News

Everything Apple Announced At Yesterday’s iPhone 15 Event

Most of the circulating rumors proved accurate, but despite any major surprises, the new iPhone lineup still looks stunning.

Published

2 years ago

September 13, 2023

Nour Nasir

everything apple announced at yesterday's iphone 15 event

Yesterday, Apple held its yearly iPhone event, where the Cupertino company revealed four new smartphones, along with updates to its line of Apple Watches and a new version of iOS.

Most of the rumors about these hotly anticipated devices proved to be accurate, with upgrades ranging from USB-C ports to titanium frames. Let’s check them out:

The iPhone 15 & 15 Plus

Like the iPhone 14, the base model of Apple’s smartphone comes in two screen sizes: a standard 6.1-inch version and a larger 6.7-inch plus model.

Broadly speaking, the base iPhones are now comparable to last year’s Pro models, with improved cameras, better performance, and the novel Dynamic Island that does away with the dreaded notch.

However, the handsets now sport USB-C ports, along with a slightly tweaked chassis featuring rounded edges that look a little like those of the Apple Watch. In addition, color options have been changed for this model, which now ships in blue, green, yellow, pink, and black.

The iPhone 15 starts at $799, while the Plus starts at $899.

iPhone 15 Pro & Pro Max

For the Pro versions of the iPhone 15, Apple chose to use titanium for the chassis, resulting in a lighter handset that comes in natural, blue, white, and black metallic hues. The screen now sports a smaller bezel, while the frosted glass back remains.

The two Pro handsets have 48-megapixel cameras with larger sensors for improved low-light photography. In addition, the 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera remains but is now joined by a game-changing 5x optical zoom on the Pro Max. Last but not least, the Pro model cameras gain the ability to record spatial video that can be viewed on Apple’s upcoming Vision Pro headset.

One final feature worth noting is that both Pro iPhones have ditched the mute button and replaced it with an “Action Button”, which is customizable via the Shortcuts app.

The iPhone 15 Pro starts at $999, while the Pro Max starts at $1,199.

iOS 17

Apple gave few details about updates to its mobile operating system but did announce that iOS 17 would arrive on Monday, September 18, presumably to tie in with the iPhone 15.

Apple Watches

Both Apple’s Series 9 and Ultra smartwatches received an update, too. The series 9 is now carbon neutral, comes in new colorways, and sports a touch-free feature called double tap. Meanwhile, the premium Ultra watch has an upgraded processor, improved battery life, and more accurate health readings.

News

Saudi Digital Payments Reach 80% As Cash Use Shrinks

Visa data shows cards and mobile wallets dominate spending, with smartphones now driving a growing share of daily transactions.

Published

1 day ago

January 23, 2026

Nour Nasir

saudi digital payments reach 80% as cash use shrinks

Digital payments now account for 80% of all transactions in Saudi Arabia, according to Visa’s latest Where Cash Hides report, another marker of how quickly the Kingdom is moving away from cash.

The share is up four percentage points from a year ago. Around 67% of consumers are now largely non-cash users, paying mainly with cards or mobile wallets. Smartphones are taking a bigger role, with mobile payments making up 16% of transactions.

visa where cash hides saudi arabia 2026

Cash is retreating in routine spending. Eating out dropped 9%. Bill payments fell 8%, as shoppers opt for faster checkouts and app-based payments.

“The data shows a steady move toward digital payments in Saudi Arabia. Such progress is possible only because banks, fintechs, merchants, and technology partners are moving together in the same direction, in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030,” said Ali Bailoun, Visa’s Senior Vice President and Group Country Manager for Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Oman.

Also Read: UAE Users Sleep Less, But More Efficiently, ŌURA Data Reveals

Despite the recent findings, it’s important to note that cash hasn’t yet disappeared. It still shows up for tips (39%), peer-to-peer transfers (28%) and rent (14%).

Visa points to security features such as tokenization, along with rewards and cashback, as factors nudging more spending onto cards and phones — a shift that tracks with Saudi Arabia’s wider Vision 2030 push to digitize commerce.