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: Apple iPhone 15 Pro Series

Apple fanboys worldwide were glued to the Apple Event 2023 live stream last night and with good reason. Every year in September, the global tech giant showcases their latest products at this exhibition which is streamed world over, it's an optimal time as it gives the consumer enough time to save up for them as Christmas gifts. That is how well thought out these events are by Apple and probably why they remain not only in the forefront of sales globally but also innovation and marketing. Last nights event saw the the official unveiling of multiple products including the new all new Apple Watch Series 9 which features a new CPU and other good features, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and the introduction of the iPhone 15 series which has two models, the normal iPhone 15 and the iPhone 15 Plus. The last devices two be released were the iPhone Pro series which we will take a closer look at in today's post. After purchasing my first Pro Max device last year, I can see what makes these phones so special and while there isn't a significant shift in user experience from Android to iOS, at the end of the day the consumer wants phones to work when they need it to work and that is what Apple does so well. 

So lets talk about build quality, Apple states the new Pro Series is the toughest and lightest ones yet, made from grade 5 titanium enclosure, it has a higher tensile strength than regular titanium, the same stuff they make spacecraft with, it is machined to its size and shape with a special PVD coating for the colours, which are Black, White, Blue and Natural Titanium. The overall dimensions of the iPhone Pro and Pro Max have been reduced thanks to this new titanium shell but the screen sizes remain the same, making the iPhone 15 Pro Series having the thinnest borders for an iPhone. The Pro screen measures in at 6.1-inch with the Pro Max having a 6.7-inch display. Both XDR touch screen display feature a toughened glass with an added layer of protection coming from the Ceramic coating which is only available on iPhone devices. 

A key design feature on the iPhone 15 Pro sees a change in the ring/ silent switch which is now and action button that can be customizable by the user that can trigger just about anything, from voice recorder, camera or your favourite application. It still remains a ring/ silent switch by means of pressing and holding the button which will give you a haptic feedback when each mode is engaged. It's designed to give the user more convenience and enhance the iPhone usability. Any action will give you visual alerts via the dynamic island which proved to be a hit on the previous model. The dynamic island now offers the user more than before, with added information by expanding the island when required. The iPhone 15 Pro now has an always one display with the screen going into a standby mode when placed horizontally, displaying the date, time like an alarm clock display or customize it with other widgets. 

iPhone 15 Pro features a brand new A17 Pro chip which is new from the ground up, its made by a new generation silicon development by Apple, with changes to the entire chip including a breakthrough new GPU. Apple have developed new transistor technology making the A17 Pro the first 3 nanometer chip. With the chip featuring 19 Billion of these transistors, this all results in an improved performance, efficiency and features on the iPhone 15 Pro. This chip also enhances viewing experiences on streaming services, pro motion on video mode and transfer speeds on the new USB C port, yes, Apple has finally done away with their lighting cable port and have adapted the USB C port. With the A17 Pro chip it has a special coding that allows transfers up to 10GB per second, using a USB 3 cable which makes it 20x faster transfer speeds. 

The iPhone 15 Pro series retains the triple lens ecosystem, with the primary camera being new improved 48MP main camera with 24mm focal length. This makes for more breathtaking pictures that captures more detail at a higher resolution, the new light sensor means more bespoke bokeh pictures with with even more detail than before. The 12MP Telephoto lens available on the 15 Pro Max has a focal length of up to 120mm by a tetra prism design with new focus stablizer that gives you 5x Optical zoom which allows you to capture objects far away with much more precision and a lot more detail. The 12MP Ultra Wide camera  is improved with new anti reflector coating, better night mode and better Macro mode. The video mode on the iPhone 15 Pro will appeal to videographers  as it can record Pro raw in 4K at 60 fps and save directly to an external drive via the USB C port. The iPhone 15 Pro series is looking the deal with these new dynamic changes and improvements with the pricing released for pre-orders in the USA being almost identical to that of the 14 Pro Series, added to that Apples trade-in policies, it looks like a bargain for those in the US. Us in South Africa have to wait a bit to find out what sort of loan we have to take out to pre-order one of these but if they keep the pricing aligned to the US market, it shouldn't be too far off from what we were paying for the iPhone 14. 

Update: iStore has announced that pre-orders for the iPhone 15 can be placed from the 22nd of September with orders availability from the 29th of September. 

Bucket Tech: iPhone 14 Pro Max

Last nights Apple event saw the companies introduction to the new iPhone 14 family. Like always, Apple's events were very hyped up and were not short of excitement for the unveiling of their new products. While there were many which included the mobile devices, new airpods and watches, there was one particular thing I was most interested in, that was the Pro Max version of the iPhone 14. I recently purchased my first iPhone, the 13 Pro Max and with my short period with the device, I can instantly see what it has been such a hit with many over the years. While there is some short comings when moving over from Android, it's nothing that is too much of a bother and there is always a work around, even though it sometimes is a bit more complicated than it should be but other than that, usability is very easy and there wasn't even a transition period and the interface is so similar, that it was almost seamless. Anyway, enough about my experiences with my device, lets take a look at the Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max.

While Apple did launch a standard iPhone 14 as well as the Pro, the Pro Max is the one that has everyone talking. Bringing in a host of new features and tech which includes satellite calling and texting! Yes, in areas with no connectivity, you can make satellite calls or texts from your iPhone 14 Pro Max, this is thanks to a smart new antenna that they've developed over the years that fits into the unibody of the device and enables you to contact first responders during emergencies. It's a massive leap in terms of satellite calling tech, with regards to the texting, they have created a new algorithm that makes messages samll enough to send via the network. Apple say they've developed a special software to show users where to point their phones to maintain a connection. The service will be free for two years with the iPhone 14 starting in the US and Canada. 

The iPhone 14 Pro Max display remains the same size as the 13 Pro Max measuring in at 6.7" and has Ceramic Shield which is tougher than any smartphone glass and is water resistant. One of the key new design elements is the removal of the notch and the addition of the "Dynamic Island" display which see's the front facing camera, and other sensors move into a floating island at the top of the screen. This then transforms as you use the device to display incoming messages, music that you're listening too, notifications, Siri commands and so much more. The device has always-on display and has a refresh rate of 120Hz. The iPhone 14 Pro Max features the new A16 Bionic chip, the company\s first 4nm based chip which they claim is generations ahead of their competitors and up to 40% faster than the competition. The neural core and memory bandwidth have also been radically improved, enhancing image and video captures and bumping up gaming performance. 

Camera game on the iPhone 14 Pro Max has been elevated to the Max, with it having a triple lens system that has a 48MP main camera with quad-pixel sensor, that can take uncompressed ProRAW imagines with greater detail and colours. It has a 12MP Ultra Wide camera for sharper, brighter macros shots and 120 degree field of view and a Telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom and up to 2x better low-light photos. Videos on iPhones are always amazing and that doesn't change with the iPhone 14 with it now features "Action Mode" which improves stabilisation when recording. 

Battery life has also been upgraded in the iPhone 14 Pro Max with Apple claiming an all in, all day battery life that can give you up to 29 hours video playback! It also features a MagSafe charger for faster wireless charging. The iPhone 14 Pro Max will also be the first Apple device to do away with sim trays as its adopting eSIM, not sure if this will be the case for local models as well but we will have to wait and see. 

The iPhone 14 Pro Max will be available for shipping from the 16th of September with the pricing coming in at $1,099. Local pricing and availability is still yet to be confirmed. 

Bucket Tech: Apple Event 2021

If you're a fanboy of the tech giants based in Cupertino, California, last nights Apple Event did not disappoint with the company launching a host of new devices, one of which was the highly anticipated iPhone 13. So lets jump straight into what the 13 has to offer, just like the previous model the 12, the iPhone 13 comes in four models:

• iPhone 13 mini - $699
• iPhone 13 - $799
• iPhone 13 Pro - $999
• iPhone 13 Pro Max - $1099

Some of the standard out characteristics and features on the 13 mini and normal 13 include five new colours to suit the users style and personality, of which include New Pink, New Blue, New Midnight, New Starlight and New Red which is the show stopper. The device has a ceramic shield, which makes it tougher than any smartphone glass at the moment. Screen sizes on the 13 and 13 mini measure in a 6.1" and 5.4" respectively and are Super Retina XDR display. The new flat-edge design of the devices make it more durable and robust than previous generation phones from the brand and also they are water resistant. Apple redesigned the camera lens architecture on these devices to make the housing of the lens at a similar size to the previous generation but adding a larger lens, this was achieved by arranging the lens in a 45 degree to fin in. This camera system with its biggest Wide camera sensor also includes a sensor-shift optical image stabilization. The Ultra Wide camera also features a faster sensor helping you focus on the subject more quicker than ever. On the video side of things, the camera has a cinematic model which automatically creator beautiful depth effects and focus transitions.

Taking a quick look at the big boys, the Pro and Pro Max, Apply have gone all out with these two, in keeping with the design from the smaller two 13's, the Pro and Pro Max come in four colour variants, namely Sierra Blue, Silver, Gold and Graphite. The Pro and Pro Max are both manufacturer from Surgical-grade stainless steel which can be seen on the side profile of the device, giving it that more elegant and modern feel to it. Both devices also get the Ceramic Shield Apple claim is tougher than any smartphone glass on the market this protects a custom OLED screen that is 25% brighter outdoors. . The Pro and Pro Max are also both IP68 rated, which makes it dust and water resistant. The camera system on the devices have received the biggest upgrade ever, with next-level hardware that captures so much more detail. With this in mind, the Macro photography has been enhanced thanks to its redesigned lens and powerful autofocus system, with the new Ultra Wide camera focusing on a subject at just 2 cm, making even the smallest details seem epic. With the new camera ,they've also highly focused a lot on low light, with the wider aperture and the large sensor, it leverages the LiDAR Scanner for Night mode portraits, additionally the Telephoto camera now benefits from night mode as well, it features a 77mm focal length and 3x optical zoom which Apple say is great for classic portraiture or shooting clearer photos and videos from far away. It also has the Cinematic video feature which can be recorded with the Wide, Telephoto or TruDepth camera. Cinematic mode in the Pro and Pro Max supports Dolby Vision HDR. There's a lot more features to the camera with multiple photographic styles on hand to try and master. They also made it much more easier to edit photos and videos using their own built-in apps and don't worry about storage limitations and as the iPhon3 Pro is the first iPhone with 1TB or storage!

All devices are powered by Apples new A15 chipset which is a 5-core GPU which delivers up to 50% faster graphics performance than any other smartphone chip. The new CPU performance and efficient cores powe through complex tasks and preserve battery life. Overall the GPU is 30% faster than anything else on the market and is capable of running 15.8 trillion operations per second. All iPhone 13 models will be run on iOS 15 which will be available as a free software update from Monday, September 20th for all iOS users. Devices will be available locally from 8th October, local pricing yet to be announced.