September 10, 2025 · 24-Hour AI Briefing: Apple Unveils the Thinnest iPhone Ever, Oracle Secures $455B in Contract Backlog, Arm Launches Offline AI Architecture
In the past 24 hours, the AI and tech industries have seen another wave of major developments. From Apple’s latest hardware launch, to Oracle’s record-breaking contract backlog, to Arm’s new AI-focused chip architecture, the competitive landscape of AI continues to accelerate. Here are the three most important updates:
1. Apple launches iPhone 17 series and iPhone Air with multiple new devices
Apple introduced the all-new iPhone 17 series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch Series 11/SE3/Ultra 3, and AirPods Pro 3.
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The standard iPhone 17 starts at $799, featuring the largest front camera sensor ever.
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iPhone 17 Pro starts at $1,099, while the Max begins at $1,199, powered by the A19 Pro chip and Apple’s most advanced camera system, with professional video recording features.
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iPhone Air is only 5.6mm thick, the thinnest iPhone ever. It integrates the A19 Pro chip, Apple’s self-developed N1 Bluetooth chip, and C1X modem, promising “all-day battery life.”
Analysis: The highlight of this event was the full integration of Apple Intelligence. iOS 26 brings real-time translation and personalized interactions; meanwhile, Apple Watch and AirPods Pro 3 leverage AI algorithms to enhance health monitoring, including blood pressure and heart rate data analysis. Notably, Apple Intelligence will launch in China in 2025, with Alibaba and Baidu as initial partners.
The most eye-catching reveal was the ultra-thin iPhone Air paired with the A19 Pro chip. Yet the capital markets remained unimpressed—on September 9, Apple’s stock closed down more than 1%.
2. Oracle reveals $455B contract backlog with OpenAI, xAI, Meta as clients
Oracle disclosed a staggering $455 billion in contract backlog, with $317 billion added in just the first quarter. Clients include leading AI companies such as OpenAI, xAI, and Meta. Chairman and CTO Larry Ellison emphasized that AI inference will “far exceed” training in scale, outlining Oracle’s strategy to dominate the inference market with its “AI Database.”
Analysis: A $455 billion contract backlog is explosive news, and most of these agreements are multi-year cloud service deals, expected to generate tens of billions in stable revenue. Oracle is rapidly evolving from a database specialist into an AI powerhouse. Its Autonomous Database deeply integrates with generative AI, enabling vector search, low-latency queries, and real-time processing—hailed as a “killer product.”
However, Oracle also plans to spend tens of billions over the coming years on data centers and GPU clusters, a heavy capital burden. While this may weigh on near-term profits, the long-term potential is undeniable.
3. Arm launches Lumex architecture, designed for offline AI functionality
Arm Holdings unveiled a new mobile chip design called “Lumex,” optimized for artificial intelligence. The architecture supports offline AI operations on smartphones and wearables, with four variants ranging from ultra-efficient designs for smartwatches to high-performance models for flagship devices.
Analysis: Lumex’s biggest breakthrough is offline AI inference. By enabling on-device AI without relying on the cloud, it reduces latency and strengthens privacy. This aligns closely with Apple’s localized AI strategy. Still, Arm has not clarified whether Lumex can support complex model training on-device, which could limit its flexibility for generative AI applications.
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