Top Stories: iPhone 17 Air Details, Apple’s Smart Glasses, and More

WWDC is coming up quickly with a number of software announcements in store, but we’re also looking further ahead to hardware launches like the iPhone 17 lineup and even Apple’s smart glasses project.

This week also saw big news with former Apple design guru Jony Ive joining forces with OpenAI to build future AI-driven devices, while Fortnite returned to the U.S. App Store for the first time since 2020 amid the long-running dispute between Apple and Epic Games, so read on below for all the details!

iPhone 17 Air Battery Capacity and Weight Allegedly Revealed

Apple is expected to launch an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air later this year, and while there have been plenty of rumors about the camera’s overall design and thinness, we haven’t heard any details about the device’s weight and battery capacity until now.

According to the leaker going by the account name “yeux1122” on the Korean-langauge Naver blog, the 6.6-inch iPhone 17 Air has a weight of approximately 145 grams, which is similar to that of an iPhone SE or iPhone 13 mini.

The leaker also claims the battery capacity of an iPhone 17 Air production sample is 2,800mAh, similar to that of the iPhone 12, though Apple reportedly may be able to use new high-density battery technology that could boost capacity by 15%.

Apple Announces WWDC 2025 Schedule, Including Keynote Time

With WWDC now less just over two weeks away, Apple has announced some additional details for the developer conference, including that the keynote will kick off on Monday, June 9, at the usual time of 10:00 a.m. Pacific. The Platforms State of the Union will follow at 1:00 p.m.

Apple will also be hosting a variety of group and one-on-one labs during the week of primarily virtual events, while the company is promoting related community events that will be taking place around WWDC.

Apple Smart Glasses: Everything We Know So Far

At its I/O conference this week, Google showed off a set of lightweight smart glasses with deep Gemini integration that will rival the Meta Ray-Ban glasses and Apple’s rumored future smart glasses, so we thought it would be worth taking a look at the state of the rumors on Apple’s project.

Apple’s initial smart glasses reportedly won’t offer a full augmented reality experience, but they will offer AI capabilities, microphones, and cameras to support capturing photos and video and features similar to visual intelligence on Apple’s latest iPhone models that can look up information on the world around you. Apple’s first glasses could arrive by the end of 2026.

Report: Apple’s Next-Gen Version of Siri Is ‘On Par’ With ChatGPT

Amid a delayed launch for Apple Intelligence-powered Siri enhancements, Apple is looking even further ahead at what it can do to make Siri more competitive with ChatGPT and other chatbots. According to a report, Apple’s “LLM Siri” is already considered “on par” with ChatGPT internally, but it’s going to take a few years to fully swap out the existing “hybrid” architecture of Siri with this new “monolithic model.”

Meanwhile, Siri will reportedly take a backseat at WWDC next month as Apple focuses on other Apple Intelligence advances. And in general, Apple is said to be planning to be more cautious going forward about announcing new features that aren’t ready to ship, seeking to avoid a repeat of the Siri situation.

macOS 16: Everything We Know So Far

Apple will be taking the wraps off of macOS 16 and other updates in just a few weeks at WWDC, so we’ve taken a look at what we’re expecting to see with the next major update for the Mac.

Some design changes seem likely amid rumors that Apple is seeking to create a more consistent interface across its product lines, with some of the inspiration reportedly coming from visionOS. We’re also expecting Google Gemini integration as an alternative to ChatGPT, a number of accessibility improvements, and more.

OpenAI Buys Jony Ive’s AI Startup to ‘Completely Reimagine What It Means to Use a Computer’

Former Apple design chief Jony Ive and several other Apple design team alumni are teaming up with OpenAI in an attempt to build an all-new family of AI-driven devices to revolutionize the way we interact with technology.

OpenAI has acquired Ive’s startup by the name of io for $6.5 billion, and they’re aiming to create an unobtrusive “third core device” that people would likely use alongside a phone and a laptop, and it may look something like a neck-worn iPod shuffle.

Fortnite Returns to U.S. App Store

Popular game Fortnite is once again available in the U.S. App Store, as Apple has finally approved Epic Games’ app submission. This is the first time that Fortnite has been on the iOS ‌App Store‌ since 2020, and it quickly went to the top of the App Store charts.

Apple initially did not plan to allow Fortnite back in the ‌App Store‌, but the judge overseeing the ongoing legal battle between the two companies this week suggested that Apple and ‌Epic Games‌ work things out or face more time in court. The judge threatened to require the Apple official that oversees app decisions to appear in person in court, which apparently was enough to spur Apple to allow the game back on the ‌App Store‌.

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