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Apple debuts iPhone Air: Pro performance in slim design

Most power-efficient iPhone ever made

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Apple has officially debuted the iPhone Air, its thinnest iPhone ever that delivers the same pro-level performance.

It was launched alongside Apple’s latest iPhones, the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max.

Rather than just a replacement for the “Plus” model in between the base and Pro variants, the iPhone Air is standalone model that marks the start of a new era.

Price wise, it sits right between the base model and the Pro models. But the iPhone Air delivers the same performance expected from such flagship device — or perhaps even better.

Breakthrough design

The phone features a grade 5 titanium design to pave the way for a strong and durable yet lightweight form factor at just 5.6mm thin.

It is also reinforced by Ceramic Shield 2 in front and Ceramic Shield at the back. In front is a 6.5-inch 120Hz Super Retina XDR display with ProMotion, 3,000 nits peak brightness, and Always-On Display capability.

Meanwhile, the plateau at the back is not just a camera bump; it houses some of the major components of the device, also helping the iPhone Air retain its thinness.

Adding to its incredibly thin and light build is the iPhone Air being only eSIM compatible.

Most power-efficient iPhone ever made

Complementing the unique design is the fact that the iPhone Air is power-packed with features. It is powered by high-performance A19 Pro, N1, and C1X chips, making it the most power-efficient iPhone ever made.

The efficient A19 Pro chip with a 6-core CPU and 5-core GPU improves performance and efficiency for everyday tasks. In particular, the GPU has an upgraded architecture to deliver next-level mobile gaming.

The neural accelerators inside the iPhone Air also can also reach up to three times the peak compute of the A18 Pro chip. Apple said that’s MacBook Pro-levels of compute on a handset, making the Air perfect for GPU-intensive workloads.

Moreover, the new Apple-designed N1 wireless networking chip enables Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread. This also improves the performance and reliability of features like Personal Hotspot and Airdrop.

Furthermore, the C1X cellular modem uses 30% less energy but is even faster than the C1 modem found on the iPhone 16 models.

As for its battery life, the iPhone Air promises all-day use. It also comes with Adaptive Power Mode in iOS 26.

iPhone Air cameras

As for its cameras, the iPhone Air likewise has a 48MP Fusion Camera System with 12MP 2x Telephoto integration.

And with a large f/1.6 aperture, the rear camera also excels in challenging conditions, such as low light or at night.

In front is an 18MP Center Stage front camera that is the same across the iPhone 17 series. This front camera also enables ultra-stabilized video at up to 4K HDR.

iPhone Air accessories

Launched alongside the iPhone Air are accessories tailor-made for it, including two new cases.

The first is an ultra-thin translucent iPhone Air Case with MagSafe. The other is an iPhone Air bumper which matches the available colors of the new device.

Furthermore, there is a Crossbody Strap with embedded flexible magnets and stainless steel sliding mechanisms. This comes in 10 different colors.

Lastly, there is an iPhone Air MagSafe Battery that seamlessly attaches to the back of the device. This quickly charges the phone when its battery is low. When used together, users can get up to 40 hours of video playback.

iPhone Air price, availability

The iPhone Air starts at US$ 999 and is available in three storage configurations: 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB. Available colors are Space Black, Cloud White, Light Gold, and Sky Blue.

Pre-orders begin on Friday, September 12 with general availability starting September 19th.

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Budget smartphone realme C100 Series launches

Long battery life, ruggedness, more

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The realme C100 Series, the brand’s latest rugged essential smartphone in the budget segment, has officially launched in the Philippines.

The series introduces up to an 8,000mAh Titan Battery on the realme C100 model, as well as IP69 Pro certification.

This means the handset has IP66, IP68, IP69, and IP69K dust and water resistance ratings to handle high-pressure water exposure and submersion for up to six meters and 30 minutes.

The C100 also supports 45W SUPERVOOC charging for quick battery top-ups. It even has a 10W reverse charging support to power other small devices.

On the other hand, the realme C100i comes with a 7,000mAh Titan Battery to likewise power all-day use. This model supports a steady 15W charging and 6W reverse charging. It is also rated IP64 for dust and water resistance.

In addition, both models support Rain Touch Mode, making the 6.8-inch 120Hz display optimized for touches even when it is wet. This panel also comes with ArmorShell Glass protection.

Powering the C100 is the MediaTek Helio G92 Max processor while the C100i has as Unisoc T7250 processor. The devices run on realme UI 7.0 (Android 16).

Price, availability

In the Philippines, the realme C100 Series comes in various storage configurations:

  • C100i (4GB+64GB): PhP 6,313 (SRP: PhP 8,999)
  • C100i (4GB+128GB): PhP 7,379 (SRP: PhP 11,999)
  • C100i (4GB+256GB): PhP 8,199 (SRP: PhP 13,999)
  • C100 (4GB+256GB): PhP 11,195 (SRP: PhP 16,999)
  • C100 (8GB+256GB): PhP 14,000 (SRP: PhP 19,999)

Limited-time launch offers are available through Lazada, Shopee, and TikTok from June 18 to June 30.

The phones are also available at realme concept stores, kiosks, and partner retailers nationwide. Potential freebies include a TechLife Smart band, extended warranty and screen damage protection, privilege card, or additional cash discount.

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Did Tim Cook just confirm that iPhone prices are going up?

Once again, it might be because of the RAM crisis.

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If there’s one thing you can count on in the smartphone world, it’s the high price of an iPhone. Unfortunately, with the ongoing RAM shortages, things might get worse. Apple’s Tim Cook has essentially confirmed that the brand is about to raise its prices.

Via an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Cook said, “Unfortunately, price increases are unavoidable.” As with other companies, the outgoing CEO is talking about the RAM crisis. With a lot of chips going to AI, consumer-ready silicon is getting scarcer and scarcer. Thankfully, some brands are shielding its users from the increases, but it’s reaching levels that aren’t sustainable for business.

“We’re doing our best to mitigate the huge increases that are being passed to us, and we’ve been trying to shield our customers from the increases, but the situation has become unsustainable,” he said.

Cook did not explain how much prices will go up or when. However, with the iPhone 18 series (and a potential iPhone Fold) just on the horizon, it seems nigh.

Apple isn’t the first brand to react to the shortages (nor will it be the last). Now, regardless of whether or not Apple has the capabilities to tank the crisis, the biggest culprit is still AI. Companies today are more than willing to use AI as a scapegoat, real or otherwise, for shady cost-cutting or profit-enhancing practices.

SEE ALSO: iPhone 17 is the best-selling phone of 2026 so far

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Apple might launch an iPhone Air 2 next year

This is despite the iPhone Air’s reportedly low demand.

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Is this the most varied that an iPhone lineup has ever been? With an iPhone Fold supposedly coming out later this year, the current lineup includes a base model, two Pro models, an ultra-thin Air model, and the affordable 17e. There’s now an iPhone for everyone. According to a new report, next year won’t be any different. Apple is reportedly launching the iPhone Air 2 early next year.

Among all the current models in the lineup, the iPhone Air does seem like the oddest of the bunch. Whereas the other models already have established niches, the Air is positioned simply as a thinner iPhone, riding on the short-lived ultra-thin phone trend. In fact, recent reports suggest that the Air isn’t as popular as its contemporaries.

Apparently, Apple doesn’t see it that way. According to Bloomberg, the brand is still surging forward with an iPhone Air 2. The upcoming version might even add a second camera and an improved processor.

Despite reports that it isn’t that popular, Apple might still believe in the model’s future. At this point, they should; Apple has always had a problem with the base model’s partner. Years of flip-flopping around what it should be, Apple wants to stay a little bit longer on the Air.

SEE ALSO: Apple has essentially confirmed the launch of the iPhone Fold

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