**** The Official Apple September Event thread - Tuesday 9th September 2025 @ 18:00 BST ****

[mid_gen]

I can't see what revolutionary tech is going to make phones more interesting. The screens already function beyond the capabilities of the human eyes. The wireless connectivity is reliable and fast enough. The cameras are good enough for most people's picture and video requirements (and then some). Satellite connectivity was the last meaningful feature imo.

Smartphones are just good enough for most uses now, most people can just buy an iPhone or pixel and they're done, any improvements will only be incremental from here.

Likewise, laptops and computers? For the vast, vast majority of people, a Mac Air or Mac Mini will do everything they need to do without any fuss. x64 laptops are still a bit **** but a decent AMD NUC type PC would do for most people as a general computer as well as an M4 Mini.

Personal computing in current form factors is a solved problem, they're just scratching around for ways to sell more stuff to people that they don't need at this point.

Imo the next step forward will be AR maturing to the point you can squeeze something useful into a normal looking pair of glasses, with hand tracking, gesture interface etc. Still a way off.

 

[Trig]

Even then, the big software features aren't turning up on time. Certainly maximising profits seems to be Tim's main goal at the minute and imo, some fresh blood at the top wouldn't be a bad thing.

Yeah, the whole Ai thing wasnt ready when they started talking about that, sow they're tlaking about features on the new watch like its the only device that's going to get them when it isnt, its false advertising surely?

As for the whole fresh blood thing, I don't think that'll help if the shareholders and bean counters are still involved at any level.

 

[Worthy]

I can't see what revolutionary tech is going to make phones more interesting. The screens already function beyond the capabilities of the human eyes. The wireless connectivity is reliable and fast enough. The cameras are good enough for most people's picture and video requirements (and then some). Satellite connectivity was the last meaningful feature imo.

Smartphones are just good enough for most uses now, most people can just buy an iPhone or pixel and they're done, any improvements will only be incremental from here.

Likewise, laptops and computers? For the vast, vast majority of people, a Mac Air or Mac Mini will do everything they need to do without any fuss. x64 laptops are still a bit **** but a decent AMD NUC type PC would do for most people as a general computer as well as an M4 Mini.

Personal computing in current form factors is a solved problem, they're just scratching around for ways to sell more stuff to people that they don't need at this point.

Imo the next step forward will be AR maturing to the point you can squeeze something useful into a normal looking pair of glasses, with hand tracking, gesture interface etc. Still a way off.

Very well said, that's what's making me have second thoughts. I only use my phone for the everyday stuff - WhatsApp, couple social media apps, reading the internet, taking the odd photo etc. My 12 is still doing all of that fine.

What might tempt me is the extra storage space as I'm running short. A 17 with 256GB will keep me going for another few years.

 

[MrRockliffe]

I do agree that AW is better as a smart watch but no matter how I look at it, the "all day" battery life is hard to take seriously, I suppose it is all day if you're happy to drop it on charge in the morning and get into routine of it. I agree garmin does miss some features - garmin being the example we use here.

I suppose it all depends on your use, my use is more fitness focused and sleep tracking and so on is more important than say notifications or calls - I always disable them.

Honestly just hoped apple would bump up the battery life to 3-5 days on ultra and I could then justify that to sit next to my iphone and mac but with 2 days max, it sorta kills the watch for me. I suppose I should try it and see if I can live with the daily quick-charge in the morning routine that most users seem to get used to. That's why I'm a bit disappointed.

My battery lasts 4 days with the original ultra

 

[BMox81]

I currently have 40gb spare in my 128gb 15 Pro at present so this 256gb 17 Pro should serve me well for the next 2/3 years (he hopes) at least and then rinse and repeat. lol

 

[visibleman]

I can't see what revolutionary tech is going to make phones more interesting.

Battery and charging (including wireless) technology are two, along with the obvious AI and foldables; Apple is arguably behind other manufacturers in these areas.

And there's plenty of other 'wacky' ideas for phones like hologram or rollable displays.

But it's just as well "good enough" isn't the bar, otherwise we'd still be going around on horses and using steam

 

[Ayahuasca]

The battery and charging features don't really mean much to me or make a phone that much more interesting. Yes, there is room for improvement, but it won't have much of an impact on my usage.

AI depends entirely on how it's implemented, and I can't see it changing much. I don't think Apple will catch up anytime soon, so people will just use other AI apps.

Having experimented with Samsung's foldable phones, I just don't think they're for me, although I suppose they're nice for people who use their phone for all sorts, like reading e-books or watching TV/films on them.

 

[ZXSpectrum]

Decided to give a miss (Probably) My 15 pro Max is still mint, battery is still on 89% and doing a side by side there isnt a great deal to upgrade that i would use or care about(Especially as i would have gone for the normal Pro not the max) Think i will try and keep the applecare on monthly though.

 

[mid_gen]

Battery and charging (including wireless) technology are two, along with the obvious AI and foldables; Apple is arguably behind other manufacturers in these areas.

I'm not sure I would class better batteries as 'interesting' personally, but would be nice to have for sure. But the continuing success of devices with dreadful battery life suggests there's not much market pressure to address this (see : iPhone Air)

And there's plenty of other 'wacky' ideas for phones like hologram or rollable displays.

None that are functionally going to change the utility of a smartphone. My point is that the days of smartphones being fundamentally flawed in some way is over. The screens were rubbish, the cameras useless, the connectivity pants, the UI awful. It's all matured now to the point they do everything a normal human being needs in terms of a personal handled computing device.

But it's just as well "good enough" isn't the bar, otherwise we'd still be going around on horses and using steam

Personal transportation is a loooong way from being solved. Personal computing? Pretty much there. I think there's probably an argument that we have reached 'peak connectedness' and people will be soon looking for ways to disconnect themselves from the digital world

 

[GMac11]

Having watched some real videos of the orange Pro, it looks horrible. The colour is very dull and not as bright as it looks in Apple’s videos.

You can tell that is the colour Apple are pushing for sales because almost every video I've watched (if not every video) the reviewer [read influencer] are saying the orange is the best and that's the one they are going to get - when it's clear to anyone that has a functioning set of eyes that it is indeed absolutely horrid.

The Air is the real star and that’s what will evolve into the foldable iPhone.

The Air is intriguing me. Not enough at this stage to seriously consider ditching my 15PM for but enough to know I want to feel one in the hand to see if it further piques my curiosity.

 

[Mobius 1]

It could be turd brown - it’s going in a case so it don’t bother me.

 

[Capitano]

Eh boring as usual. If anyone is into camera's - do you know if the 5x has disappeared and been replaced with 4x and 8x or can you still get the 5x on top of that

 

[LiE]

Eh boring as usual. If anyone is into camera's - do you know if the 5x has disappeared and been replaced with 4x and 8x or can you still get the 5x on top of that

5x is RIP. 4x optical with 8x sensor crop.

 

[visibleman]

I'm not sure I would class better batteries as 'interesting' personally, but would be nice to have for sure.

Perhaps not but improvements in battery and charging tech has already changed our experience and usage of using our phones, ie - sticking it on a pad rather than plugging in a cable (especially in cars), and it'll continue to do so.

But the continuing success of devices with dreadful battery life suggests there's not much market pressure to address this (see : iPhone Air)

Apple did create a battery addon for it though

None that are functionally going to change the utility of a smartphone.

You cannot say that with any certainty, especially when the introduction of the iPhone changed the whole smartphone landscape when other smartphones like Blackberry's, including touchscreen phones like the Prada, existed.

My point is that the days of smartphones being fundamentally flawed in some way is over. The screens were rubbish, the cameras useless, the connectivity pants, the UI awful. It's all matured now to the point they do everything a normal human being needs in terms of a personal handled computing device.

"640K ought to be enough for anybody" - it wasn't

 

[almostgfx]

Decided to give a miss (Probably) My 15 pro Max is still mint, battery is still on 89% and doing a side by side there isnt a great deal to upgrade that i would use or care about(Especially as i would have gone for the normal Pro not the max) Think i will try and keep the applecare on monthly though.

My point im in. Apple care to keep going too, If you pay monthly it will continue (I checked with them) If the battery gets worse or it gets dropped can get a express replacement fresh one!

 

[ZXSpectrum]

My point im in. Apple care to keep going too, If you pay monthly it will continue (I checked with them) If the battery gets worse or it gets dropped can get a express replacement fresh one!

Yeah thats what my thoughts were as well. Especially as i go on holiday out of the country now and more active so think for the piece of mind for me its worth it. Although it does make me think.. well for £20 a month more i could get an iphone air..

 

[Cromulent]

You can tell that is the colour Apple are pushing for sales because almost every video I've watched (if not every video) the reviewer [read influencer] are saying the orange is the best and that's the one they are going to get - when it's clear to anyone that has a functioning set of eyes that it is indeed absolutely horrid.

I like the orange but I'd prefer red .

 

[mid_gen]

Perhaps not but improvements in battery and charging tech has already changed our experience and usage of using our phones, ie - sticking it on a pad rather than plugging in a cable (especially in cars), and it'll continue to do so.

Don't know about you, but wireless charging is not a paradigm shift in usability, it's just a minor convenience. Cool but not transformational.

Apple did create a battery addon for it though

Yes, baffling!

You cannot say that with any certainty, especially when the introduction of the iPhone changed the whole smartphone landscape when other smartphones like Blackberry's, including touchscreen phones like the Prada, existed.

And now we have reached the point where smartphones are essentially a commodity appliance. Like no-one has functionally improved the dishwasher forever, you just pick your brand and desired aesthetic, and bam, you have an appliance that will do the job it's designed to do.

"640K ought to be enough for anybody" - it wasn't

Some statements are manifestly dumb. But I can confidently say.....220 PPI is enough for anybody. Sitting here in front of my 6k monitor, I cannot resolve individual pixels. There would be literally zero benefit in improving the resolution of this screen. In the core features of a smartphone, we are that point for my use cases, there's nothing that is meaningfully going to make a new phone 'better' for me.

 

[grudas]

I like the orange but I'd prefer red .

I like the orange too but I'm a weirdo, also really surprised to see no basic black.

 

[Tejstar]

I like the orange too but I'm a weirdo, also really surprised to see no basic black.

Perhaps it's coming as a 'special edition' at some point later...