Latest news with #MingChiKuo
CNET
2 days ago
- Business
- CNET
iPhone 17 Rumors and Leaks Unpacked. Here Are the Features We're Most Excited About
President Donald Trump's potential 25% tariff on iPhones could mean a price hike for the rumored iPhone 17 before it's even released. Prices could play a big part when the new iPhone is announced, but plenty of other rumors and leaks have fans anticipating what new features an iPhone 17 could bring, including better video capabilities and a new color. Battery power could be the features to keep your eye on. The rumored iPhone 17 Air could have a thin design balanced by improved battery technology, and the iPhone Pro Max allegedly may be getting thicker to make room for more battery power. With potential tariffs still looming and Apple's WWDC announcement coming soon, we're tracking all the biggest rumors and leaks and sharing what we know so you can have an idea of what's coming next with the iPhone. Now Playing: iPhone SE 4 vs. iPhone 17 Air Rumors: Does Size Matter Over Cost? 06:50 iPhone 17 release date: When is the next iPhone coming out? Over the last several years, Apple has consistently announced its new phones in the first half of September. This will likely be the case with the full iPhone 17 lineup, with the exception of the iPhone 17E, which could arrive in early 2026, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and a report from The Information. The iPhone 17 lineup may be the last to follow this fall-release model. Starting with the iPhone 18, Apple will reportedly split its phone releases so that lower-cost iPhones launch in the first half of the year and the higher-end Pro models become available later in the year. But that isn't expected to happen until 2026, so you can likely still expect the iPhone 17 Pro to become available this fall. Preorders for a new iPhone typically begin the Friday after the announcement, with the phone shipping a week later. iPhone 17 Price: Will tariffs increase the cost of the next iPhone? President Donald Trump has raised, lowered and paused tariffs a dizzying number of times since February, all of which could potentially affect the cost of the iPhone 17. Apple, which could move much of US iPhone production from China to India, has escaped many of the tariff hikes thanks to a reciprocal tariff exemption list that includes many phones, laptops and other electronics that Apple produces. But all the reprieves appear to be temporary, so reciprocal tariffs could still potentially affect prices by the time of the iPhone 17 release. Trump threatened Apple with a 25% tariff on all iPhones made outside the in a social media post on May 23. Later that day, he said that all smartphones -- not just iPhones -- would be hit with the 25% tariff by the end of June if they don't move operations to the US. Regardless of how tariffs play out, Apple has plans to raise iPhone prices later this year, The Wall Street Journal reported. Apple apparently plans to ascribe the price increase to better features and design costs so it can avoid pointing the finger at tariffs and incurring the wrath of Trump (like Amazon temporarily did). CNET Managing Editor Patrick Holland, who's been reviewing phones for CNET since 2016, points out that the iPhone is overdue for a price bump. He noted that Apple has never increased the price for an iPhone Pro ($999) since the iPhone X was first introduced in 2017. So yes, you should expect to pay more for the iPhone 17, regardless of tariffs. New iPhone 17 colors Rumors of a new color for the iPhone started in April, when Twitter user and leaker Majin Bu (not the Dragon Ball Z character) posted that the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max could get a sky blue option. The latest MacBook Air models come in sky blue, which could give you some idea of the soft hue we'll see on the iPhone if it goes in the same direction. For reference, the iPhone 16 and Plus made a splash last year when they debuted pink, teal and ultramarine color options, alongside the standard white and black. The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max introduced a new color, desert titanium -- a restrained shade of peach -- alongside the classic natural titanium, white titanium and black titanium options. iPhone 17 Pro camera bump redesign The iPhone 17 Pro's camera has been the subject of multiple rumored changes, most notably that Apple could add a horizontal camera bar that spreads across the width of the phone. The front-facing "selfie camera" could also be getting an upgrade. Back in January, Bu posted a leaked image on X suggesting that the phone could feature a pill-shaped camera bar that looks a lot like the camera bar on Google's Pixel 9 phone. That raised the question of whether the iPhone 17 Pro would align the three camera lenses in a single row or leave them stacked in a pyramid design, as it did with the iPhone 16 Pro. In February, Bu posted CAD renders of what could be the iPhone 17 lineup, and Front Page Tech also shared iPhone 17 Pro renders in a video. Both showed horizontal camera bars for the iPhone 17 Pro models that keep the stacked lens layout. And as for your selfies: The front-facing camera will reportedly be upgraded from the iPhone 16's 12 megapixels to 24 megapixels on all iPhone 17 models, according to analyst Jeff Pu. Pu wrote in March that the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max will feature a 48-megapixel telephoto rear camera, up from 12 megapixels on the iPhone 16 Pro models. That would mean all three cameras on the iPhone 17 Pro models -- Fusion, ultrawide and telephoto -- would be 48 megapixels. Leaked Specs: iPhone 17 vs. iPhone 17 Pro vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max Specs for the iPhone 17 are more grist for the rumor mill. Display After the backlash over Apple not updating the 60Hz display on the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus, rumors of a 120Hz display (Pro Motion) on all iPhone 17 models could be welcome news, along with possibly adding the always-on display to the baseline model. One feature you likely won't see with the new iPhone 17 Pro models is an antireflective display, which CNET's Patrick Holland called one of the best attributes of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. A source told MacRumors that Apple had to scrap plans for a more scratch-resistant display because of scaling issues with the coating process. Additionally, Pu said the iPhone 17 Pro Max may reduce the size of its Face ID sensor, so it could have a narrower Dynamic Island, but the other iPhone 17 models would likely stay the same size. Memory Apple Intelligence and AI are likely to play more prominent roles with the iPhone 17. To support the new features, all the iPhone 17 models will step up to 12GB of RAM, tipster Digital Chat Station reported in April. Kuo has also suggested this could happen, according to Digital Trends. Considering that the iPhone 16 lineup had 8GB of RAM across all models, this could be a big upgrade for the iPhone 17. Frame There's been plenty of discussion about whether the iPhone 17 Pro will ditch its titanium alloy frame for an aluminum one. The most recent rumors predict the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will all have aluminum frames, according to Pu. iPhone 17 battery life The iPhone 17 Air might have to scale back on battery life to make a thinner design possible, although the latest rumor from AppleInsider is that it might use a silicon-anode battery that could help extend the battery life. However, rumors are that the iPhone 17 Pro will likely get a battery boost. In May, Pu said the baseline iPhone 17 will likely feature Apple's in-house A19 chip, while the Pro could have the A19 Pro chip. The iPhone 16 is powered by an A18 chip, which offers improved efficiency for better battery life. According to a report by 9to5Mac this month, the iPhone 17 Pro Max may be 8.725mm thick, compared to the iPhone 16 Pro Max, which clocks in at 8.25mm thick. That larger size could potentially make room for more battery. Are new iPhone rumors and leaks to be trusted? Here's the part where I come in and say: Everything's a rumor until Apple officially releases the next iPhone. Rumors and speculation leading up to the iPhone's release are often based on insider knowledge or leaked information from teams working on the iPhone's designs, but those designs are works in progress -- not necessarily the final product.
CNET
6 days ago
- Business
- CNET
Curious About iPhone 17 Rumors and Leaks Ahead of WWDC? Here's the Scoop
Ahead of Apple's WWDC announcement, the buzz around iPhone 17 rumors and leaks has fans anticipating the release date of the new iPhone line. With the rumored iPhone 17 Pro having better video capabilities and a new slim iPhone 17 Air allegedly having a thin design balanced by improved battery technology, there's a lot of speculation to cut through. Not to mention tariffs and how they could potentially affect the price of the new iPhone after President Trump threatened a 25% tariff on all Apple smartphones made outside the US. We're tracking all the biggest rumors and leaks and sharing what we know so you can have an idea of what's coming next (and potentially what you won't see). Now Playing: iPhone SE 4 vs. iPhone 17 Air Rumors: Does Size Matter Over Cost? 06:50 iPhone 17 release date: When is the next iPhone coming out? Over the last several years, Apple has consistently announced its new phones in the first half of September. This will likely be the case with the full iPhone 17 lineup, with the exception of the iPhone 17E, which could arrive in early 2026, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and a report from The Information. The iPhone 17 lineup may be the last to follow this fall-release model. Starting with the iPhone 18, Apple will reportedly split its phone releases so that lower-cost iPhones launch in the first half of the year and the higher-end Pro models become available later in the year. But that isn't expected to happen until 2026, so you can likely still expect the iPhone 17 Pro to become available this fall. Preorders for a new iPhone typically begin the Friday after the announcement, with the phone shipping a week later. iPhone 17 Price: Will tariffs increase the cost of the next iPhone? President Donald Trump has raised, lowered and paused tariffs a dizzying number of times since February, all of which could potentially affect the cost of the iPhone 17. Apple, which could move much of US iPhone production from China to India, has escaped many of the tariff hikes thanks to a reciprocal tariff exemption list that includes many phones, laptops and other electronics that Apple produces. But all the reprieves appear to be temporary, so tariffs could still potentially affect prices by the time of the iPhone 17 release. Regardless of how tariffs play out, Apple has plans to raise iPhone prices later this year, The Wall Street Journal reported. Apple apparently plans to ascribe the price increase to better features and design costs so it can avoid pointing the finger at tariffs and incurring the wrath of Trump (like Amazon temporarily did). CNET Managing Editor Patrick Holland, who's been reviewing phones for CNET since 2016, points out that the iPhone is overdue for a price bump. He noted that Apple has never increased the price for an iPhone Pro ($999) since the iPhone X was first introduced in 2017. So yes, you should expect to pay more for the iPhone 17, regardless of tariffs. New iPhone 17 colors Rumors of a new color for the iPhone started in April, when Twitter user and leaker Majin Bu (not the Dragon Ball Z character) posted that the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max could get a sky blue option. The latest MacBook Air models come in sky blue, which could give you some idea of the soft hue we'll see on the iPhone if it goes in the same direction. For reference, the iPhone 16 and Plus made a splash last year when they debuted pink, teal and ultramarine color options, alongside the standard white and black. The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max introduced a new color, desert titanium -- a restrained shade of peach -- alongside the classic natural titanium, white titanium and black titanium options. iPhone 17 Pro camera bump redesign The iPhone 17 Pro's camera has been the subject of multiple rumored changes, most notably that Apple could add a horizontal camera bar that spreads across the width of the phone. The front-facing "selfie camera" could also be getting an upgrade. Back in January, Bu posted a leaked image on X suggesting that the phone could feature a pill-shaped camera bar that looks a lot like the camera bar on Google's Pixel 9 phone. That raised the question of whether the iPhone 17 Pro would align the three camera lenses in a single row or leave them stacked in a pyramid design, as it did with the iPhone 16 Pro. In February, Bu posted CAD renders of what could be the iPhone 17 lineup, and Front Page Tech also shared iPhone 17 Pro renders in a video. Both showed horizontal camera bars for the iPhone 17 Pro models that keep the stacked lens layout. And as for your selfies: The front-facing camera will reportedly be upgraded from the iPhone 16's 12 megapixels to 24 megapixels on all iPhone 17 models, according to analyst Jeff Pu. Pu wrote in March that the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max will feature a 48-megapixel telephoto rear camera, up from 12 megapixels on the iPhone 16 Pro models. That would mean all three cameras on the iPhone 17 Pro models -- Fusion, ultrawide and telephoto -- would be 48 megapixels. Leaked Specs: iPhone 17 vs. iPhone 17 Pro vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max Specs for the iPhone 17 are more grist for the rumor mill. Display After the backlash over Apple not updating the 60Hz display on the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus, rumors of a 120Hz display (Pro Motion) on all iPhone 17 models could be welcome news, along with possibly adding the always-on display to the baseline model. One feature you likely won't see with the new iPhone 17 Pro models is an antireflective display, which CNET's Patrick Holland called one of the best attributes of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. A source told MacRumors that Apple had to scrap plans for a more scratch-resistant display because of scaling issues with the coating process. Additionally, Pu said the iPhone 17 Pro Max may reduce the size of its Face ID sensor, so it could have a narrower Dynamic Island, but the other iPhone 17 models would likely stay the same size. Memory Apple Intelligence and AI are likely to play more prominent roles with the iPhone 17. To support the new features, all the iPhone 17 models will step up to 12GB of RAM, tipster Digital Chat Station reported in April. Kuo has also suggested this could happen, according to Digital Trends. Considering that the iPhone 16 lineup had 8GB of RAM across all models, this could be a big upgrade for the iPhone 17. Frame There's been plenty of discussion about whether the iPhone 17 Pro will ditch its titanium alloy frame for an aluminum one. The most recent rumors predict the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will all have aluminum frames, according to Pu. iPhone 17 battery life The iPhone 17 Air might have to scale back on battery life to make a thinner design possible, although the latest rumor from AppleInsider is that it might use a silicon-anode battery that could help extend the battery life. However, rumors are that the iPhone 17 Pro will likely get a battery boost. In May, Pu said the baseline iPhone 17 will likely feature Apple's in-house A19 chip, while the Pro could have the A19 Pro chip. The iPhone 16 is powered by an A18 chip, which offers improved efficiency for better battery life. Are new iPhone rumors and leaks to be trusted? Here's the part where I come in and say: Everything's a rumor until Apple officially releases the next iPhone. Rumors and speculation leading up to the iPhone's release are often based on insider knowledge or leaked information from teams working on the iPhone's designs, but those designs are works in progress -- not necessarily the final product.
Phone Arena
23-05-2025
- Business
- Phone Arena
Apple won't budge: more profitable to bear iPhone tariffs than shift production to the U.S.
Apple is being directly confronted by President Donald Trump once more, who just said that he will introduce a 25 percent tariff for iPhone specifically. However, renowned Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes that it would still be more profitable for the company to endure these where the majority of iPhone production takes place, was hit with extremely high tariff rates after President Trump took office. Apple began shifting iPhone production to India for models that will be imported into the U.S. However, the president was not happy about this, as his ultimate goal is to see Apple manufacturing its devices has told Apple CEO Tim Cook to not use India as a way to skirt around tariffs, and to start shifting manufacturing to the U.S. Apple hasn't complied with that to the extent that Trump wants, so the president made a post that said that he would specifically target iPhone models assembled outside the country. But, even with a 25 percent tariff, Kuo thinks that Apple would still profit more than it would if it moved manufacturing to the U.S. The company is already considering raising iPhone 17 prices this year and that would help with absorbing some of the burden of the tariffs. However, Apple has a lot more to worry about now than 'just' a 25 percent tariff rate on the iPhone. The iPhone 16 was mostly manufactured in China. | Video credit — Apple As Kuo points out, this is the second time that President Trump has directly asked Apple to move production to the U.S. to avoid further complications. Apple cannot continue ignoring these remarks because, if it does, then there's nothing stopping the president from imposing tariff rates much higher than just 25 analysts have claimed that moving iPhone production to the U.S. before Trump's term ends is impossible. Furthermore, they say that an iPhone manufactured in the States could cost up to $3,500. Apple insider Mark Gurman has also stated that a U.S.-made iPhone is simply not happening. But, if it isn't, then Apple will have to negotiate long and hard with the president to avoid tariffs for non-compliance. Samsung — arguably Apple's largest competitor in the U.S. — is not facing nearly as much resistance. Yes, Samsung doesn't manufacture its phones in the States and so will be subject to tariffs as well. However, the president has not promised tariffs applied specifically to Samsung's devices. It seems that Trump mostly just wants to see an iPhone manufactured in the U.S. Promised Apple Intelligence features for the iPhone 16 . | Video credit — Apple This is far from the only problem plaguing Apple at the moment. The company has seen a lot of backlash since last year because its promised Apple Intelligence features remain missing or half-baked. Simply put, the iPhone 16 series did not get the features that Apple had said it would, and consumers are rightfully quite angry. Employees at the company recently revealed why Apple Intelligence failed. Apple's attempt at AI is one of the biggest blunders that the company has made in years. It's no surprise that it is teaming up with Google to bring Gemini to the iPhone. If Apple falls behind in AI even more, it will miss out on new emerging industries. Cook is also anxious about supply chain shortages messing with the iPhone 17 inventory. Apple is between a rock and a hard place nowadays, and navigating its way out of this mess will take a lot of carefully thought out dialog. That, or the iPhone risks losing its enviable status in the American market.
Phone Arena
22-05-2025
- Phone Arena
Forget screens: more details emerge on the mysterious Jony Ive + OpenAI device
Concept image of what this Jony Ive + OpenAI collab AI device might look like. | Image credit — @BenGeskin (X) Ming-Chi Kuo, a well-known industry analyst, has shared early details about the mysterious AI hardware product being developed by OpenAI in collaboration with former Apple design chief Jony Ive. While the announcement of this partnership has already stirred curiosity, Kuo's latest insights paint a clearer picture of the device and raise some familiar to Kuo's post on X, the product is still in its early stages, with mass production not expected to begin until 2027. The current prototype is reportedly a compact, screenless gadget with a form factor that's slightly larger than the Humane AI Pin. He compares its size and elegance to the iPod Shuffle, and mentions one proposed use case involves wearing it around the neck . It will rely on built-in cameras and microphones to detect its surroundings, and will offload computing and display tasks to a connected smartphone or PC. Assembly is likely to take place in Vietnam, which Kuo says is meant to reduce geopolitical risks tied to China-based manufacturing. This description is a bit at odds with the Wall Street Journal report that this device wouldn't be "something to wear on the body" in any form. However, I guess that depends on whether having something hanging from your neck can be considered as "not on your body." Video credit — OpenAI What will it look like, though? An unofficial concept design based on Kuo's description is already circulating, offering a first visual impression of what this device could look like. I'm including that image just to give a better sense of the device's potential design direction, but keep in mind that this is just one artist's interpretation and by no means an official take. With Jony Ive leading the effort, expectations are understandably high that the hardware will push boundaries in a way earlier attempts did not. Mind-Chi Kuo on Jony Ive and Sam Altman's AI device:• The current prototype is slightly larger than the AI Pin, with a form factor as compact and elegant as an iPod Shuffle.• One of the intended use cases is wearing the device around the neck. • It will have cameras and… — Ben Geskin (@BenGeskin) May 22, 2025 That said, it's already very evident that the public is uncertain about where this is going. Devices like the AI Pin and Rabbit R1 have already tried to bring physical AI into our daily lives but failed to find a broad audience. They often felt more like experiments than essential tools, raising the question of whether people really want standalone AI gadgets. Even so, the push toward physical AI is gaining momentum. Kuo suggests that OpenAI's public reveal of the project may have been strategically timed to shift attention away from Google I/O, where Google showcased deep AI integration across its products. It's a reminder that OpenAI still has work to do in building a hardware ecosystem. The idea of a minimalist, AI-powered companion is exciting on paper. I think that its potential to succeed, where others fell short, might depend on whether Jony Ive's design vision can turn curiosity into real demand.
The Verge
22-05-2025
- The Verge
Jony Ive's AI gadget rumored to be ‘slightly larger' than Humane's AI pin
More details are trickling out about Jony Ive and Sam Altman's new AI device. In a post on Thursday, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says his research indicates that the device could be larger than Humane's AI pin, but with a 'form factor as compact and elegant as an iPod Shuffle.' Kuo adds that 'one of the intended use cases' is wearing the device around your neck. It also may not come with a display, Kuo says, featuring just built-in cameras and microphones for 'environmental detection.' The device could also connect to smartphones and PCs to use their computing and display capabilities. This latest leak aligns with a report from The Wall Street Journal, which says the device will be aware of a user's life and surroundings, but probably won't be a pair of glasses. On Wednesday, Altman revealed that OpenAI is buying Ive's AI hardware company, io, for $6.5 billion, which will 'take over design for all of OpenAI, including its software.' Ive and Altman are aiming to launch their first devices in 2026.
