Apple has unveiled the iPhone 17, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max and introduced a new model to its flagship line-up, the super-thin iPhone Air.
Among the most significant changes in this iteration are the screen sizes, cameras, chips and user interface.
Apple also launched refreshed accessories, including new versions of its watches and AirPods.
Orders for new iPhones in the UAE can be made from 4pm on Friday, and they will become available in stores on September 19. Telcos e& and du, as well as other major retailers, have said they will be ready to meet demand.
And, yes, you can trade in your old Apple devices for credit of up to Dh2,500.
iPhone Air: The skinny
Apple, masters of hype, made sure all eyes were on the iPhone Air, as the company seeks to make its mark in the emerging slim-phone game.
Already, Apple has Samsung's Galaxy S25 Edge beat on thinness – 5.6mm versus 5.8mm. But, as expected, there are pluses and minuses – and we fully expect Samsung to respond.
The “Air” branding was first used by Apple in the first MacBook Air in 2008, months after the original iPhone was launched, and adapted by the iPad in 2013. The company has since used the moniker as its signature to showcase the compactness of their devices – even once again evoking the “impossibly thin” tagline for the iPhone Air.
Apple says the iPhone Air model is its most durable, protected by its Ceramic Shield 2 coating on both front and back – three times better scratch resistance and four times better protection against cracks. And it's also built with grade-5 spacecraft titanium – the most common alloy for vessels travelling to space – known for its strength and lightness.
The camera block has also been redesigned: it now runs across the width of the rear, with the flash and light sensor now on the right.
Aesthetics aside, there's a reason for this: the bigger space protruding from the back helped Apple to cram in more hardware components, which, in turn, allowed its thinner finish. Also, more space was created as it only supports e-SIMs.
The iPhone Air is also the successor to the Plus model, albeit with a smaller 6.5-inch (16mm) display compared to its predecessor's 6.7in.
And with the new A19 Pro chip, Apple said the iPhone Air has “MacBook-level” power. Without getting too technical, Apple says the combination of boosted efficiency, advancements in artificial intelligence capabilities and a “big upgrade” to the GPU compute abilities of its Neural Engine resulted in what is akin to having a laptop in your palm.
It does only have one camera, albeit with a 48MP sensor that Apple says still has the good stuff, including portrait and macro shots. Samsung, however, was able to put two cameras in the Galaxy S25 Edge.
On the front camera, Apple brought Centre Stage, first introduced in modern iMacs, which automatically puts every person in-frame, in addition to automatically adjusting the orientation so you won't have to rotate the phone to get everyone in.
Battery life is up to 27 hours, on par with the iPhone 16 Plus, but stretchable to 40 hours with a sold-separately MagSafe battery exclusively for the iPhone Air. And, as an added bonus, there's also a dedicated cross-body strap for it.
The iPhone Air comes in 256GB, 512GB and a new 1TB, for Dh4,299, Dh5,149 and Dh5,999, respectively. It is available in white, light gold, blue and black. The latter two prices are higher than iPhone 16 Plus equivalents.
iPhone 17: Bumped-up
The entry-level iPhone 17, once again, represents the best option for those who want that Apple logo in their hands without breaking the bank.
There weren't any major changes physically, and Apple even left it out of the camera block upgrade. Instead, Apple is counting on the A19 chip to do the heavy lifting for the iPhone 17.
Apple said the device also has a more durable design, slimmer bezels and “huge boosts in speed”, capable of providing “incredible gaming”. It also retains a dual-camera set-up, but both now have 48MP Fusion sensors. The front snapper also has Centre Stage capabilities.
And if there's one big boost, it's on battery. Apple says it can last up to 30 hours for video, compared to the iPhone 16's 22 hours.
The iPhone 17 comes in 256GB and 512GB – 128GB is no longer available – at Dh3,399 and Dh4,249, respectively. Important note: you can now get double the storage for the same base price, while the 512GB option is now down by Dh400 compared to its iPhone 16 equivalent last year. You get to choose from black, lavender, mist blue, sage and white; sage is our pick here.
iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max: A great new feel
Apple's top-tier smartphones somewhat had to take a back seat because of the iPhone Air. Nevertheless, they, of course, remain the best options, spec-wise.
The first thing you'll notice is, like the iPhone Air, a redesigned rear anchored by the extended camera block (the latest Google Pixels come to mind). But, more importantly, this is the first time Apple is using a unibody chassis for its flagships.
Apple says the phones also have the biggest batteries: the 17 Pro can last up to 33 hours for video, while the 17 Pro Max is up at 39 hours, compared to their predecessors' 27 hours and 33 hours, respectively.
The company has also used what is says is a new thermal system that can dissipate heat “rapidly”, which should aid in performance-intensive applications such as gaming and using the camera. The A19 Pro chip, among other things, boosts performance by up to 40 per cent.
And, as with the iPhone 17, all three cameras on the Pro models now have 48MP Fusion sensors, in addition to a wider field of view and up to 8x optical zoom that is the longest for an iPhone, so it's like having the “equivalent of eight Pro lenses in your pocket”, Apple says.
The front camera also has a wider field of view and its overall improvements would make it the “absolute best for content creators”. This could help Apple beat the more than 500 billion selfies iPhone users shot in 2024, “more than any other phone”, according to the company's data.
The iPhone 17 Pro comes in 256GB, 512GB and 1TB – goodbye 128GB, again – and prices remain unchanged at Dh4,699, Dh5,549 and Dh6,399, respectively. The iPhone 17 Pro Max, meanwhile, has added a new and whopping 2TB option, and the device is priced at Dh5,099, Dh5,949, Dh6,799 and Dh8,499. You colour options are deep blue, silver and, the runaway winner, cosmic orange.
Updated accessories complement the look
Apple's refreshed accessories all are now available to order, but they will hit shop shelves on September 19.
AirPods Pro 3: Features a new design, up to twice the power of active noise cancellation, up to four times more noise removal and a new adaptive equaliser that customises sound signature. Dh949.
Watch Series 11: The thinnest Apple Watch by far that introduces a high blood pressure monitor (regulatory approval for use “soon”). It adds sleep score and now lasts up to 24 hours. Comes in 42mm and 46mm versions, features a new aluminium finish and starts at Dh1,599. The titanium version starts at Dh2,799.
Watch SE 3: Apple's pocket-friendly digital timepiece now has an always-on display, sleep score, wrist temperature sensing, and up to 18 hours of battery. Comes in midnight and starlight colours, 40mm and 44m sizing, and starts at Dh999.
Watch Ultra 3: The rugged watch comes with advanced metrics, “the best GPS in a watch”, the longest battery life of any Apple Watch of up to 42 hours (with normal use) and its largest screen. Comes in black and natural, and is priced at Dh3,199.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
THE BIO:
Favourite holiday destination: Thailand. I go every year and I’m obsessed with the fitness camps there.
Favourite book: Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. It’s an amazing story about barefoot running.
Favourite film: A League of their Own. I used to love watching it in my granny’s house when I was seven.
Personal motto: Believe it and you can achieve it.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Results:
2.15pm: Handicap (PA) Dh60,000 1,200m.
Winner: AZ Dhabyan, Adam McLean (jockey), Saleha Al Ghurair (trainer).
2.45pm: Maiden (PA) Dh60,000 1,200m.
Winner: Ashton Tourettes, Sam Hitchcott, Ibrahim Aseel.
3.15pm: Conditions (PA) Dh60,000 2,000m.
Winner: Hareer Al Reef, Gerald Avranche, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
3.45pm: Maiden (PA) Dh60,000 1,700m.
Winner: Kenz Al Reef, Gerald Avranche, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
4.15pm: Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Cup (TB) Dh 200,000 1,700m.
Winner: Mystique Moon, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson.
4.45pm: The Crown Prince Of Sharjah Cup Prestige (PA) Dh200,000 1,200m.
Winner: ES Ajeeb, Sam Hitchcott, Ibrahim Aseel.
RESULT
Wolves 1 (Traore 67')
Tottenham 2 (Moura 8', Vertonghen 90 1')
Man of the Match: Adama Traore (Wolves)
WHAT IS GRAPHENE?
It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were experimenting with sticky tape and graphite, the material used as lead in pencils.
Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But when they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.
By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.
In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics.
The specs: 2019 Audi A7 Sportback
Price, base: Dh315,000
Engine: 3.0-litre V6
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 335hp @ 5,000rpm
Torque: 500Nm @ 1,370rpm
Fuel economy 5.9L / 100km
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
More on Quran memorisation:
Zakat definitions
Zakat: an Arabic word meaning ‘to cleanse’ or ‘purification’.
Nisab: the minimum amount that a Muslim must have before being obliged to pay zakat. Traditionally, the nisab threshold was 87.48 grams of gold, or 612.36 grams of silver. The monetary value of the nisab therefore varies by current prices and currencies.
Zakat Al Mal: the ‘cleansing’ of wealth, as one of the five pillars of Islam; a spiritual duty for all Muslims meeting the ‘nisab’ wealth criteria in a lunar year, to pay 2.5 per cent of their wealth in alms to the deserving and needy.
Zakat Al Fitr: a donation to charity given during Ramadan, before Eid Al Fitr, in the form of food. Every adult Muslim who possesses food in excess of the needs of themselves and their family must pay two qadahs (an old measure just over 2 kilograms) of flour, wheat, barley or rice from each person in a household, as a minimum.
