At this rate, the 2027 iPhone lineup will probably be able to fit in your wallet.
What happened: Apple unveiled its new iPhone Air yesterday, a paper-thin replacement for the iPhone Plus that clocks in at 5.6 millimetres, barely thicker than four stacked American dimes. The US$999 device comes with an upgraded camera and an extended battery life.
- The tech giant also unveiled a new AirPod model that has a pretty cool live language translation feature.
Catch-up: The “Air” branding turned the MacBook Air into Apple’s bestselling line of computers for over a decade. Now, the company is hoping the same lightning bolt strikes twice, especially after last year’s iPhone 16 Plus flopped and the much-hyped Vision Pro has, shockingly, proven to be a product that nobody actually wants.
Why it matters: Apple needs a win. The iPhone still drives about half of its revenue, but upgrades and sales have been modest in recent years, and investors are pretty worried about Apple’s (lack of) AI progress.
- Siri, which was hailed as the centrepiece of Apple Intelligence, is still more in the “set a timer” territory than game-changing technology.
What’s next: The rumour mill is churning that the iPhone Air is the first stepping stone towards a foldable iPhone, which could debut as soon as next year.—LA