Top Stories: iPhone 17 Air Rumors, Apple's Siri Problem, and More

With a bit of a lull in Apple product news following the launches of the latest Mac, iPad, and iPhone updates for early 2025, attention is turning back to rumors about other upcoming products with the all-new "iPhone 17 Air" for later this year and even next year's iPhone 18 Pro seeing some recent rumors.

top stories 2025 03 22
Apple is also still getting attention for its delay announcement around the forthcoming Siri update based on Apple Intelligence, with the company seeking to generate some fresh energy for the project by bringing in new leadership, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more!

Ultra-Thin 'iPhone 17 Air' Rumored to Include These 12 Features

Rumors and leaks indicate we're getting a new iPhone model this year, with an "iPhone 17 Air" replacing the Plus model that's been in the lineup for past several years and coming in at around the same $899 starting price point.

iPhone 17 Air Size Feature
While the device is expected to have an impressively thin and light design, rumors suggest it will have some compromises compared to iPhone 17 Pro models, including only a single rear camera, a single speaker, and an A19 chip instead of a more powerful A19 Pro chip.

The iPhone 17 Air will reportedly include a 6.6-inch display, and while Apple reportedly prototyped a larger model with a 6.9-inch screen, the company is said to have decided against it due to concerns over an ultra-thin form factor at that size being susceptible to bending.

Vision Pro Creator Taking Over Siri After Apple Intelligence Setbacks

Fallout from delays to a Siri revamp powered by Apple Intelligence and subsequent criticisms of some of the company's actions continues to mount, with Apple moving to shift responsibility for Siri from its AI chief John Giannandrea to former Vision Pro boss Mike Rockwell in an effort to shake things up.

Sad Siri Feature
The move comes as the current version of Siri is under renewed criticism for its difficulties handling even some of the most basic queries. Prominent industry analyst Benedict Evans wonders if the Apple Intelligence issues and the push to bring Vision Pro to market are a sign of Apple experiencing a "Vista-like drift into systemically poor execution" similar to what Microsoft went through with Windows nearly 20 years ago.

Report: Apple TV+ Losing $1 Billion Annually as Apple Services Falter

Apple is known to have been investing large sums of money into Apple TV+ in an effort to expand its services business, but it's never been revealed how well the service is performing for Apple.

Apple TV Plus Feature 2 Warm
A new report from The Information claims that Apple TV+ has around 45 million subscribers worldwide, making it a small player in the streaming video market, and that the service is losing roughly $1 billion per year.

Apple has reportedly been trying to tighten up the purse strings a bit to move closer to breaking even on Apple TV+, but it's not the only Apple service that's not exactly pulling its weight in the high-margin services sector, as Apple Music interest seems to be plateauing while Apple News+, Apple Arcade, and Apple Fitness+ are also not seeing significant growth.

Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro Already Rumored to Have Five New Features

We're still nearly six months away from the official unveiling of the iPhone 17 lineup, but that doesn't mean the rumor mill isn't already looking beyond to the 2026 models.

iphone 16 pro ghost hand
For Apple's high-end iPhone 18 Pro models, rumors have suggested we could see under-display Face ID for a much smaller Dynamic Island, a variable aperture main camera, Apple's next-generation C2 cellular modem, and an A20 chip with upgrades to benefit Apple Intelligence.

Apple's First Foldable iPhone Estimated to Cost Nearly Twice as Much as iPhone 16 Pro Max

Apple has been rumored to be working on several foldable devices, with a foldable iPhone potentially being the first one out the door in late 2026 or early 2027. Based on supply chain checks, Barclays analyst Tim Long believes the device could start at around $2,300, representing a huge premium over Apple's traditional flagship phones.

Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Iridescent Search
A larger foldable device may not be far behind, but will it be considered a Mac or an iPad? It may largely come down to whether its operating system is built off of iPadOS or macOS, with analyst Jeff Pu believing it will be a flavor of macOS.

MacRumors Newsletter

Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.

So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!

Popular Stories

iCloud General Feature Redux

iPhone Users Who Pay for iCloud Storage Receive a New Perk

Thursday March 20, 2025 12:01 am PDT by
If you pay for iCloud storage on your iPhone, Apple has a new perk for you, at no additional cost. The new perk is the ability to create invitations in the Apple Invites app for the iPhone, which launched in the App Store last month. In the Apple Invites app, iCloud+ subscribers can create invitations for any occasion, such as birthday parties, graduations, baby showers, and more. Anyone ...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro teal 1

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Coming to These 8 U.S. States, But Rollout Remains Slow

Wednesday March 19, 2025 6:55 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly. It has been three and a half years since Apple first announced the...
Generic iOS 19 Feature Mock

iOS 19 Coming in June With These New Features

Thursday March 20, 2025 2:04 pm PDT by
While the first iOS 19 beta is still more than two months away, there are already plenty of rumors about the upcoming software update. Below, we recap the key iOS 19 rumors so far. visionOS-Like Design In January, the YouTube channel Front Page Tech revealed a redesigned Camera app that is allegedly planned for iOS 19. According to Front Page Tech host Jon Prosser, the Camera app...
Windows Vista

Apple Might Be Having Its Windows Vista Moment, Says Analyst

Thursday March 20, 2025 6:52 am PDT by
Is Apple experiencing a "Vista-like drift into systemically poor execution?" That was a question posed by well-known technology analyst Benedict Evans, in a recent blog post covering Apple's innovation and execution, or seemingly lack thereof as of late. He is referring to Microsoft's Windows Vista operating system, which was widely criticized when it launched in 2007 due to software bugs,...
iPhone 17 Air Fanned Feature

First iPhone 17 Air Case Has Camera Bar, Camera Control Button Cutouts

Wednesday March 19, 2025 5:29 am PDT by
Serial leaker Sonny Dickson today shared an image of what he claims is a first look at a third-party case for Apple's iPhone 17 Air. "If you didn’t know an Air was coming, you'd swear it was a Google Pixel case," he said. Case manufacturers often obtain design specifications of upcoming iPhone models before their release by collaborating with Apple through official partnerships or...
iPhone 17 Pro Render Front Page Tech

Latest iPhone 17 Pro Dummies Highlight Apple's New Part-Glass Design

Thursday March 20, 2025 5:27 am PDT by
Seasoned leaker Sonny Dickson has shared more dummy models of Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 series, with the latest lot revealing a noticeable shift in Apple's iPhone Pro model design that goes beyond the much-talked-about new rear camera bar. Dickson points out that the iPhone 17 Pro dummy models feature an outlined area on the back, beginning just below the camera module and extending to the...
iphone 16 pro ghost hand

Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro Already Rumored to Have Five New Features

Tuesday March 18, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
While the iPhone 18 Pro models are still around a year and a half away from launching, there are already some early rumors about the devices. Below, we recap some key iPhone 18 Pro rumors so far. Under-Screen Face ID In April 2023, display industry analyst Ross Young shared a roadmap showing that iPhone 17 Pro models would feature under-display Face ID. In May 2024, however, Young said ...
Generic iOS 19 Feature Mock

iOS 19 and iOS 20 Must Include a Long List of Major Changes, EU Says

Wednesday March 19, 2025 10:26 am PDT by
The European Commission today announced a long list of changes that Apple is legally required to implement in future iOS 19 and iOS 20 updates. The announcement clarifies interoperability requirements that Apple is required to adhere to in the EU, under the Digital Markets Act, which has been fully enforced since March 2024. The changes will further open up the iPhone and its technologies to ...
airpods pro 2 gradient

AirPods Pro 3 Launch Now Just Months Away: Here's What We Know

Tuesday March 18, 2025 9:13 am PDT by
Despite being released over two years ago, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 continue to dominate the wireless earbud market. However, with the AirPods Pro 3 expected to launch in 2025, anyone thinking of buying Apple's premium earbuds may be wondering if the next generation is worth holding out for. Apart from their audio and noise-canceling performance, which are generally regarded as excellent for...