"The "Air" branding is meant to bring to mind other lightweight - and sometimes less expensive - Apple products like the MacBook Air and iPad Air. But it also recalls a time when smartphone makers were chasing an ever-thinner phone. In the AI era, however, it's not necessarily the device's size that matters; it's what the software it runs can do."
"At its iPhone 17 event, the company only referenced AI technology a few times: to rehash some updates announced in June at WWDC, like Visual Intelligence and its on-device models, and in some aspects of its camera upgrades, like the iPhone 17's front camera, which it calls Center Stage. The most compelling use of AI wasn't even introduced as a phone upgrade; it was the AI-powered Live Translation feature coming to Apple's AirPods 3."
"There was no mention of Siri at all, AI-powered or otherwise. Much has been made about how Apple's miscalculation on AI could negatively affect its industry standing and future success. Meanwhile, Google last month rolled out its latest release of an AI-powered Android phone with its Pixel 10, as iPhone owners still await an AI Siri that's been delayed until 2026."
Apple introduced the iPhone 17, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max, and a slimmer iPhone Air. The Air branding evokes lightweight Apple products and the thin-phone era. In the AI era, software capabilities matter more than device thinness. Apple referenced AI features sparingly, noting Visual Intelligence, on-device models, and camera enhancements such as Center Stage for the front camera. The most notable AI feature highlighted was Live Translation for AirPods 3. Siri received no mention, and an AI-enhanced Siri remains delayed until 2026. Apple has released baseline AI tools—writing aids, summarization, generative images, live translation, visual search—but lacks a robust assistant that deeply understands queries or app context. Reports indicate Apple may seek third-party technology to accelerate Siri's AI.
Read at TechCrunch
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