Friday October 3rd, 2025

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This week, something worse than Scratchgate, some new products on the horizon, and my (most likely final) thoughts on the iPhone 17 lineup...

Forget Scratchgate, let's talk Ringgate

There’s been a lot of noise this week about so-called “Scratchgate” with the iPhone 17 Pro models. If you’ve missed it, some early owners noticed that their devices were picking up scratches and marks more easily than expected, particularly around the stainless steel rails. The story gathered traction online, but Apple has now stepped in to clarify. According to the company, the issue isn’t with the phones themselves, but rather with the MagSafe stands used in Apple Stores. Over time, dust and dirt build up on those stands, and when demo devices are placed on them repeatedly throughout the day, they can leave marks that look like scratches. Apple has reportedly issued a staff notice instructing stores to keep those stands cleaner and to replace parts when needed. In other words, Apple believes the phones are no more prone to scratching than previous generations.

But a much more troubling story that could have implications for Apple should they ever move into the smart ring space, which has been rumoured for some years now, is the situation involving Samsung’s Galaxy Ring. A tech YouTuber, Daniel Rotar from Zone of Tech, was travelling when the battery inside his Galaxy Ring swelled up while he was wearing it. The swelling caused the ring to tighten on his finger, to the point where he was denied boarding on his flight and had to go to hospital to have it removed. Doctors eventually freed the device using a combination of ice and lubricant, but the situation was described as painful and distressing. He has since said he won’t be wearing a smart ring again.

This is not the kind of story Samsung will want getting too much attention. The Galaxy Ring is one of their newest flagship accessories, designed to take on the likes of Oura and other smart rings, and incidents like this will inevitably spark concerns about safety. Batteries expanding in consumer devices is nothing new – we’ve seen it with phones, laptops, and even some smartwatches – but the difference here is that when you’re wearing a ring, you don’t have the option to simply put it down and walk away. If it fails, it fails on your hand.

So while scratches on an iPhone may frustrate some buyers, there’s a much bigger question of safety hanging over Samsung’s latest wearable. It’s one thing for a device to pick up cosmetic marks, quite another for it to send its wearer to hospital. And if Apple is indeed exploring a future smart ring of its own, this is exactly the kind of problem they’ll need to engineer against before ever bringing such a product to market.

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PSA - Don't buy any of the following...

With October already three days in, we are still waiting to see if Apple will hold any kind of event this month. That could mean a large-scale event similar to the iPhone launch, a more low-key press briefing, or perhaps just a series of press releases and YouTube videos, as they have done before. However Apple chooses to announce them, new products are expected in October, and recent regulatory filings with the FCC have added weight to those expectations. These filings, which usually stay under wraps until launch, were made public this year, revealing several devices likely to be updated this month.

While the leaks themselves aren’t especially thrilling, they are a good reminder not to buy certain Apple products until we know what is coming. The first device expected to see an update is the iPad Pro, moving from M4 to M5. Russian YouTubers have already posted videos claiming to show the new M5 model, and their track record is solid – the same group leaked the M3 MacBook Pro a couple of years ago. Benchmark tests suggest they do indeed have the real thing. The only change appears to be the new M5 chip, with no sign of long-rumoured additions such as dual front-facing cameras. As expected, benchmarks show the M5 is significantly faster, but since the iPad remains overpowered for most users and still lacks certain pro features, it’s hard to see this as a compelling upgrade. If you already own an M4 iPad Pro, I don’t see any reason to buy the new one. But if you’re currently considering an iPad Pro, it’s worth waiting a couple of weeks to avoid buying into outdated hardware.

The MacBook Pro is also rumoured to get an update, but with a twist. Apple may only release the base model M5 MacBook Pro this year, saving the M5 Pro and M5 Max versions for 2026. This would mirror what they did with the M1 launch, when the MacBook Air, Mac Mini, and entry-level MacBook Pro all arrived first, followed by the higher-end chips later. If this happens, we can expect the MacBook Air, Mac Mini, iMac, and base model MacBook Pro all to move up to M5 this month. That makes for a fairly ordinary set of updates, but it would give Apple a stronger consumer-focused lineup heading into the Christmas season. The base MacBook Pro, in particular, appeals to many as a step up from the MacBook Air, so a refresh here makes sense.

There are also hints of new external displays. Both models reportedly carry the number 27 in their codename, suggesting these are not replacements for the 32-inch Pro Display XDR. Instead, they may be updates to the Studio Display, with one standard model and one “Studio Display Pro.” The Pro version could introduce features such as a 120Hz refresh rate and Mini-LED. This is the product I am most excited about personally. I have no immediate need to upgrade my Mac setup, but displays are the part of the system I interact with for 10 hours a day, so improvements here always get my attention.

Lastly, if you’re considering buying a Vision Pro headset, I would strongly suggest waiting. It is believed that Apple will quietly update the device this month, likely just through a press release, swapping the M2 chip for an M5. While I’ve never found the M2 Vision Pro lacking in power, it makes economic sense for Apple to unify production on their latest chips rather than continue making older ones. Rumours also suggest a redesigned strap to improve comfort, which I hope will be available to current owners as an accessory, and possibly new colours such as black or space grey. At the same time, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that Apple has scrapped development of the “Vision Air,” a lighter, cheaper version of the Vision Pro once expected in 2027. If true, this points to Apple focusing its efforts on smart glasses as the real future of wearable computing, rather than trying to shrink down a headset. And honestly, I can’t see a slimmed-down Vision Pro making me want to wear one all day either.

Two weeks with the new iPhones (an update)

Last week I mentioned that after my first week with the new iPhones, I had narrowed down my daily driver choice to either the regular-sized iPhone 17 Pro or the iPhone Air. I took both away with me last weekend when we travelled to visit family and celebrate our twins’ second birthday. It was a busy, fun weekend, with plenty of family time, cake, and chances to test the phones properly – especially the cameras, which I suspected might be the deciding factor.

Our children are early risers, up at 7am and restless by 9am, which means weekends often involve getting out of the house for fresh air. On Saturday morning we went to Wicksteed Park, close to where I grew up, and met some of my childhood friends who also have kids of a similar age. It turned out to be the perfect testing ground for both the iPhone Air and the 17 Pro.

I won’t keep you guessing – the Pro won hands down. At the time, my eSIM was in the Air, so technically it was my main phone. But the lack of a zoom lens quickly became a problem. As I tried to capture photos of the kids running around, I found myself reaching for the Pro, which I had in my coat pocket. Within minutes, the Air was sidelined and the Pro became my go-to.

I don’t take a huge number of photos of my kids, as I prefer to be present in the moment. But when I do, I like to catch natural, candid shots without them realising. The 4x and 8x zoom on the Pro makes that possible, while the Air simply cannot. For me, that’s a dealbreaker. The Pro may be heavier and its screen slightly smaller, but the usability of the camera far outweighs those drawbacks.

It’s a shame, because I really like the iPhone Air and still pick it up most days when I’m at home on Wi-Fi, where the eSIM setup isn’t relevant. But when I’m out and about, the Pro covers my needs in a way the Air just doesn’t. For that reason, I’ve decided the iPhone 17 Pro will be my main phone for the foreseeable future.

Tip of the week

Did you know, in iOS 26, when browsing items like Settings, you can now swipe anywhere on the screen to go back? Simply swipe your thumb or finger from left to right, to go back a page. Give it a try!