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Gulf Insider
5 days ago
- Gulf Insider
iPhone 17: What We Know So Far About The Upcoming Apple Model
Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 17 in September 2025, continuing its annual update cycle for its flagship smartphone line. While the company has not confirmed any specifications, analysts and supply chain reports have provided early indications of what users can expect. According to a recent note by TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple may introduce a new design for the iPhone 17 series, which could include changes to the front-facing camera system. Kuo has suggested that a 'pill-and-hole' display cutout, first seen in the iPhone 14 Pro models, may be removed in favour of an under-display camera and Face ID technology. Reports from display industry sources, including Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC), have indicated that Apple is working with suppliers such as Samsung and LG to integrate under-display components. However, full implementation may be limited to higher-end models in the iPhone 17 range. The iPhone 17 may also feature improvements in processing power. Apple is likely to debut the A19 chip, built on an advanced node by TSMC, although no official confirmation has been made. In previous years, Apple has introduced new chips with each flagship model. There is also speculation around changes to the phone's materials. According to Bloomberg , Apple is exploring the use of lighter casing materials, possibly involving aluminium or a different grade of titanium for select models. The company introduced titanium in the iPhone 15 Pro line, replacing stainless steel. Analysts have suggested that the iPhone 17 line-up could include a new 'Slim' model, which may replace the Plus variant. This version is expected to feature a slightly smaller display and a different design, although Apple has not commented on the matter. Apple has not officially announced the iPhone 17, and all details remain subject to change. The company typically unveils new iPhones in early September, followed by a release later in the month.
CNET
30-06-2025
- Business
- CNET
Apple To Release Cheaper MacBook Air Powered By iPhone Processor, Analyst Says
Apple will release a cheaper MacBook Air laptop powered by an iPhone processor, according to a post Monday on X by respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of TF International Securities. According to the report, the 13-inch thin-and-light laptop will enter production in late 2025 or early 2026 and will be powered by the A18 Pro processor, the same chip powering the iPhone 16 Pro. This laptop might also feature more color variants, including pink and yellow, along with the standard silver. Apple is targeting a 5-7 million unit production run for 2026. While the A18 Pro chip would be a significant downgrade from the M-series chip, it's about on par with 2020's M1 chip, making it more than powerful for everyday tasks. A representative for Apple didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. Of Apple's 2024 Mac shipments, the MacBook Air accounted for 33% of sales, according to Consumer Intelligence Research Partners. Despite the popularity of the MacBook line, Apple only has 9.2% of global computer market share, according to Statista. Currently, Dell, HP and Lenovo all command greater share of the market than Apple, likely thanks to a wider product portfolios and enterprise sales. Considering the MacBook Air starts at $999, a cheaper A18 Pro-powered MacBook Air could eat away at lower-end computer sales bring MacOS to more price-conscious consumers. And, given that the A18 Pro supports Apple Intelligence, the company's vision of AI-enabled computing, it could introduce AI to more laptop buyers.
Digital Trends
30-06-2025
- Digital Trends
I'd love Apple to make a cheap MacBook with iPhone power
Apple could deliver a MacBook surprise within the next couple of years, and it sounds like terrific news for aspiring budget laptop shoppers. As per TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is planning a new MacBook that will be powered by the same chipset as the iPhone 16 Pro. According to Kuo, the laptop features an 'approximately 13-inch display' and might enter mass production in the fourth quarter of 2025, or early next year. He further adds that the company aims to ship anywhere between 5–7 million units of this new machine, accounting for nearly a third of total laptop shipments in 2026. Recommended Videos Those are ambitious numbers and suggest Apple is rather bullish about the prospects of a 'more affordable' MacBook with an A18 Pro chip inside, instead of the traditional M-series processor. Either way, the whole idea is pretty interesting for multiple reasons. It just makes sense The A18 Pro is a freakishly powerful processor, and it's the only mobile silicon out there that can handle console-grade titles such as Death Stranding, Resident Evil, and Assassin's Creed Mirage with ease on a phone. Paired with bigger heat management hardware and battery, I won't be surprised to see it race against the Snapdragon X-powered Windows laptops. But the real surprise here is the promise of a more affordable Apple laptop. Is it the long-awaited revival of the 12-inch MacBook? Probably. What I am more interested in seeing is the asking price. Over the past few years, Apple has kept the entry-level MacBook Air locked close to the $999 bracket. Unless Apple wants a deliberate overlap, the new 'affordable' MacBook should ideally start somewhere around $799, the same price bracket that is now a sweet spot for Microsoft's Surface and other Windows-on-Arm laptops that draw power from Qualcomm's entry-level Snapdragon X silicon. An asking price of around $800 would make the rumored MacBook an unbeatable proposition, assuming Apple sticks with its high hardware and performance standards. Will Apple experiment with cheaper materials, such as polycarbonate, to lower the asking price? That's plausible. We haven't seen Apple go beyond a metal chassis for MacBooks in a while, so it would be interesting to see whether the company makes a pivot. What truly matters here is the incredible longevity of Apple laptops. You can still pick up a used or refurbished M1 MacBook Air for around $500-600, and it will run the full macOS Tahoe experience with the Apple Intelligence bundle and no feature cuts. And from my personal experience, it's still astoundingly smooth and reliable. If Apple launches a cheaper MacBook around $800 — and factor in the usual student discount on top — there is little doubt that buyers would pick a Windows machine. But it's not just the hardware situation where Apple has a leg up. Ever since the Copilot+ breed of laptops has landed, multiple Windows features, such as Recall, have been locked to certain chips that can meet the AI performance requirements at the hardware level. Even Intel's 2025 batch of enthusiast-class H-series misses out. On the other hand, a five-year-old M1 MacBook doesn't water down the macOS experience to date. Also, Apple has lost the 'thin and light' laptop race to machines such as the Asus ZenBook A14, so maybe it's time to reclaim that crown with a reimagined MacBook armed with an iPhone silicon? A historical performance perspective If the idea of a MacBook with an iPhone processor sounds ludicrous, look no further than the Windows machines, especially those with Qualcomm processors inside. More specifically, the Windows on Arm laptops and the new breed of Copilot+ machines. The move doesn't even surprise from Apple's own perspective, especially when it comes to concerns about firepower. Apple put a laptop-tier M1 processor inside the iPad Pro years ago. In fact, when Apple announced the M1 silicon, its similarities with the A14 became a crucial talking point. The microarchitecture was similar, built atop the 5nm process node, and the same kind of unified silicon-on-chip (SoC) approach with fused memory on the same module as the CPU, GPU, and the NPU. Apple borrowed the A14's Firestorm and Icestorm cores, increased the core count, married it with a beefier GPU, and created the M1. Back then, the A14 was already performing ahead of x86-based processors, and the M1 only made a bigger jump. In fact, when Apple started preparing for the transition away from Intel (x86 silicon), the Developer Transition Kit offered to developers came kitted with an A12Z processor that was fitted inside iPads back then. In the years that have followed, Apple hasn't changed the fundamental approach. The A18 Pro still sits at the top of the mobile food chain, and the M4 silicon packed inside Macs and iPads is no different. If Apple fits an A18 Pro silicon (even paired with its 8GB RAM situation), it would be able to handle the demands of macOS with ease. Also, if you look at the Windows side, and especially the Copilot+ laptops with a Snapdragon processor inside, you will find some similarities. The Snapdragon X-series processors for laptops now share the Oryon cores with the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip for Android phones and tablets. Apple's CPU cores outperform the competition across the mobile and laptop segments, and it won't be surprising to see the A18 Pro-powered MacBook coming out with some impressive performance figures. The biggest dilemma is 'if' and 'when' Apple puts such a machine on the shelf.
Bloomberg
30-06-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
China Broker Tianfeng Unit Applies for Hong Kong Crypto Licenses
TF International Securities Group Ltd. is seeking regulatory approval to offer a wide range of virtual asset-linked services in Hong Kong and kick-start growth outside the traditional brokerage business, a person familiar with the matter said. The firm, a wholly owned unit of Shanghai-listed Tianfeng Securities Co., recently applied to Hong Kong's Securities & Futures Commission to provide virtual asset in/out services, enabling investors to deposit and withdraw cryptocurrencies rather than traditional currencies when dealing in virtual assets, said the person, who asked not to be named discussing a private matter.
India Today
30-06-2025
- Business
- India Today
Apple said to launch Vision Pro refresh in 2025, Vision Air in 2027 and XR glasses by 2028
Apple has some big plans for its extended reality (XR) and smart glasses devices. The Cupertino giant is reportedly focusing on a multiphase strategy with staggered product releases planned for launch over the next few years. The launches are likely to begin with the arrival of an upgraded Vision Pro headset in 2025 and end with the launch of XR-enabled smart glasses by to a new report from TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is expected to refresh its Vision Pro headset by the end of this year with a new version powered by an M5 chip. The updated model is set to enter mass production in the third quarter of 2025, with estimated shipments of between 150,000 and 200,000 the core specifications will remain largely unchanged, Kuo suggests that Apple will upgrade the processor to keep the device relevant in a fast-evolving XR landscape. He notes that Apple has not yet positioned the Vision Pro as a mass-market product. Instead, it is using the device for strategic purposes such as ecosystem development, hardware iteration, and maintaining a foothold in the high-end XR Air may come in 2027 Along with the Vision Pro, Kuo also reveals Apple's plans to launch an accessible headset, reportedly named the Vision Air. This new addition to Apple's Air ecosystem is expected to launch in 2027. According to Kuo, this device is planned for mass production in the third quarter of that year. The Vision Air is likely to feature a redesigned, significantly lighter frame—over 40 per cent less in weight compared to the first-generation Vision power the Vision Air, Kuo reveals that Apple will likely use the iPhone processor rather than the Mac-grade chips seen in Vision Pro models. The Vision Air will also be significantly cheaper than the Pro, and to reduce costs Apple is reportedly planning changes in materials, including a shift from glass to plastic, broader use of magnesium alloy (with titanium ruled out for being too expensive), and a reduced number of onboard sensors. While no official price is confirmed, earlier estimates have predicted it to arrive at a price tag between $1,500 and $2, XR glasses pushed for 2028 launchPerhaps the most ambitious device in Apple's wearables roadmap is said to be a pair of XR smart glasses. There have been rumours that Apple is interested in making its smart glasses with display according to Kuo, Apple has scheduled mass production for this device for the second half of 2028. Unlike Apple's upcoming Ray-Ban-style glasses—which will not include a display—the XR glasses are said to use liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) technology with waveguide optics to enable colour glasses are expected to support both voice control and gesture recognition, similar to the input methods found in other models. According to Kuo, AI will be the focus for these smart glasses, though the specifics of Apple's approach to on-device AI remain unclear. Additionally, a second variant of the XR glasses is also reportedly in development. However, there is uncertainty around its production glasses without displayadvertisementNot just XR glasses with displays—Apple is also developing lightweight smart glasses with no display. These glasses are reportedly scheduled for mass production in Q2 2027, and will offer features such as audio playback, video recording, environmental sensing, and basic AI-driven suggests these glasses could eventually replace some functions of true wireless earbuds (TWS) and even smartphone cameras. Apple is targeting shipment volumes of 3 to 5 million units in 2027, which could push total market shipments for this category beyond 10 keeps display accessory project on holdMeanwhile, Kuo's report also revealed that Apple's display accessory project, which was originally set for production in Q2 2026, has been paused since late 2024. This product would have allowed tethered content display from other Apple devices like the iPhone, utilising birdbath optics and electrochromic dimming. However, according to Kuo, Apple has reportedly paused its development over concerns that it lacks sufficient competitive advantage—particularly due to its weight compared to competing products.- Ends
