An iPhone 17 Pro Max teardown confirms Apple sticking with Qualcomm’s modem for its flagship iPhones this year. The company did not specifically confirm using Qualcomm’s baseband on the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro models while unveiling them.
This is unlike the iPhone Air, which uses Apple’s second-gen C1X modem.
The new cosmic orange iPhone 17 Pro is undeniably orange. It’s not bronze, it’s not burnt umber, it’s not sepia or some other subdued shade that fades into the background.
No, Apple finally — after years of begging and pleading — produced a pro-level iPhone in an unapologetically bold color.
As a man in a loincloth once screamed while staring at something unfathomable: “Oh my god … [you] finally, really did it. You maniacs!”
To be fair, in that instance, the bare-chested man was ranting about something horrific. With the cosmic orange iPhone 17 Pro, Apple did something previously unthinkable — and totally welcome.
In a flashback to past launch day problems, Apple’s highly anticipated iPhone 17 lineup faces an unexpected setback as users across China report iPhone 17 Pro scratches on the device’s redesigned glass-and-aluminum back, according to a new report.
Social media platforms have been flooded with images showing scuffs and scratches appearing on display models after just hours of store exposure.
Professional photographer Austin Mann dropped another edition of his annual iPhone Pro camera reviews Wednesday. He took his new iPhone 17 Pro up into northern Italy’s Dolomite Mountains during a biking, cycling and paragliding trip. Stunning photography resulted.
“At Apple’s keynote last week, I was most interested in the new 48-megapixel 4x telephoto lens, the 8x telephoto lens, Center Stage selfie mode, 4K ProRes Log at 120FPS and the new Photographic Style, Bright,” he wrote. “As always, Apple’s presentation is full of flashy new tech, but I always have one question: How will this new tech make our pictures and videos better?”
Find his in-depth video and a link to his full review with many more photos below.
Crowds thronged to Apple stores around the globe Friday to pick up the newest iPhones — the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air — on launch day. Apple CEO Tim Cook himself threw open the doors of Apple Fifth Avenue in New York City on Friday morning.
Alongside the exciting new iPhone lineup, Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3 and AirPods Pro 3 also arrived at Apple retail stores and authorized outlets on Friday
Alongside the iPhone Air, Apple launched a battery pack specifically for the phone. And interestingly, the iPhone Air MagSafe Battery uses the same capacity battery as the device it supports.
The folks over at iFixit tore down the iPhone Air MagSafe Battery and discovered its unusual shape. Based on preliminary evidence, they concluded Apple might be using the exact same battery inside the iPhone Air.
A major new health feature for recent Apple Watch models can alert users to possible hypertension (aka high blood pressure) by analyzing patterns in their heart data over time. Apple offered a document earlier this week explaining how the Hypertension Notifications feature works using existing sensors.
Available with watchOS 26, the feature works on Apple Watch Series 9 and later models, as well as the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and later.
Following the success of its Ray-Ban Meta glasses, Meta has launched its Ray-Ban Display glasses. This is a step up from its previous efforts, as the smart glasses feature a built-in display in the right lens.
The glasses come with a Neural Band that recognizes your hand movements and helps you navigate through the glasses’ UI.
Tired of blurry, grainy or low-resolution videos? Whether you’re dealing with low-light night footage, fast-action clips, old camera recordings, drone shots or AI-generated content, Aiarty Video Enhancer brings them to life. It delivers sharp, true 4K videos with natural details right on your Mac or Windows PC.
And better yet, the launch deal going on now will save you a bundle on the software.
Award-winning Apple TV+ drama The Morning Show returned Wednesday with season 4, drawing fans back into the chaotic, backbiting world of the title national morning news program and its troubled network in a changing media landscape. And he show will return for a fifth season, the streamer said Tuesday.
“The Morning Show has been a standout from the very start, debuting as one of the flagship series on Apple TV+,” said Matt Cherniss, head of programming at Apple TV+. “It’s been incredibly rewarding to see it not only entertain but also resonate with audiences worldwide.
“Thanks to the outstanding cast and creative team, The Morning Show continues to deliver addictively entertaining and provocative stories that we’ve all come to love,” he added. “We’re excited for viewers to experience the next chapter of this Emmy Award-winning drama.”
Apple’s next-gen OLED MacBook Pro supposedly will feature a touchscreen panel, further blurring the line between iPads and MacBooks.
TF International Securities analyst Ming Chi Kuo thinks the new OLED MacBook Pro will enter mass production in late 2026.
Apple Sports app stepped up its game in two ways Tuesday, Apple said — with an update bringing customizable widgets to iPhone, iPad and Mac users, and an expansion to eight new countries in Europe.
And the timing should work well for many sports fans. The enhancements arrive just as NFL and college football kicks into high gear stateside and soccer season rolls on in Europe, site of the expansion.
iPhone users who just installed iOS 26 might notice a reduction in their battery life, or that their phone is heating up. The devices might even be running a bit slower. A new Apple support document explains that this is temporary as the iOS update process continues in the background.
iOS 26 introduces a new Adaptive Power mode to extend your iPhone’s battery under load. And Apple’s newest iPhones — iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air — will ship with this feature enabled by default.
On older iPhones, you must manually enable Adaptive Power to boost their runtime.
Apple released iOS 18.7 and iPadOS 18.7 on Monday to close a lengthy list of security holes.
The updates address a wide array of threats, from unexpected app or system termination to an app being able to spy on users’ keystrokes. If you’re not updating to iOS 26 or iPadOS 26, which also arrived Monday, you should grab these security updates as soon as possible.
Apple TV+ delivered its strongest Emmy Awards performance to date Sunday night, taking home a personal record of 22 trophies across its original series lineup. The streaming service’s comedy hit The Studio dominated the evening at the 77th annual awards, becoming the most awarded show of the entire ceremony with 13 wins.
The Studio won so much that Seth Rogen said, after accepting the big Outstanding Comedy Series trophy, that he was “legitimately embarrassed” at how happy it made him. And from the stage, he thanked Apple CEO Tim Cook for Apple’s support.
Weekend preorder demand for the iPhone 17 family outpaced last year’s iPhone 16, says TF International analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. As per Apple’s production estimates, the analyst says the Pro Max model remains the undisputed demand leader.
The strong iPhone 17 preorder should help boost Apple’s Q3 2025 results.
The iPhone 17 Pro Max seems to be the favorite of those rushing to grab a new Apple device on the first day of preorders. Order this model now in the United States, and the wait for the delivery stretches out until October.
In contrast, the super-slim iPhone Air can still be ordered for delivery on launch day, September 19. The same is true for iPhone 17 Pro and the base model iPhone 17.
UPDATE: Two days after 2025 iPhone preorders began, the wait time to have most iPhone 17 Pro Max configurations delivered from the U.S. Apple Store has slipped to mid-October. But the situation hasn’t changed for the iPhone Air: You can still order the super-slim phone for delivery on launch day, September 19. Meanwhile, early stocks of the base-model iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro are starting to run out.
Apple is finally ready to release iOS 26, iPadOS 26, watchOS 26 and macOS Tahoe to the public. After initially showcasing these operating systems at WWDC25 this spring, the company will release the first stable build on September 15.
So when will iOS 26 actually land on your compatible iPhone? With all the new features packed in, you’ll want to be first in line to grab the update. Here’s when iOS 26, iPadOS 26, watchOS 26 and macOS Tahoe go live in your region.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: After Apple’s truly Awe Dropping event, we’re picking up the pieces and discussing iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro and the rest of the new hardware.
Also on The CultCast:
Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.
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.
However, Cult of Mac offers good money for your old AirPods, making your next upgrade more affordable. We won’t leave you waiting weeks for your e-check if you sell us your old AirPods, AirPods Pro or AirPods Max to our buyback program. And we promise that none of the tech we receive will end up in a landfill.
So, what are you waiting for? Lock in a 30-day guaranteed quote in seconds, with no haggling or hassles. It’s the easy way to sell your old AirPods.
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.”