It has been a while since Apple came out with something in-your-face. Yet, the launch of the iPhone 17 series and the iPhone Air marks a new era for the company that has always put a premium on identity, no matter how much everyone else around it continues to evolve.
iPhone 17 Pro Max: Orange is the new hack
Design: Aesthetically, the iPhone 17 Pro Max (and sibling 17 Pro) is the first to adopt a two-tone colour scheme (it’s subtle on deep blue, but more pronounced on silver and our runaway winner cosmic orange). Squint from afar and you’d be forgiven for mistaking it for having a MagSafe wallet on it.
We have to rave again, but the cosmic orange is just gorgeous.
The other giveaway indicating you have the latest iPhone in your hand is the redesigned camera block, which now stretches across the back, ala-Google Pixel. Apple has a fancier name for it – the "plateau" and has crammed in more components.
In short, this is the best iPhone design in recent times. This new look is the classic flat-edged, round-cornered design, but on steroids.
It still retains a 6.9-inch (6.3 inches for the 17 Pro) display, but with Ceramic Shield 2, which Apple says is up to three times tougher on scratches than its predecessor. Also, this protective layer is also on its rear, marking the first time this has been done.
Apple went back to using aluminium – a unibody frame for more design efficiency, a first on an iPhone – after titanium in the previous two iterations. While some may argue that titanium is more durable, aluminium is lighter and, more importantly, better suited for heat dissipation, which goes in tandem with the new vapour chamber inside that cools it faster.
Also, all new iPhones sold in the UAE are now eSIM-only. The carriers in the country have been eSIM-ready for a while, and it's just a matter of either visiting them or migrating from their apps to get you started.
The iPhone 17 Pros can support up to eight eSIMs, with any two active simultaneously.
What scratches? Now, there have been reports showing that the new Pros are susceptible to scratches – "scratchgate", as it's dubbed – with some testers even demonstrating it.
However, Apple has basically described the situation as mistaken identity, according to website 9to5Mac. The iPhone Pros in question and circulating on the web were, apparently, demo units within Apple Stores, handled by a high volume of hands on a daily basis. Apple said that the scratches were from their MagSafe stands.
And while teardown guru JerryRigEverything was able to scratch away at the iPhone 17 Pros, he still commended the durability of their back panels – which is what people have been claiming are the most vulnerable to scuffs.
We also gave it a try.
Taking a phone without a protective case, we plopped it into the pocket with keys and a bunch of coins and walked around, repeatedly pulling it out and putting it back in with no regard whatsoever. Bonus – and this was unplanned: it fell down twice inside the car, slipping on the magnetic holder that clips to the air-conditioning vent.
Glad to report our iPhone 17 Pro Max survived without a scuff. Phew.
Performance, camera and battery: Can’t get any more fluid than IOS 26, its Liquid Glass skin in particular. We’ve already detailed our experience using its beta version, and the public release, rolled out on September 15, isn’t much different.
To recap: Liquid Glass provides a smooth, futuristic user experience, “reflect[ing] and refract[ing] its surroundings”.
As for its camera, all three lenses on the iPhone 17 Pro Max now have 48MP Fusion sensors. The set-up packs a wallop, in combination with the A19 Pro chip that Apple says provides "MacBook-level" power.
You'll essentially have eight lenses, or focal lengths, from macro (0.5x) up to 200mm (8x), and providing a total optical zoom of up 16x, thanks to the telephoto lens now at 48MP. Its digital zoom maxes out at 40x.
The results were amazing, and compared to the iPhone 16 Pro Max, the new camera set-up was able to improve on lighting, provide sharper results and, noticeably, less noise when zooming afar. The same observations apply to video as well, and we felt that its stabilisation has also improved.
Meanwhile, on the battery, the iPhone 17 Pro Max now enjoys the title of longest-lasting iPhone with up to 39 hours of video playback – six hours more than its predecessor (the iPhone Air lasts up to 40 hours, but that's with its own MagSafe battery).
Our one-hour YouTube-at-full-brightness test, after multiple attempts, never went beyond a 5 per cent loss – in fact, one run yielded 4 per cent, which is really impressive. From a full charge in the morning, heavy use had us reaching for the charger by past noon the following day, while non-heavy use was enough for us crawl through sundown.
And so far, no heating detected; the new vapour chamber seems to be working – save for a little heat the very first time we booted it up.
iPhone 17
The entry-level iPhone 17 may look similar to its predecessor, but it has new tricks over and under the hood.
Design: The first thing you'll notice is that it now has a bigger 6.3-inch screen, as Apple leans towards more digital real estate. As mentioned earlier, Ceramic Shield 2 protects the device.
Apple says the iPhone 17, also using an aluminium frame, is more durable. We did a similar scratch test and, thankfully, it passed as well.
Performance, camera and battery: The device has "only" the A19 chip, which Apple says is faster and more efficient. It shows when we went through a gauntlet of games and videos.
As for its camera, both lenses on the iPhone 17 now have a 48MP sensor, which is a big boost for the ultra-wide sensor (it was only 12MP on the iPhone 16), with its default at 24MP.
That resulted in more balanced colours and less grain, with nothing much to complain about. You won't, however, have the telephoto powers as with its Pro counterparts, and you'll be limited to 4x optical zoom and 10x optical zoom – both of which are still stable.
Also, both the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro feature a Centre Stage front camera, which automatically detects subjects (through their eyes) and adjusts the frame accordingly.
It's in the battery where the iPhone 17 gets a good upgrade – it can now last up to 30 hours of video, eight hours more than the iPhone 16. Our YouTube test showed it lost 6 per cent in an hour, and it was able to cross the noontime finish line in our endurance run.
AirPods Pro 3 and Watch SE 3
The AirPods Pro 3 features a new design, up to twice the power of active noise cancellation (ANC), up to four times more noise removal and a new adaptive equaliser that customises sound signature.
The feel is noticeably different from the first two versions, though we can really feel the deeper effect of the enhanced ANC. We also enjoyed the new sound quality, particularly with bass.
Apple also gave it a couple more hours of airtime as it now lasts up to eight hours on a single use – and five minutes in its case will give you an hour; these specs were close to our tests.
The Apple Watch SE 3, meanwhile, is probably the most capable in the SE line although it doesn't have the full repertoire of Series 11 (and Ultra 3).
Hand gestures have been improved and it now has an always-on display and its usual plethora of health metric trackers – though you won't get the new blood pressure tool in the other Watches.
Battery life remains at up to 18 hours and we had no problem using it for a full day – but, of course, it's highly recommended you charge it before calling it a night.
Verdict
This is arguably the best upgrade cycle for the iPhone, with the combination of a new look, improved cameras and battery, and the addition of the iPhone Air.
Also of equal importance, Apple has practically maintained pricing – you get double the storage for the same base prices – as we've previously detailed.
And we just can't stop staring at the cosmic orange flavour. So, note to Apple for what we'll assume to be the iPhone 18: we're waiting for an in-your-face green colour, in line with sustainability.
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What is a robo-adviser?
Robo-advisers use an online sign-up process to gauge an investor’s risk tolerance by feeding information such as their age, income, saving goals and investment history into an algorithm, which then assigns them an investment portfolio, ranging from more conservative to higher risk ones.
These portfolios are made up of exchange traded funds (ETFs) with exposure to indices such as US and global equities, fixed-income products like bonds, though exposure to real estate, commodity ETFs or gold is also possible.
Investing in ETFs allows robo-advisers to offer fees far lower than traditional investments, such as actively managed mutual funds bought through a bank or broker. Investors can buy ETFs directly via a brokerage, but with robo-advisers they benefit from investment portfolios matched to their risk tolerance as well as being user friendly.
Many robo-advisers charge what are called wrap fees, meaning there are no additional fees such as subscription or withdrawal fees, success fees or fees for rebalancing.
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
BULKWHIZ PROFILE
Date started: February 2017
Founders: Amira Rashad (CEO), Yusuf Saber (CTO), Mahmoud Sayedahmed (adviser), Reda Bouraoui (adviser)
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce
Size: 50 employees
Funding: approximately $6m
Investors: Beco Capital, Enabling Future and Wain in the UAE; China's MSA Capital; 500 Startups; Faith Capital and Savour Ventures in Kuwait
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MATCH INFO
Everton 2 Southampton 1
Everton: Walcott (15'), Richarlison (31' )
Southampton: Ings (54')
Man of the match: Theo Walcott (Everton)
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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The Gentlemen
Director: Guy Ritchie
Stars: Colin Farrell, Hugh Grant
Three out of five stars
More from Neighbourhood Watch
The Greatest Royal Rumble card as it stands
The Greatest Royal Rumble card as it stands
50-man Royal Rumble - names entered so far include Braun Strowman, Daniel Bryan, Kurt Angle, Big Show, Kane, Chris Jericho, The New Day and Elias
Universal Championship Brock Lesnar (champion) v Roman Reigns in a steel cage match
WWE World Heavyweight ChampionshipAJ Styles (champion) v Shinsuke Nakamura
Intercontinental Championship Seth Rollins (champion) v The Miz v Finn Balor v Samoa Joe
United States Championship Jeff Hardy (champion) v Jinder Mahal
SmackDown Tag Team Championship The Bludgeon Brothers (champions) v The Usos
Raw Tag Team Championship (currently vacant) Cesaro and Sheamus v Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt
Casket match The Undertaker v Chris Jericho
Singles match John Cena v Triple H
Cruiserweight Championship Cedric Alexander v tba
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Fasset%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2019%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Mohammad%20Raafi%20Hossain%2C%20Daniel%20Ahmed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%242.45%20million%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2086%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Pre-series%20B%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Investcorp%2C%20Liberty%20City%20Ventures%2C%20Fatima%20Gobi%20Ventures%2C%20Primal%20Capital%2C%20Wealthwell%20Ventures%2C%20FHS%20Capital%2C%20VN2%20Capital%2C%20local%20family%20offices%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The Birkin bag is made by Hermès.
It is named after actress and singer Jane Birkin
Noone from Hermès will go on record to say how much a new Birkin costs, how long one would have to wait to get one, and how many bags are actually made each year.
POSSIBLE ENGLAND EURO 2020 SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford, Nick Pope, Dean Henderson.
Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Kieran Trippier, Joe Gomez, John Stones, Harry Maguire, Tyrone Mings, Ben Chilwell, Fabian Delph.
Midfielders: Declan Rice, Harry Winks, Jordan Henderson, Ross Barkley, Mason Mount, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Forwards: Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling, Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Tammy Abraham, Callum Hudson-Odoi.
The biog
First Job: Abu Dhabi Department of Petroleum in 1974
Current role: Chairperson of Al Maskari Holding since 2008
Career high: Regularly cited on Forbes list of 100 most powerful Arab Businesswomen
Achievement: Helped establish Al Maskari Medical Centre in 1969 in Abu Dhabi’s Western Region
Future plan: Will now concentrate on her charitable work
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Samaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
Company Profile
Company name: Fine Diner
Started: March, 2020
Co-founders: Sami Elayan, Saed Elayan and Zaid Azzouka
Based: Dubai
Industry: Technology and food delivery
Initial investment: Dh75,000
Investor: Dtec Startupbootcamp
Future plan: Looking to raise $400,000
Total sales: Over 1,000 deliveries in three months
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
Rock in a Hard Place: Music and Mayhem in the Middle East
Orlando Crowcroft
Zed Books
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
The Dark Blue Winter Overcoat & Other Stories From the North
Edited and Introduced by Sjón and Ted Hodgkinson
Pushkin Press
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Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
The biog
Name: Abeer Al Shahi
Emirate: Sharjah – Khor Fakkan
Education: Master’s degree in special education, preparing for a PhD in philosophy.
Favourite activities: Bungee jumping
Favourite quote: “My people and I will not settle for anything less than first place” – Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid.
