day’s fare).

“There is no series quite like Foundation and we feel lucky and honored to be carrying the torch forward as co-showrunners into season four,” said co-showrunners and executive producers Ian Goldberg and David Kob. “We look forward to continuing the epic, emotional storytelling that defined the first three seasons of the show, and to be working alongside some of the most talented, passionate creative partners in the business.”

The concerns about iPhone Air battery life now seem overblown. Apple gave data on how long the new, super-slim handset lasts between recharges, and it’s going to beat most previous iPhones.

While it won’t offer the best battery life ever in an iPhone, the early report that it won‘t last a typical day without needing a recharge turned out to be baloney.

People wondered how the new iPhone Air released at Apple’s Awe Dropping event Tuesday could be so incredibly thin and still have a working USB-C port (or even if it would have one at all). Well, here’s how: In a departure from the iPhone giant’s normal manufacturing process, the new handset features a breakthrough 3D-printed titanium USB-C port for ultra-thin design, Apple said.

And considering how the process and material actually improve the port, the result is truly an engineering milestone.

Apple’s new feature that lets AirPods act as language translators isn’t available for EU residents while they’re in Europe. What makes the restriction odd is that the feature can be used by EU residents outside of the European Union.

And Live Translation with AirPods can be used by those traveling to the European Union from the United States, the United Kingdom, etc.

Apple no longer bundles a USB-C charging cable with the AirPods Pro 3. Since the earbuds include a USB-C port and support wireless charging, you are unlikely to rue its absence.

This marks another accessory Apple has dropped after the power brick.

The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max include 12GB of RAM, which is 50% more than their predecessors. The change should improve the performance of the handsets, especially when handling AI-related functions.

However, the base model iPhone 17 did not get a RAM upgrade. And the amount in the iPhone Air remains unknown.

Early benchmark scores for the A19 Pro chip in the just-announced iPhone 17 Pro show a whopping 40% increase in graphics performance compared to last year’s model. The boost in overall performance isn’t nearly so dramatic, however.

We also have a preliminary benchmark for the A19 in the base model iPhone 17, and it’s apparently going to be just slightly faster than its most recent predecessor.

The Apple N1 wireless chip is easy to overlook in the hoopla surrounding the new iPhone 17 series, but it’s an advancement in Apple’s drive to produce all its own silicon.

The new in-house chip handles Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and more, and Apple says it’ll improve the performance of Personal Hotspot and AirDrop.

Three new Beats iPhone cases designed for Apple’s latest iPhone 17 lineup include an array of color choices as well as kickstand and rugged options, the Apple subsidiary said Tuesday. Available choices cover the whole lineup — iPhone 17, iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max.

“The overwhelming response to our Beats cases proved a core idea: users crave both style and serious utility,” said Oliver Schusser, Apple’s vice president of Music, Sports and Beats. “With that in mind, we’ve engineered the next generation. The new Beats iPhone cases integrate protective features, delivering a significant leap in everyday innovation and functionality.”

You don’t have to buy the just-announced AirPods Pro 3 just to get Apple’s new Live Translation feature. The AI-powered communication option is coming to older models of wireless earbuds, too.

An iPhone that supports Apple Intelligence is required as well.

Final Cut Camera 2.0 brings professional-grade video recording capabilities to the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, Apple said Tuesday. The free app update makes Apple’s flagship smartphones the first mobile devices capable of capturing ProRes RAW footage.

Apple’s iPhone 17 family supports significantly faster wired charging speeds. They can top up to 50% in just 20 minutes — 10 minutes faster than previous iPhones.

However, the speed improvements only apply to the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max. The iPhone Air only supports 20W charging speeds.

Six months after debuting its in-house C1 modem with the iPhone 16e, Apple has followed up with the C1X modem on the iPhone Air.

The new baseband fixes the shortcomings of the initial version, supporting faster speeds while still being extremely power-efficient.

iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 owners will get another year of free satellite connectivity. The company did not announce this extension on stage but mentioned it in the footnote of the iPhone 17 Pro press release.

This is the second extension for iPhone 14 since its launch in September 2023.

The new Center Stage front camera in the iPhone 17 lineup uses advanced hardware and AI magic to rid us of a thoroughly modern annoyance: having to flip your grip to capture a landscape selfie.

“We are thrilled to introduce our phenomenal new Center Stage front camera,” said iPhone product manager Megan Nash during Tuesday’s Awe Dropping event. “It gives you more pixels, more flexible ways to frame your shot, and incredible stabilization.”

The hardware secret that unlocks this new age of selfie supremacy? A square sensor that’s bigger than ever — almost twice the size of the iPhone’s previous front camera. It’s coming soon to a bar near you in the super-slim iPhone Air, the iPhone 17 and the iPhone 17 Pro/Pro Max, all of which Apple unveiled Tuesday.

During Tuesday’s Awe Dropping event, Apple announced AirPods Pro 3, refreshed every model of Apple Watch and unveiled four all-new iPhones, including the first iPhone Air. It’s an impressive set of products in a pretty quick event.

But if you want to watch an even faster event, you can get the gist in 90 seconds with our Awe Dropping event video recap.

Apple on Tuesday seeded to developers and the public the release candidates for iOS 26 and macOS Tahoe. This is usually the final step before new versions launch — which should happen next week.

The release candidates for iPadOS 26, watchOS 26, tvOS 26 and visionOS 26 also went out on Tuesday.

Apple’s innovative new high blood pressure alerts will not be exclusive to the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Apple Watch Series 11. The feature is coming to several older models, giving millions of Apple Watch owners access to potentially lifesaving hypertension alerts.

Apple Watch Series 11 finally brings long-rumored hypertension notifications, along with other new features that make it a great incremental upgrade. Chief among them are 24-hour battery life, speedier 5G connectivity for cellular models, and a more scratch-resistant screen.

“Today, we’re making the best watch in the world even better,” said Stan Ng, Apple’s VP of Apple Watch and health marketing, as he introduced Apple Watch Series 11 during Tuesday’s Awe Dropping product launch. “It’s our thinnest and most comfortable watch, and it’s even more durable.”

The new features look promising, but those hoping for a redesign will be disappointed. Series 11 rocks the same curves as its predecessors.

The wait for the iPhone 17 is over. Although it’s Apple’s new base-model handset, the latest version includes features previously preserved for pricier models, including a larger, always-on ProMotion (120Hz) screen. Plus, the front-facing camera got Center Stage and a resolution boost.

“iPhone 17 is a big upgrade with powerful features that make iPhone even more useful in your day-to-day life, from the bigger and brighter ProMotion display with 3x better scratch resistance, to all-day battery life with faster charging, the A19 chip for powerful performance, a fantastic 48MP Dual Fusion camera system, and the innovative Center Stage front camera — our best front camera yet,” said Kaiann Drance, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide iPhone Product Marketing. “iPhone 17 is a fantastic choice for customers looking for the latest features and the confidence in knowing their iPhone is built to last.”

After months of rumors and leaks, Apple’s newest flagship iPhones are finally here. The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max arrive with major design overhauls and powerful internal upgrades.

“iPhone 17 Pro is by far the most advanced iPhone ever, featuring a striking new design and powerful new capabilities,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook during the Awe Dropping event.