Bucket Tech: Apple Event 2025

This years Apple Event saw a host of products being launched, none more anticipated than the new iPhone 17. The model line up for their new device range has expanded which now includes a super slim iPhone 17 Air. The event drew much fan fair to see what new exciting developments have happened at Apple Park since last year, and while the new products are getting much attention since their release, many tech experts weren't that impressed with what was showcased. The iPhone 17 features Apples new A19 processor which is built on a 3nm process, it's faster and more efficient than the A18 with improved CPU/GPU performance for tasks like AI and gaming. The Pro models will feature the A19 Pro variant that is custom made for complex tasks that users might be using those devices for. Screen sizes start from 6,3-inches and features Pro-Motion, the unibodies are made from aluminium which assists in keeping the device cool. 

iPhone 17

The iPhone 17 screen has been enlarged to 6.3-inch 120Hz ProMotion display which gives you better clarity and refresh rate. This will greatly improve gaming and watching high resolution videos on the device. The brightness has also been enhance with the screen now giving 3000 nits in peak brightness. Battery life has been improved with the device giving you an additional 8 hours vs the iPhone 16 for video playback, with the fast charge, you can charge your device from 0% to 50% in just 20 minutes. The Dual Fusion camera eco-system features a 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide camera, thats 13mm focal length with hybrid focus pixels, it also has a 12MP 1 x Macro lens with 26mm focal length. 

iPhone 17 Air

The first of its kind ,Apple’s thinnest iPhone ever at 5.6mm and 165 grams, featuring a 6.5-inch Super Retina XDR display with 120Hz ProMotion and Ceramic Shield 2 for durability. Powered by the A19 Pro chip, it offers pro-level performance and all-day battery life. It has a single 48MP Fusion Main camera with 2x Telephoto, an 18MP Center Stage front camera, and supports Apple Intelligence tools like Clean Up. Available in four colors—space black, cloud white, light gold, and sky blue—it uses a titanium frame, eSIM-only connectivity, and a C1 modem. 

iPhone 17 Pro

The 17 Pro where the business sector would be focused on, it features a 6.3-inch Super Retina XDR display with 120Hz ProMotion and Ceramic Shield 2. Powered by the A19 Pro chip, it delivers top-tier performance and efficiency. It includes a triple-camera system: 48MP Fusion Main, 48MP Ultra Wide, and 5x Telephoto, with advanced Apple Intelligence features like Clean Up. Constructed with a titanium frame, it supports eSIM-only connectivity and the C1 modem. Available in four colors—space black, cloud white, light gold, and sky blue—it offers all-day battery life.

iPhone 17 Pro Max

The range topping iPhone 17 Pro Max features a 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR display with 120Hz ProMotion and Ceramic Shield 2 for enhanced durability. Powered by the A19 Pro chip, it offers exceptional performance and efficiency. The triple-camera system includes a 48MP Fusion Main, 48MP Ultra Wide, and 5x Telephoto, enhanced by Apple Intelligence features like Clean Up. Built with a titanium frame, it supports eSIM-only connectivity and the C1 modem. Available in space black, cloud white, light gold, and sky blue, it provides all-day battery life. 

Bucket Tech: realme Business Update for SA

Last week I was invited to the Durban leg of the realme Buisness update for South Africa, at the event I got a chance to meet the South African team and learn about the hard work they've been putting into the brand over the last 9 months. Just some background on the brand as it is pretty new to the country, realme was founded in 2018 by Li Bingzhong, who was the former vice president of Oppo, the brand originally started as a sub-brand of Oppo eventually ventured as its own brand but the devices are still manufactured at the shared plant in China. Marketed as a phone for the youth, realme brand commitment is to offer mobile phones with powerful performance, stylish designs and sincere services to its users and judging by their products and pricing, they're keeping up to their promises. 

Country manager Jace Chen led the introductions, given us insight into the brand and how far they've come since being a sub brand of a larger manufacturer. The brand is one of the fasting emerging mobile brands worldwide with it being in over 200 markets, with over 200 million users and in its short stint in South Africa they have also seen this trend follow. The brand also works closely with SA's three largest mobile operators to ensure the best deals are being offered on their devices, with some bundle options for select products too.

Gareth Clarke, realme Account lead for South Africa dropped some insightful figures during his presentation, to date, realme have sold over 20,000 devices in the 9 months they have been available in the country. realme product segment range expands over 4 offerings with for now, just the C series which has been available the longest being on the market and now the introduction of the Note and the Number series which I got a hands on experience with at the event. 

“realme is committed to empowering South African youth to be more daring through leap-forward technology and design,” says Gareth Clarke, realme Account Lead for SA. “The combination of high-end features and accessible pricing in the new realme 12 Series embodies our goal of delivering compelling value propositions for the midrange smartphone market.”

realme 12+ 5G: Premium photography and luxury design that you can afford

realme 12+ 5G is equipped with Sony's Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS) and a 50MP Sony LYT-600 sensor to deliver stable, low-noise images under all conditions. The 2X in-sensor zoom ensures a high-quality picture from any distance. realme 12+ 5G includes a 112° ultra-wide camera, micro camera and a 16MP HD selfie camera for all your photographic needs.

Designed for ease of use, realme 12+ 5G features the new Snap Portrait System, an innovative system for capturing quick shots. realme has collaborated with Oscar-winning cinematographer Claudio Miranda for the creation of three photo enhancement filters drawing inspiration from his award-winning films ‘Life of Pi,’ ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,’ and ‘Top Gun: Maverick.’

realme 12+ 5G is one of the only smartphones to incorporate premium vegan leather, chosen to enhance both design and ergonomic comfort. This high-end material is 10% softer than previous generations and is more dirt-resistant, lightweight, and perfectly balanced for long-term comfort in smartphone use.

Packing a powerful punch

realme 12+ 5G packs the powerful MediaTek Dimensity 7050 5G processor, featuring an 8-core 64-bit CPU. An innovative cooling solution boosts efficiency and prevents overheating during intensive tasks like gaming and multitasking. Ultra-low power consumption ensures extended usage, making realme 12+ 5G an exceptional choice for users seeking power and endurance.

The 120Hz ultra-smooth AMOLED display is enhanced with advanced features like Rainwater Smart Touch. This technology distinguishes between unintentional water touches and actual finger input. The Sunlight Screen feature employs pixel-level dynamic contrast adjustment and backlight control to improve readability under intense sunlight.

The device's sleek 190g ultra-thin body houses a substantial 5000mAh battery, supporting all day use. Combined with the 67W SUPERVOOC charging, it ensures a full charge in just 48 minutes. Adding to its impressive features are the dual stereo speakers, high-res audio certification which provides an immersive audio experience. The realme 12+ comes with 512GB storage and 12GB of onboard RAM, along with the ability to expand the Dynamic RAM all the way up to a massive 24GB of RAM.

realme 12 5G: 108MP Ultra-Clear Portrait Master with outstanding performance

The realme 12 5G is equipped with a 108MP 3X Zoom primary camera that delivers exceptional image clarity. Its standout feature is the FHD+ Sunlight Display, boasting a 16.7 million colour spectrum and a 2400 X 1080 resolution. The display's peak brightness of up to 950nit ensures clear visibility under any lighting condition.

Additionally, an 8MP selfie camera provides versatile shooting modes, including support for 1080P/30fps video recording. Echoing the luxury watch-inspired design of realme 12+ 5G, realme 12 5G comes in two trendy colours: Woodland Green and Twilight Purple. Beyond its aesthetics, it packs a powerful punch with the MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ 5G chipset.

Achieving great efficiency with its low power consumption, realme 12 5G is supported by a 5000mAh battery and 45W SUPERVOOC charging. Users enjoy prolonged usage without concerns about battery life, storage limitations, or performance drops, redefining expectations from a mid-range smartphone.