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Good maaaaaaawning!

Two massive surprises from the Awe Dropping iPhone event Tuesday morning:

  • The entire computing guts of iPhone is now housed in just the camera bump (which explains why it’s bigger)!

  • You can now get a Pro iPhone in a non-boring colorway that’s almost neon (Cosmic Orange)!

Actually, there were lots more surprises, and in aggregate, the event really was awe-dropping. What an incredible lineup of products.

Take the new Apple Watch Ultra 3, as just one example. This relatively small box strapped to your wrist can now communicate with satellites spinning 200 miles above the earth! It’ll peek at the blood vessels below your skin and determine their elasticity for signs of hypertension! What a time to be alive!

My head is still spinning from the avalanche of acronyms: N1, C1X, A19, A19 Pro.

And, of course, I’m gripped by decision paralysis. Should I get the iPhone Air or an iPhone Pro? I’m even tempted by the base iPhone 17, which also looks pretty incredible.

The Air is oh so sleek, but the cameras in the Pro!

The new phone lineup makes a lot of sense. I’m impressed that all iPhones start with 256GB of base storage, and the pricing options of the different models look fair:

  • iPhone 17: Stays $799 (best for most folks)

  • iPhone Air: $999 (prosumers)

  • iPhone Pro and Pro Max: $1,099 and $1,199 (actual pros)

If you could somehow resurrect Steve Jobs, he’d be flabbergasted by the advanced tech and incredible utility in these new devices.

Also in today’s newsletter:

  • I’m excited to try out live translation and heart rate monitoring in the new AirPods Pro 3: It’s the one preorder that didn’t give me any decision paralysis. It’d probably be worth it just for the better ANC.

  • I’ve already got hypertension, but the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is calling my name.

  • The Apple Watch SE looks to be an incredible value, with a ton of higher-end features for the same $249 base price.

  • Incogni’s data-scrubbing service removes your personal info from the web (and the dark web, too). And that protects you from spam and scams. Get 55% off Incogni using code CULTOFMAC.

  • Apple’s new TechWoven cases look OK — I’ll have to check them out in person — but out of all the new accessories Apple revealed, I like the Air bumper the best.

— Leander Kahney, EIC.

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Super-slim iPhone Air brings radical new design

The incredibly thin device steals the spotlight at Apple's Awe Dropping event. It’s the biggest iPhone redesign in years.

iPhone 17 Pro brings bold new design that's engineered for performance

Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro debuts with big changes: a new design, the largest iPhone battery yet, and an upgraded telephoto camera.

iPhone 17 boasts larger, ProMotion screen and Center Stage selfie camera

iPhone 17 offers features previously reserved for pricier models, including a larger, always-on ProMotion display.

A message from the Cult of Mac Deals team

Mailbird email app makes your inbox woes melt away

Switch between email accounts, track email opens, snooze distractions, and integrate go-to apps like Slack with Mailbird app for Mac or PC.

This is when iOS 26, iPadOS 26, watchOS 26 and macOS Tahoe arrive

After months of beta testing, iOS 26, iPadOS 26, watchOS 26 and macOS Tahoe will release to the public on September 15.

Apple Watch Series 11 adds hypertension alerts and 24-hour battery life

Blood pressure monitoring, sleep score, 5G and longer battery life. Here's everything you need to know about the Apple Watch Series 11 launch.

AirPods Pro 3 bring live translation, better sound and ANC

The earbuds improve noise cancellation and battery life while adding heart rate monitoring and live translation.

A message from the Cult of Mac Deals team

Price drop: Score a lifetime license to Microsoft Office 2021 for Mac for just $60

Get a Microsoft Office for Mac lifetime license (2021 Home and Business edition), with essential productivity apps Word, Excel and more.

Apple Watch Ultra 3 brings bigger screen, better battery and new health tricks

The Apple Watch Ultra 3 packs all the right upgrades, including a bigger and brighter display, longer battery life and new health features.

Apple Watch SE 3 adds plenty of pro features

The Apple Watch SE 3 boasts a lengthy list of features new to Apple’s most affordable smartwatch, including an always-on display.

Apple unveils TechWoven and other iPhone cases and accessories

With the Awe Dropping event's iPhone 17 cases, you can choose between TechWoven, silicone or clear (plus third-party options).

Apple TV+'s ‘Severance’ and ‘The Studio’ nab record 15 Creative Arts Emmy Awards

Apple TV+ dominates the first night of the 77th Creative Arts Emmy Awards, securing a record-breaking 15 wins.

Today in Apple history: After liver transplant, Steve Jobs makes heartfelt return at Apple event

On September 9, 2009, Steve Jobs made his public return at an Apple keynote. He received a standing ovation and opened up about his health.

A message from Pacaso

How 433 Investors Unlocked 400X Return Potential

Institutional investors back startups to unlock outsized returns. Regular investors have to wait. But not anymore. Thanks to regulatory updates, some companies are doing things differently.

Take Revolut. In 2016, 433 regular people invested an average of $2,730. Today? They got a 400X buyout offer from the company, as Revolut’s valuation increased 89,900% in the same timeframe.

No wonder 10K+ everyday people are taking the chance on Pacaso.

Founded by a former Zillow exec, Pacaso’s co-ownership tech reshapes the $1.3T vacation home market. They’ve earned $110M+ in gross profit to date, including 41% YoY growth in 2024 alone. They even reserved the Nasdaq ticker PCSO.

The same institutional investors behind Uber, Venmo, and eBay backed Pacaso. And you can join them. But not for long. Pacaso’s investment opportunity ends September 18.

Invest While You Still Can

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Tweets of the day

Wallpaper of the day

One more thing ...

❝

Dr. Land at Polaroid said, ‘I want Polaroid to stand at the intersection of art and science,’ and I've never forgotten that.

— Steve Jobs, 1999.

Today’s poll

Results from yesterday’s poll: What are you most looking forward to from the Awe Dropping event?

Best reader comments

Subscribe to The Weekender — Get the week's best Apple news, reviews and how-tos from Cult of Mac, every Saturday morning. Our readers say: "Thank you guys for always posting cool stuff" -- Vaughn Nevins. "Very informative" -- Kenly Xavier.

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