BTTR Roundup #58: Apple goes "Awe"-farming with new iPhone launch

It's that time of year again, when Apple captures the full attention of all tech writers around the world to announce its annual smartphone updates.

The event itself maintained Apple's now-familiar over-produced aesthetic, a far cry from the vibrant energy of the Steve Jobs era.

But the products themselves were the real story. The iPhone Air is impressively engineered with its 5.6 mm body, but those camera trade-offs don't add up when the iPhone 17 is such value for money.

I'll dive deeper into this analysis in the paid section below.

Beyond Apple's announcements, I had the opportunity to speak about product reviews at the Influencing Live event in Sydney this week.

While the event was aimed at communications professionals, the discussion touched on principles that I believe would interest readers here, so expect several posts exploring these ideas in the coming weeks.

Until next week

–Nick

This week's new tech news

• Obviously, this week was all about Apple's announcements. Everything is up for pre-order now, with availability on 19 September.
  • Let's start with the iPhone 17. There were a couple of "finally!" moments with this one, including the fact that the starting capacity is now 256 GB and the screen has been updated to support a 120 Hz refresh rate. Apple says it can get you all-day battery life, too, in part thanks to the adaptive refresh rate. Like all the new 2025 phones, there's a new 18 MP Center Stage camera, with a square sensor, so you can take both vertical and horizontal images and video effortlessly. I've been doing a bit more on TikTok recently, so I'm super keen to check this out. The back cameras also got a boost, now including a pair of 48MP Fusion lenses: A wide and a 2x telephoto. [Read my full breakdown]
  • It was well and truly leaked, but the iPhone Air (not iPhone 17 Air, weirdly) made its debut, replacing the iPhone Plus-sized variant. It's just 5.6mm thin, which is impossibly thin – 0.2 mm thinner than the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge – though both phones are thicker than that at the camera. Speaking of, there's only a single lens, though software makes it feel like there are 4 lenses, apparently. The big catch here is that the phone is $400 more than the iPhone 17, so you're paying for that style. [Read my full breakdown]
  • I know it's overkill for my needs, but I still love the Pro family of iPhones. This year, there are some big updates to the camera, boosting all the lenses to 48MP fusion, giving you incredible detail in every shot, while a larger sensor on the telephoto lens means better low-light performance. Apple has included several pro-grade film formats, too, which most people will ignore, but are going to be great for creative videographers. [Read my full breakdown]
  • There was some disappointment (on my part at least) when Apple didn't announce the AirPods Pro 3 last year. It may have been worth the wait, though, with this year's model promising a much better fit, an in-ear heart rate monitor and live translation. Apple says they have double the noise cancellation performance of the AirPods Pro 2, and 4x the original Airpods Pro. That sounds impressive, right? [Full breakdown]
  • Probably the most underwhelming section of the presentation was the Apple Watch section, because Apple's 2025 Watch improvements are mostly about software. The Series 11 does get 2x more scratch-resistant glass and better battery life, while the Ultra 3 now offers two-way satellite communications for emergencies when you're off-grid. But the real updates come with WatchOS 26, adding "Sleep Score" tracking and "Workout Buddy" powered by Apple Intelligence for personalised fitness motivation. [Full Apple Watch breakdown]
  • Final Cut Camera 2.0 brings actual professional video features to iPhone. The free update adds ProRes RAW recording on iPhone 17 Pro models (a first for smartphones), plus genlock support for frame-accurate syncing with other cameras. It's free for existing users, which feels refreshingly un-Apple in today's subscription world. [Apple Newsroom]

• Roborock held a big launch for a range of new products this week, showing off its lineup of stick, wet/dry and robot vacuum cleaners. There are a few new models in the lineup, too:
  • The F25 wet and dry series is expanding with two models launching: the F25 Ultra, which offers 150-degree steam and 86-degree hot water cleaning and a detangling brushhead. The F25 RT is a more affordable option, which can lie flat to clean under furniture with a 12.5 cm profile and 20,000 Pa of suction power. Both offer self-cleaning functions as well. The F25 Ultra has an RRP of $1,499, while the F25 RT is $599.
  • The H60 Hub Pro was announced a few weeks back. I'm testing this one out at the moment, so stay tuned for that review.
  • The Qrevo Curv 2 Flow adds a roller mop to the popular Qrevo Curv model. The mop spins at 220 rpm, has a 270 mm wide design and can press down hard to clean stubborn stains. RRP is $2,499, and it should launch soon. [Roborock]
• Electrolux's new heat-pump dryer achieves a perfect 10-star energy rating. The 8kg UltimateCare model consumes just 98 kWh per year and is currently the cheapest 10-star dryer to run over 10 years at $554 in energy costs. It's also Woolmark Green certified for safely drying delicates without shrinkage, which is genuinely useful if you're tired of accidentally turning wool jumpers into doll clothes. [Full story]
• Fujifilm has announced a new GFX ETERNA 55 cinema camera. The 102MP camera features the world's tallest large-format sensor for filmmaking at 55mm diagonal, plus the first electronically variable ND filter for large-format sensors. If that doesn't mean much to you, join the club! But it sounds really good, doesn't it? It supports five cinema formats and can shoot 4:3 open gate at up to 48fps, with 20 Film Simulation modes. Available October 2025. [Fujifilm]
• My son is about to turn 16, so the days of me closely monitoring his gaming time are largely behind me. But the new PlayStation Parent app sure would have been useful about 8 years ago, when he was first starting to play. Still, late is better than never, and for parents of younger kids, having that control more easily accessible is a good thing. [PlayStation Blog]
• Bose has updated its flagship noise-cancelling headphones, the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen). The new pair adds wired lossless listening, improved adaptive noise cancellation, and a new Cinema Mode that spatialises audio so you can hear dialogue more clearly. Like the AirPods Max, Bose has ditched the power button, with the headphones automatically powering on when you put them on. You also get 30 hours of battery life and the ability to charge while listening. RRP $649.95. [Bose]

This week's reviews

Ninja Combi 14-in-1 review: The last kitchen appliance you’ll ever need?

Like a fine wine, my cooking skills with the 14-in-1 Ninja Combi cooker improve with age. But it can be a bit daunting to get started (not to mention challenging to clean).

BTTR ReviewsNick Broughall

This is the TV I would buy today: The best TVs in Australia

Enjoy incredible picture quality on a bigger screen with these incredible television sets for Australians.

BTTR ReviewsNick Broughall

This week's feature

The most exciting things about Dyson’s new V16 Piston Animal are the usability improvements

Dyson unveiled a whole suite of new products at IFA last week, and I got to go hands-on at a small event in Sydney. What impressed me most wasn’t the suction.

BTTR ReviewsNick Broughall

Welcome to the age of the cyclonic robot vacuum station

At IFA last week Ecovacs showed off its latest flagship vacuum, the X11 OmniCyclone, with a cyclonic, bag-free dustbin. But it wasn’t alone.

BTTR ReviewsNick Broughall

New products at BTTR HQ this week

Sony ULT Field 3 Bluetooth Speaker

This small little Bluetooth speaker is a bit of a beast in terms of bass. Much more than I expected when I first turned it on.

Thermos Icon Series

I burnt my tongue drinking coffee from the travel mug yesterday an hour after I made it. So early impressions are that they work pretty well!