logo
iPhone 17 Pro leaks suggest third camera control, enhanced zoom, and new Pro camera app

iPhone 17 Pro leaks suggest third camera control, enhanced zoom, and new Pro camera app

Indian Express29-07-2025
The new iPhone 17 Pro might gain a new camera feature as a few of the purported test units of the premium smartphone were reportedly being tested around San Francisco, United States, ahead of the official launch event which is slated for sometime in September this year.
Until then, these purported test units of the latest Apple iPhone may have given away what the new camera feature might be. The iPhone 17 Pro may include three hardware and software camera features, according to a report by a tipster from MacRumors. The leak about the additional camera features first emerged on July 29, through an ongoing advert shoot for the iPhone 17 Pro.
This advert reportedly led to some sightings of the iPhone 17 Pro in the city. A secondary camera control was positioned near the top edge of the device, according to the report. If this new feature is a capacitive touch scroll surface, its placement seems logical. One could hold the iPhone in landscape orientation with the primary Camera Control accessible to the right index finger, and this new feature positioned beneath the left index finger.
The purpose of this setup has been debated. Moving these features to a separate hardware component might be a solution, especially if Apple has responded to feedback indicating that the swipe surface functionalities overly complicate the existing Camera Control button. Alternatively, Apple might link the zoom feature to the left button so that the right button is not needed for mode switching.
According to MacRumors, a tipster on July 27, revealed three new camera features.
One of these was the third external camera control, which has now been confirmed. The tipster also suggested an 8x optical zoom, an upgrade from the 5x zoom in the iPhone 16 Pro. They claimed that the lens can move to focus continuously at different focal points. Lastly, the iPhone 17 Pro is expected to feature a new Pro camera app for both photos and videos, though it remains unclear whether this app will be exclusive to the iPhone 17 Pro models.
The second week of September is expected to see the official unveiling of Apple's upcoming flagship, the iPhone 17 Pro. According to multiple reports, including from Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, the launch event is scheduled for either Monday, September 8, 2025, or Wednesday, September 10, 2025.
'Apple is probably going to have its iPhone 17 keynote on Tuesday, September 9, or Wednesday, September 10,' Gurman said. Pre-orders are expected to open by Friday, September 12, with global sales likely commencing from September 19. This information is also supported by an ongoing advert shoot for the iPhone 17 Pro.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

As Trump tariffs hit India, Apple boosts US investment by $100 billion
As Trump tariffs hit India, Apple boosts US investment by $100 billion

India Today

time15 minutes ago

  • India Today

As Trump tariffs hit India, Apple boosts US investment by $100 billion

Apple said it will invest an additional USD 100 billion in the US over the next four years, expanding domestic manufacturing and supply chain operations after weeks of tension with President Donald Trump over the company's decision to shift iPhone production to is expected to tout the announcement on Wednesday at the White House as a major win for American manufacturing. 'Today's announcement with Apple is another win for our manufacturing industry that will simultaneously help reshore the production of critical components to protect America's economic and national security," White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said in a move boosts Apple's total US investment commitment to $600 billion, up from the $500 billion the company had previously pledged. The announcement follows criticism from Trump, who earlier this year said there was 'a little problem' with Apple's decision to expand production in India. While in Qatar, the president recalled telling CEO Tim Cook directly: 'I don't want you building in India.'Apple's change of course comes on the same day Trump slapped a 25% additional tariff on Indian goods, citing New Delhi's continued imports of Russian oil. With the new import taxes taking effect in 21 days, total US tariffs on Indian exports could reach 50%.Though Apple didn't comment Wednesday, CEO Tim Cook recently signaled a deeper push into US manufacturing during an earnings call, saying: 'We're doing more in this country, and that's on top of having roughly 19 billion chips coming out of the US now, and we will do more.'The company's new pledge also includes a $500 million deal with MP Materials, the only rare earths producer in the US. That agreement will expand a Texas factory to make recycled magnets used in iPhones.'There's a load of different things done in the United States,' Cook added on the same call. He cited US-made iPhone components like the glass display and facial recognition modules as examples of the company's growing domestic shares surged nearly 6 per cent on the news Wednesday. Nancy Tengler, CEO of Laffer Tengler Investments, which holds Apple stock, said the market's reaction shows relief that Cook 'is extending an olive branch' to the Trump so, Apple's stock remains down 14 per cent this year, weighed down in part by its slow entry into artificial intelligence — a strategic miss that investors say the company is now trying to correct with a pivot back to its strengths in hardware and production.- EndsWith inputs from Associated PressMust Watch

Verizon discontinues free perks and hikes service charges, sparks backlash
Verizon discontinues free perks and hikes service charges, sparks backlash

Hindustan Times

time44 minutes ago

  • Hindustan Times

Verizon discontinues free perks and hikes service charges, sparks backlash

Verizon customers are bracing for more changes as the telecom giant revokes popular gaming perks and loyalty discounts from its older 5G plans while raising prices yet again. The phone carrier has confirmed they are discontinuing free Apple Arcade and Google Play Pass subscriptions for their customers on 5G Get More and 5G Play More plans. The perks long considered to be value additions will be removed from customer accounts starting September 25, 2025, reported PhoneArena. Verizon discontinues popular free subscription plans.(Bloomberg) The subscriptions, which usually cost $6.99 (Apple Arcade) and $4.99 (Google Play Pass) monthly, allowed customers to access a wide library of mobile games. Now, customers whose six-month promotional period ends before September 25 will be charged unless they cancel. If it ends on or after the date, the perk will be removed automatically with no charges. According to a PhoneArena report, Verizon clarified that the gaming perks will remain available for customers who switch to the company's newer myPlan subscription and opt for the Apple One add-on. Also read: Verizon seeks FCC approval to lock phones for 6 months: Here's what you need to know Price hikes and loyalty discounts also on the chopping block Another report in The Street stated that the loss of perks is part of a larger pattern of cost increases and benefit reductions that have left many Verizon customers frustrated. Earlier this year, Verizon raised prices across several plans, including 5G Start, Play More, Get More, and Do More, citing rising operational costs. It has also increased the device activation fee from $35 to $40 and is reportedly raising tablet data plan prices. Fueling the displeasure is the removal of loyalty discounts, which somehow ranged from $10 to $40 a month, from accounts starting September 1. The discounts were always there to encourage customers never to switch and remain with Verizon, but now, Verizon is sending an email to the affected users to nudge them into moving to myPlan. Customer backlash grows amid mixed messaging The changes follow the company's renewed commitment to valuing customer loyalty and experience. During the earnings call of July 21, Verizon CFO Tony Skiadas stated the company was now 'doubling down' on retention efforts through AI-based personalised support and access to exclusive events. However, those words seem to be at odds with the operations that have recently come from Verizon. Back to that very call, Hans Vestberg measured that the recent price increases and benefit cuts had, indeed, caused Verizon to shed 51,000 postpaid customers in Q2 2025. He also said the company would continue being 'financially disciplined' and focus on what it calls 'high-quality customers,' essentially meaning that it is happy for customers who turn down its higher prices to go elsewhere. FAQs: Q1: When will the free Apple Arcade and Google Play Pass perks end? A: These perks will be removed on September 25, 2025. Q2: Will I be charged after the perks end? A: If your free trial ends before September 25, you will be charged unless you cancel. If it ends on or after that date, it will be removed automatically without charges. Q3: Can I still access these perks under a different plan? A: Yes. You can access Apple Arcade by switching to myPlan and selecting the Apple One perk. Q4: What is happening to loyalty discounts? A: Verizon will begin removing loyalty discounts starting September 1, 2025. Q5: Why is Verizon making these changes? A: The company cites rising operational costs and a focus on profitability. It is also aiming to push more customers towards myPlan, which comes with a three-year price lock (excluding taxes and fees).

Decoding China, the lessons for a vulnerable India
Decoding China, the lessons for a vulnerable India

The Hindu

timean hour ago

  • The Hindu

Decoding China, the lessons for a vulnerable India

The exodus of over 300 Chinese engineers from Foxconn's pivotal iPhone 17 manufacturing facilities in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka — a recent move ostensibly executed under corporate directive — is far more than an administrative recalibration. It is a meticulously calibrated stratagem, designed to arrest India's burgeoning manufacturing ambitions and to perpetuate a 'unipolar Asia' under Beijing's overarching economic hegemony. A geo-economic move This calculated withdrawal is not simply a logistical reshuffling. It is a subtle, yet potent, geo-economic manoeuvre by a rival apprehensive of a rising India. The recall of these highly specialised technicians, possessed of invaluable expertise in establishing sophisticated production lines, optimising operational efficiencies, and troubleshooting the labyrinthine complexities of modern manufacturing, represents a deliberate impediment to the crucial transfer of technology. Such knowledge is the bedrock upon which India seeks to construct its edifice of advanced electronics manufacturing, and its withholding strikes at the very heart of India's aspirational ascent. In addition, China has leveraged its dominance in rare earth production and processing by restricting exports of rare earths (which include elements such as gallium, germanium, graphite), and rare earth magnets, which are crucial for electric vehicles and electronics, to India. China has also imposed curbs on the export of other critical minerals that are vital for various high-tech industries. There have also been informal trade restrictions on the export of capital equipment from China to India, including high-end manufacturing equipment for electronics assembly and other sectors, heavy-duty boring machines and solar equipment, severely impacting India's ability to set up and expand its own manufacturing facilities. The broader implication of these actions, particularly the recall of engineers and restrictions on specialised equipment, is a deliberate attempt to limit the transfer of advanced manufacturing technology and know-how to India. This aims to keep India dependent on Chinese inputs and prevent it from developing a truly self-reliant high-value manufacturing base. Crucially, many of these restrictions are not formalised bans but are implemented through verbal instructions and administrative delays. This makes them harder to directly challenge but equally effective in disrupting supply chains, increasing costs, and creating uncertainty for Indian manufacturers. In essence, China's strategy is multi-pronged, leveraging its control over crucial raw materials, manufacturing equipment, and even human capital to impede India's manufacturing ascent, especially in the high-stakes electronics and emerging technology sectors. These actions, when viewed through the prism of Beijing's anxieties concerning India's emergence as a potentially formidable manufacturing competitor in an era of 'friend-shoring' by the West, align perfectly with its broader strategic calculus. China's economic success is increasingly predicated upon maintaining robust export revenues. Consequently, any nation daring to challenge its pre-eminence in global manufacturing, particularly in high-value sectors such as electronics, is inevitably perceived not merely as a competitor but also as an existential threat. The withdrawal of these engineers, therefore, constitutes a potent stratagem to disrupt India's trajectory and safeguard China's long-entrenched export market share and economic primacy in the region and beyond. India's ambition to transform itself into a globally competitive manufacturing hub is seen in Beijing as a direct challenge to China's long-term stability. The reality in China Consider the demographic exigencies currently confronting China: an ageing and progressively shrinking populace, an unfortunate legacy of the protracted one-child policy, coupled with a palpable erosion of wealth occasioned by an enduring property crisis — even as local satraps exceed production targets in their zeal to impress Beijing. This widening structural imbalance between an excessive production capacity and faltering domestic consumption increasingly compels China to lean heavily on export revenues to underwrite its fiscal outlays and maintain a semblance of economic progress. As its social welfare and pension liabilities burgeon exponentially, the Chinese government finds itself under mounting fiscal duress. Any reduction of export revenues would directly impinge upon Beijing's capacity to fund critical domains such as domestic security and military expenditure, potentially precipitating an undesirable degree of social instability. China's formidable trade surplus, now on the cusp of a trillion dollars, is not solely a testament to its industrial prowess but also a stark manifestation of weak internal consumption and persistent industrial overcapacity. The People's Bank of China's repeated interest rate reductions on savings accounts have largely failed to ignite internal demand. This chronic overcapacity, therefore, constrains Chinese enterprises to aggressively depress prices and inundate international markets in a desperate bid to remain solvent — a strategy that has, perhaps ironically, severely eroded profitability across a plethora of sectors. As a result, China's determined endeavours to stymie competition are not merely a reflection of simple geopolitical rivalry. Rather, they are an undeniable reflection of profound domestic compulsions. Should India, by dint of astute policy and diligent execution, succeed in getting its house in order and convincingly demonstrate the potential to compete comprehensively in the global manufacturing landscape, Beijing is highly likely to escalate its countermeasures. These could range from the insidious pressures of economic coercion to outright military posturing, all in a relentless quest to safeguard its core economic interests and, by extension, its internal stability. However, the news of the U.S. raising India's tariffs to 50%, even while China enjoys a 90-day exemption from punitive tariffs despite buying more Russian oil and gas than India does, makes India less of a threat to China. While India has been seen as a key partner in western efforts to diversify supply chains away from China, the imposition of the new U.S. tariffs serves as a reminder that all alignments carry their own fragilities, and underscores the need for India to build true strategic autonomy. The Indian Prime Minister's forthcoming visit to Beijing comes against this complex backdrop. An appraisal of India's strengths, shadows China's industrial pre-eminence is not fortuitous or trivial; it is a systemic dominance that spans critical and emerging sectors, from the esoteric realms of Artificial Intelligence and quantum computing to the cutting-edge frontiers of 6G telecommunications and electric vehicles. We need to understand that China does not merely export goods; it orchestrates and largely controls global supply chains in these advanced technologies. Even its overcapacity, otherwise a sign of economic infirmity, is being deftly weaponised as a strategic instrument for price suppression and audacious market capture. The aggressive pricing strategies employed by behemoths such as BYD in the electric vehicle segment are a quintessential illustration: by flooding global markets with irresistibly priced goods, China effectively stifles nascent competition and inexorably solidifies its global market share. This is economic statecraft in action. In stark contrast, India's manufacturing ecosystem, despite its vibrant aspirations, remains undeniably nascent. The cherished dream of transforming into a global 'manufacturing hub' frequently founders upon a litany of formidable hurdles, including persistent infrastructure lacunae and the pervasive sclerosis of bureaucratic red tape. We remain regrettably reliant on imports for a pantheon of crucial components — ranging from sophisticated chips and engines to semiconductors and sensors — even for the foundational 'screwdriver technology' indispensable for basic assembly. This profound reliance on external sources underscores the considerable ground India must traverse to genuinely metamorphose into a self-sufficient manufacturing powerhouse. 'Make in India' still needs help from outside India. From Beijing's vantage point, China has nothing to worry about yet; its actions against India are an effort to neutralise potential 'noise' within its immediate periphery while it assiduously scales up its economic and political corridors with key strategic partners across the sprawling geographies of Pakistan,the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Africa, and Latin America. India's narrative of offering an alternative to the Chinese behemoth falters on our own dependence. If India genuinely harbours the ambition to 'compete' on the global stage, it needs a laser-like focus on its own foundational development. That is what China's behaviour has taught India: The onus is on us Indians. Shashi Tharoor is a former Under-Secretary General of the United Nations, a fourth-term Member of Parliament (Congress), Lok Sabha, for Thiruvananthapuram, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, and the Sahitya Akademi Award-winning author of 27 books, including 'Pax Indica: India and the World of the 21st Century' (2012)

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store