From a potential price hike to radical camera changes, here are the last-minute rumours ahead ot the iPhone 17 launch event.
Apple could phase out the Plus model in favour of a new Air variant, as per leaks
Apple's ‘Awe Dropping' event is all set to take place today, putting an end to a year of rumours. The iPhone 17 series is expected to be among the biggest highlights of the Cupertino-based tech giant's annual hardware launch event. Apple is rumoured to introduce a new model in its lineup, dubbed iPhone 17 Air, which replaces the iPhone 16 Plus from last year. Some big upgrades across the entire series are likely. Apart from this, the debut of products such as AirPods Pro (3rd Generation), Apple Watch Series 11, Watch Ultra 3, and Watch SE 3 is also on the cards.
Here is the last-minute rumour recap ahead of Apple's ‘Awe Dropping' event.
The iPhone 17 launch event will be livestreamed on Apple's website and its YouTube channel. You can also catch the developments live on the Apple TV app, which is available on Apple and Android devices, including smartphones, tablets, and smart TVs.
Apple's ‘Awe Dropping' event will begin with a keynote address at 10am PT, or 10:30pm IST for viewers in India. You can also watch it live via the video player embedded below.
According to reports, the iPhone 17 Pro could receive an estimated price hike of up to $100 (roughly Rs. 8,800). This potentially puts the price of the purported at $1,099 (roughly Rs. 96,800). However, this might not be too bad a deal, with recent rumours suggesting that Apple will bump up the base storage on the iPhone 17 Pro from 128GB to 256GB.
Meanwhile, iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro Max buyers will be able to buy them at last year's prices.
A market intelligence firm has suggested that the iPhone 17 series could outsell the preceding lineup. This increased demand is said to be driven by a new design, performance enhancements, improved thermal management, and enhanced imaging capabilities. Consequently, shipments of the iPhone 17 lineup may see an increase of 3.5 percent.
The iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are likely to be the drivers behind the sales once again, despite the overall demand being somewhat tempered due to global economic conditions and potentially higher prices.
A recent rumour coming out of South Korea indicates that the Pro models in Apple's iPhone 17 lineup will feature up to 8X optical zoom, a big upgrade compared to the 5X sensor on the current models. It is expected to get bumped up to 48 megapixels, making the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max the first iPhone models to feature triple 48-megapixel sensors.
Another big upgrade could be in terms of heat dissipation. Both aforementioned handsets are rumoured to debut with a new vapour chamber cooling system. Combined with the new aluminium frame, this upgrade may allow the A19 Pro chip on the iPhone 17 Pro models to deliver full performance for an extended period, without suffering from heat-related throttling.
Citing China's CQC certification, tipster Abhishek Yadav (@yabhishekhd) has revealed the battery capacities of the iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. The former is expected to carry a 3,149mAh battery. Meanwhile, the iPhone 17 Pro could feature a 4,300mAh battery in the US and a smaller 4,000mAh battery in China.
Lastly, the iPhone 17 Pro Max may be equipped with 5,100mAh and 4,900mAh batteries in the US and China, respectively. However, it is to be noted that Apple does not reveal the battery capacities of its iPhone models.
Apple is rumoured to introduce new iterations in the form of Apple Watch Series 11, Watch Ultra 3, and Watch SE 3. All of them are expected to be powered by the new S11 chip, but only minor upgrades over the S10 and S9 SoCs. The Watch Series 11 and Watch Ultra 3 could benefit from blood pressure monitoring capabilties.
Meanwhile, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 could receive an exclusive feature in the form of satellite connectivity, enabling users to contact emergency services even when there is no Wi-Fi or cellular network.
Apple is developing a new Crossbody Strap accessory for the iPhone 17 cases that would function as a way for users to carry the phone across the body, as per a tipster. It is said to feature a magnetic system with a flexible metal core that runs along the length of the strap, making it magnetic in its entirety.
Apart from this, Apple could also unveil the new TechWoven case as a MagSafe accessory for the iPhone 17 lineup. The TechWoven cases are likely to be built from sustainable materials, similar to Apple's controversial FineWoven cases from 2023. They are likely to available in five colour options — Black, Brown, Blue, Green, and Purple.
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