Apple has confirmed September 12 as the date it will unveil what is expected to be the iPhone 15 line-up.
The Cupertino-based company sent out invitations for the “special event” – one of the most anticipated launches of its flagship smartphone – that will be streamed online at 10am Pacific time (9pm UAE time).
The invitation came with the usual one-line tag line and a touched-up Apple logo. This year's event will be titled “Wonderlust”, with the logo coming in shades of blue, silver and hints of metallic – the rumoured colours of the new iPhones.
The date for the launch was widely expected as Apple has traditionally held the event in the first or second week of September.
It is also worth noting that the IFA, Europe's biggest consumer electronics show, will be held in Berlin next week while Oracle's CloudWorld in Las Vegas will be held in the third week of September.
The new iPhones are expected to go on sale on September 22 as Apple typically begins selling them two Fridays after they are introduced.
The biggest change expected in this year's iPhone line-up is the switch to a USB-C port, which would mark the end of Apple's proprietary Lightning technology, which has been used since the release of the iPhone 5 a decade ago.
Talk of Apple switching to a USB-C port has been around for some years, and this gained steam after the EU pushed for a common charger for technology devices in September 2021.
Other reasons why Apple would be making the USB-C switch include faster transfer speeds and environmental concerns, apart from avoiding legal complications, particularly with the EU.
All of Apple's iPads now use USB-C, and there are even rumours that the next AirPods – which are also expected at the iPhone 15 launch – will switch to this port.
Four iPhone models are expected to be launched – the entry-level iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, and the premium iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Dynamic Island, the shape-shifting digital space that replaced the notch when the iPhone 14 Pro model was unveiled, is expected across the entire line-up.
The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max are also expected to use the newest A17 Bionic chip, with the base models inheriting the A16 Bionic used in the iPhone 14 Pro variants.
Apple is also reportedly using the same bezel-slimming technology it used for the Apple Watch to give the iPhone 15 bezels that clock in at a record-setting 1.5mm.
It has also been rumoured that Apple is planning to replace the mute switch with a more versatile button, which can be configured according to a user’s preference, similar to what some Android phones have.
A periscope lens – which uses hardware to magnify an image in better quality without blurring as opposed to software-powered digital zoom – is also said to be in the cards and would be used exclusively on the iPhone 15 Pro Max, according to noted Apple tipster Ming-Chi Kuo.
The launch of the new iPhones is also expected to come with iOS 17, which come with a series of improved security features.
A new Apple Watch is also expected, which would feature token upgrades before a rumoured major refresh in 2024.
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
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The view from The National
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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match info
Union Berlin 0
Bayern Munich 1 (Lewandowski 40' pen, Pavard 80')
Man of the Match: Benjamin Pavard (Bayern Munich)
SPECS
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
Syria squad
Goalkeepers: Ibrahim Alma, Mahmoud Al Youssef, Ahmad Madania.
Defenders: Ahmad Al Salih, Moayad Ajan, Jehad Al Baour, Omar Midani, Amro Jenyat, Hussein Jwayed, Nadim Sabagh, Abdul Malek Anezan.
Midfielders: Mahmoud Al Mawas, Mohammed Osman, Osama Omari, Tamer Haj Mohamad, Ahmad Ashkar, Youssef Kalfa, Zaher Midani, Khaled Al Mobayed, Fahd Youssef.
Forwards: Omar Khribin, Omar Al Somah, Mardik Mardikian.
City's slump
L - Juventus, 2-0
D - C Palace, 2-2
W - N Forest, 3-0
L - Liverpool, 2-0
D - Feyenoord, 3-3
L - Tottenham, 4-0
L - Brighton, 2-1
L - Sporting, 4-1
L - Bournemouth, 2-1
L - Tottenham, 2-1
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The lowdown
Badla
Rating: 2.5/5
Produced by: Red Chillies, Azure Entertainment
Director: Sujoy Ghosh
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu, Amrita Singh, Tony Luke
The years Ramadan fell in May
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO
Southampton 0
Manchester City 1 (Sterling 16')
Man of the match: Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City)
Analysis
Maros Sefcovic is juggling multiple international trade agreement files, but his message was clear when he spoke to The National on Wednesday.
The EU-UAE bilateral trade deal will be finalised soon, he said. It is in everyone’s interests to do so. Both sides want to move quickly and are in alignment. He said the UAE is a very important partner for the EU. It’s full speed ahead - and with some lofty ambitions - on the road to a free trade agreement.
We also talked about US-EU tariffs. He answered that both sides need to talk more and more often, but he is prepared to defend Europe's position and said diplomacy should be a guiding principle through the current moment.
Du Football Champions
The fourth season of du Football Champions was launched at Gitex on Wednesday alongside the Middle East’s first sports-tech scouting platform.“du Talents”, which enables aspiring footballers to upload their profiles and highlights reels and communicate directly with coaches, is designed to extend the reach of the programme, which has already attracted more than 21,500 players in its first three years.
MATCH INFO
Liverpool v Manchester City, Sunday, 8.30pm UAE
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Founders: Ines Mena, Claudia Ribas, Simona Agolini, Nourhan Hassan and Therese Hundt
Date started: January 2017, app launched November 2017
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Private/Retail/Leisure
Number of Employees: 18 employees, including full-time and flexible workers
Funding stage and size: Seed round completed Q4 2019 - $1m raised
Funders: Oman Technology Fund, 500 Startups, Vision Ventures, Seedstars, Mindshift Capital, Delta Partners Ventures, with support from the OQAL Angel Investor Network and UAE Business Angels
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
Scores
Wales 74-24 Tonga
England 35-15 Japan
Italy 7-26 Australia
Why seagrass matters
- Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
- Marine nursery: Crucial habitat for juvenile fish, crustations, and invertebrates
- Biodiversity: Support species like sea turtles, dugongs, and seabirds
- Coastal protection: Reduce erosion and improve water quality
The biog
Favourite book: Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
Favourite holiday destination: Spain
Favourite film: Bohemian Rhapsody
Favourite place to visit in the UAE: The beach or Satwa
Children: Stepdaughter Tyler 27, daughter Quito 22 and son Dali 19
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Directed by:Tom Beard
Narrated by: Sir David Attenborough
Stars: 4
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Brief scores
Barcelona 2
Pique 36', Alena 87'
Villarreal 0
if you go
The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow.
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes).
