What’s New in the iPhone World (2025 Edition)

Apple has been busy this year. From groundbreaking hardware launches to software enhancements, here’s a roundup of what’s been happening in iPhone land lately.

1. New iPhones Unveiled: A Bold Design Shift

On September 9, 2025, Apple introduced its latest lineup iPhone Air, iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max.

Standout models:

• iPhone Air: The thinnest iPhone ever made, at just 5.6 mm. It features a titanium frame, 6.5″ Super Retina XDR display with ProMotion (120 Hz), and advanced internals like the A19 Pro chip.

• iPhone 17 Pro / Pro Max: These bring a complete redesign, with a vapor chamber for cooling, triple 48 MP cameras (Main, Ultra Wide, Telephoto), and features like ProRes RAW, genlock, and Apple’s strongest battery life to date.

• iPhone 17 (standard): While not as flashy as the Pro models, it still packs upgrades, including an A19 chip (3nm process), improved Neural Engine, and a new image signal processor.

Apple also upgraded durability: Ceramic Shield 2 is used on the front, and for the first time, the back of the Pro models also gets some Ceramic Shield protection.

Pre-orders for the new models began September 12, and general availability followed on September 19.

2. iOS 26 Rolls Out, With Subtle Yet Impactful Upgrades

Alongside the new hardware, Apple launched iOS 26 the version number now matches the year, aligning with macOS, iPadOS, etc.

Notable changes & additions:

• Liquid Glass design language: A more fluid, glass-like interface aesthetic across iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and more.

• New ringtones: Apple introduced five “Reflection” variants.

• Wired accessory permission: You can now control whether accessories connected via a cable are allowed when the phone is locked.

• Blocked contacts consolidation: Your blocked contacts across multiple apps are now centralized in one place.

Hidden / lesser-known features:

• A new extended call history view that lets you see all calls (incoming, outgoing, missed) with a particular contact more comprehensively.

• Call screening for spam / robocalls: iOS 26 added a feature where unknown callers are asked (by AI voice) to state their name and reason for calling, and you see a transcript before picking up.

These tweaks show Apple’s push not just for flashy new hardware, but for improving daily user experience and privacy controls.

3. Accessory Spotlight: Physical Keyboard Returns (Kind Of)

If you ever miss physical keys, Akko’s MetaKey might interest you. It’s a keyboard case for the iPhone (compatible with 16/17 Pro Max), with backlit keys, shortcut support, voice-to-text integration, and even an optional weight to help balance larger phones.

It’s a modern take with nostalgia clicky feeling meets MagSafe compatibility.

4. Market & Manufacturing Moves

• iPhone exports from India hit a record: In the first half of this fiscal year, Apple’s iPhone exports from India reached $10 billion, growing about 75% year-over-year.

• Analysts scale back Apple stock: Jefferies downgraded Apple to “Underperform,” citing concerns that expectations for upcoming iPhones (particularly the rumored foldable models) may be too high.

These developments reflect not only the product side of Apple’s business, but also how the market views risk, growth, and innovation expectations.

5. Looking Forward: Foldables & the Next Generation

Rumors are strong that Apple’s first foldable iPhone is being positioned for launch in September 2026 as part of the iPhone 18 lineup.

Early leaks suggest:

• A super-thin design (~4.5 mm when unfolded)

• A mix of titanium + aluminum in its chassis for strength and weight balance

• Dual displays: e.g. a 5.5″ external display and 7.8″ internal

• Possibly Touch ID instead of Face ID (to avoid hinge issues)

• A new version of iOS (iOS 27) optimized for foldable form factors

If Apple plays it right, this foldable could be its most daring smartphone yet.

Final Thoughts

2025 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for iPhone:

• Apple’s design philosophy is evolving (e.g. the slim iPhone Air, new materials, Liquid Glass UI)

• iOS is becoming smarter and more adaptive in everyday tasks

• Accessories are reimagined (keyboards, more durable cases)

• The supply chain is diversifying (e.g. strong growth in India)

• And the biggest question looms: can Apple nail a foldable phone that competes with the heavyweights?