iPhone 17 Air Model Enters Product Introduction Phase at Foxconn

Apple’s rumored new iPhone 17 Air model has entered the new product introduction phase (NPI) at Foxconn, according to supply chain sources (via DigiTimes).

The NPI phase transitions a product from concept to mass production, beginning with design validation and prototype testing, followed by supplier qualification and manufacturing process development. Pilot production runs test the assembly and refine quality control, while aligning logistics with the supply chain, with the ultimate aim of ramping up to full-scale manufacturing.

The iPhone 17 Air is expected to replace the Plus model in Apple’s lineup and will reportedly offer a significantly slimmer design that current iPhone models. The handset will be about two millimeters thinner than the current iPhone 16 Pro, according to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman.

As for size, the iPhone 17 Air is expected to fall somewhere between the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max. Separate rumors have claimed 6.55 inches, 6.6 inches, and 6.65 inches as the display size that Apple has settled on, which would make it smaller than the iPhone 17 Pro Max, but larger than the 17 Pro.

Apple is expected to equip the ‌iPhone 17‌ Air with its own custom-designed 5G modem chip, which is smaller than 5G modem chips from Qualcomm. Apple has focused on making the chip more integrated with other Apple-designed components to save space within the ‌iPhone‌ without sacrificing battery life or display quality, according to Gurman.

Meanwhile, the rear camera will be relocated from the upper left side of the iPhone to the center of the device, as part of a “large, centred camera bump,” according to The Information. Analyst Jeff Pu believes it will feature a single 48-megapixel lens.

The iPhone 17 Air will debut next year alongside a standard iPhone 17, an iPhone 17 Pro, and an iPhone 17 Pro Max – the Pro models of which are said to have significant design changes of their own.

Apple Announces iOS 18.2 Launching Today With These New Features

Wednesday December 11, 2024 5:23 am PST by Joe Rossignol

Apple has announced that iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 will be released today following more than six weeks of beta testing. For the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models, the update introduces additional Apple Intelligence features, including Genmoji for creating custom emoji, Image Playground and Image Wand for generating images, and ChatGPT integration for Siri. There is also …

Major iPhone 17 Pro Redesign Backed by Supply Chain Info, Claims Leaker

Thursday December 12, 2024 4:36 am PST by Tim Hardwick

Next year’s iPhone 17 Pro models will reportedly feature a major redesign, specifically centering around changes to the rear camera module, and now new supply chain information appears to confirm the striking change, according to a Chinese leaker. iPhone 17 Pro concept render Late last month, The Information’s Wayne Ma claimed that the rear of the ‌iPhone 17‌ Pro and ‌iPhone 17‌ Pro…

Cloud-Based M4 and M4 Pro Mac Mini Models Now Available

Developers now have access to cloud-based M4 and M4 Pro Mac mini units via MacWeb, a Silicon Valley-based provider of cloud services. The company has launched three configurations of the new Mac mini, powered by Apple’s M4 and M4 Pro chips. Developers and IT teams can rent these machines for tasks ranging from basic development to advanced artificial intelligence modeling, providing an…

Apple Releases macOS Sequoia 15.2 With New Apple Intelligence Features

Wednesday December 11, 2024 10:02 am PST by Juli Clover

Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.2, the second update to the macOS Sequoia operating system that was released in September. macOS Sequoia 15.2 comes over a month after the release of macOS Sequoia 15.1. Mac users can download the ‌macOS Sequoia‌ update through the Software Update section of System Settings. macOS Sequoia 15.2 adds Image Playground, an app that lets you create…

macOS Sequoia 15.2 Confirms New M4 MacBook Air Models Are Coming

Wednesday December 11, 2024 10:54 am PST by Juli Clover

Apple today made a mistake with its macOS Sequoia 15.2 update, releasing the software for two Macs that have yet to be launched. There is a software file for “Mac16,12” and “Mac16,13,” which are upcoming MacBook Air models. The leaked software references the “MacBook Air (13-inch, M4, 2025)” and the “MacBook Air (15-inch, M4, 2025),” confirming that new M4 MacBook Air models are in…

Apple Releases iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2 With Genmoji, Image Playground, Siri ChatGPT and More

Wednesday December 11, 2024 10:03 am PST by Juli Clover

Apple today released iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2, the second major updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 updates that came out in September. The new updates come over a month after Apple released iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General >…

New Apple TV and HomePod Mini Launching in 2025

Thursday December 12, 2024 10:39 am PST by Juli Clover

Apple plans to refresh both the Apple TV and the HomePod mini in 2025 as part of a major push into refreshing its smart home product offerings, reports Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. In a report on an upcoming Apple-designed Bluetooth and Wi-Fi chip, Gurman says that the chip will be introduced in a new Apple TV and HomePod mini that are “scheduled” for 2025. While there is no exact timeline…