News

iPhone 17 Models Launch Tomorrow: Here’s What To Expect

Apple unveils the iPhone 17 series tomorrow, at Apple Park. Rumors point to a new slim Air model, 24MP front cameras, and iOS 26 with Liquid Glass.

Published

12 months ago

September 8, 2025

Nour Nasir

iphone 17 models launch tomorrow here's what to expect

Apple will hold its much-anticipated launch event at Apple Park tomorrow, September 9, unveiling the iPhone 17 lineup — which executives have reportedly described as the “most ambitious in the product’s history”.

One of the biggest shifts is the rumored replacement of the struggling Plus variant with a new iPhone 17 Air, also referred to as the Slim model. At just 6.25mm thick, it could become Apple’s thinnest phone yet, overtaking the iPhone 6. The Air is expected to feature a 6.6-inch display, a single 48MP rear camera, and at least 8GB of RAM to support Apple Intelligence. But leaks also warn of drawbacks: a smaller 2,800mAh battery and concerns about durability. Apple is reportedly allocating only 10% of production to this model.

The Pro Max may also be renamed the iPhone 17 Ultra, and could introduce three 48MP rear cameras with periscope-style Tetraprism zoom. All four models are rumored to get 24MP front-facing cameras, dual video recording, and possibly smaller Dynamic Islands thanks to new Face ID “metalens” technology.

On design, the series will reportedly bring bigger changes than recent generations. Camera bumps are expected to become horizontal and stretch across the back of the Pro models, with color-matched finishes rather than two-tone designs. Color leaks suggest new options: Light Blue and Gold for the Air, Orange for the Pro line, and a mix of familiar shades like Silver, Black, and Green across the range.

iOS 26 also debuts alongside the new phones, introducing a translucent “Liquid Glass” theme, a new Games app, spam-blocking tools, and enhanced battery insights. Analysts say it could also pave the way for Apple’s eventual smart glasses interface.

On displays, rumors indicate 120Hz refresh rates for all models, though it’s unclear if the base and Air will receive adaptive ProMotion panels. The Pro and Ultra are expected to retain 6.3- and 6.9-inch displays, while the standard iPhone 17 may grow slightly to 6.3 inches.

Also Read: Samsung One UI 8 Set To Usher In AI-Powered Galaxy Revolution

Battery life could diverge sharply: reports suggest a massive 5,000mAh unit for the Pro Max — the largest ever on an iPhone — but a below-3,000mAh battery for the slim Air. Faster 35W charging and possible reverse wireless charging may come to Pro models.

Pricing rumors are mixed, but consensus points to Apple largely holding steady, with only the Pro model seeing a hike due to a new 256GB minimum storage tier.

In summary, tomorrow’s event is expected to confirm Apple’s thinnest iPhone ever, its biggest battery to date, and an AI-driven OS overhaul — making the iPhone 17 series one of the company’s most closely watched launches yet.

News

Visa’s Return To Syria Starts With A Test And A Bank In Lebanon

Foreign visitors will be the first users to benefit, but whether Syria’s own banks and cardholders follow is still an open question.

Published

2 weeks ago

August 27, 2026

Dana Saadeh

visa's return to syria starts with a test and a bank in lebanon

Visa is returning to Syria. Its first live international card transaction in the country was a test rather than a launch, and the milestone event ran through a Lebanese bank.

The acquirer (the bank on the merchant’s side of a card payment) was Fransabank Lebanon, with Paymera as the other named partner. Nadim Moujaes, who heads a Fransabank Group subsidiary, describes the test as both the culmination of “longstanding efforts to link Syria back to international payment networks” and “the first step in a larger path”.

Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa makes the first electronic payment in Syria using a @Visa card at a store in Damascus, following the lifting of US sanctions on Syria. pic.twitter.com/lpAN7nQ6Fc

— Tech Magazine (@TechMGZN) August 27, 2026

“We are excited to have successfully tested live transactions today as we plan to enable international visitors to use their Visa cards while in Syria,” says Leila Serhan, Visa’s senior vice president and group country manager for the North Africa, Levant and Pakistan region. Although a significant first step, that plan doesn’t come with a hard date for when a visitor’s card will work normally.

Mohammed Safwat Raslan, governor of the Central Bank of Syria, says the test paves the way for international card acceptance in Syria and that maintaining strong compliance, risk management and operational controls will remain essential. Serhan likewise stresses that Visa has worked within applicable legal, regulatory and compliance requirements. For a test transaction, it seems there was a great deal of attention paid to the rules, with the entire operation being carefully managed.

Also Read: Lebanon’s 5G Era Begins With 150 Stations And A $1M Budget

The test is the latest step in a sequence that began in December 2025, when Visa announced a strategic roadmap to support Syria’s integration into the global digital economy. In February 2026 it hosted its first industry gathering of banks, ecosystem partners and policymakers in Damascus and, the same month, signed an agreement with Syria’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology in San Francisco.

Michel Kattouah, Paymera’s CEO, called the test “the return of international card acceptance,” but while that’s positive news, there’s no word yet on when a Syrian bank will issue a Visa card to a Syrian customer.