by Sofia Brontvein
Apple Just Upgraded Our Hustle: Meet the New Gear For Creative Power Users
9 Sept 2025
Apple’s September drop finally feels like it is designed for us — the over-caffeinated, over-creative, always-connected types who can’t afford devices that lag behind our lives.
Phones that don’t overheat, earbuds that translate, watches that protect us when we are alone in the mountains. These aren’t toys. They are survival tools dressed in aluminum and glass.
And in the desert, trust me, survival is the ultimate luxury.
AirPods Pro 3 — Your personal translator, DJ, and gym buddy
AirPods have stopped being “just headphones.” The Pro 3 version now comes with better noise cancellation, a new H3 chip, a heart-rate sensor, and — my favourite — live translation. That means no more nodding politely in international meetings while secretly panicking. Now, your earbuds do the listening and the translating, in real time.
AirPods Pro 3. Source: Apple
Battery life stretches to eight hours, which is longer than most of my meetings should ever last, and they’re water resistant enough to survive both Dubai humidity and my occasional guilt-induced gym session. Price? Around 920 AED.
For me, AirPods aren’t optional — they are survival gear. They carry me from STR music checks to podcast edits to Zoom calls with sponsors. And if they can also tell me my pulse mid-workout while blasting Japanese techno? That is just Apple showing off.
AirPods Pro 3. Source: Apple
Apple Watch SE 3 — The smartwatch without the guilt trip
If you want in on the Watch lifestyle without dropping half a rent check, the SE 3 is your entry ticket. It now has an always-on display and a faster chip, which means it actually feels smart, not like a clunky tracker pretending to be one. Perfect for everyday use, priced in the UAE as the “I can justify this to myself” model.
Think of it as the watch for people who want to know the time, their steps, and maybe a polite nudge to stand up, without a PhD in data.
Apple Watch SE 3. Source: Apple
Apple Watch Series 11 — Your health nerd friend in disguise
The Series 11 goes further: new hypertension alerts (pending approval, but still), refined sleep scoring, and full 5G support. It is basically a health-obsessed friend on your wrist — always reminding you that four espressos and five hours of sleep aren't a sustainable strategy. For those who want to feel both stylish and slightly judged at all times, it is perfect. Price sits in the middle tier, making it the balanced option.
Apple Watch Series 11. Source: Apple
Apple Watch Ultra 3 — For those who never stop (like me)
And then there is the beast: the Ultra 3. Titanium build, 42 hours of battery, 5G, satellite SOS, hypertension detection, the brightest display ever, and a screen big enough to make your wrist look like mission control.
Apple Watch Ultra 3. Source: Apple
This is my watch. I train nine hours a week — cycling in the desert heat, running when I feel masochistic, swimming when I need therapy. I need a device that can track every calorie, every hill, every nightmare workout without dying halfway through. The Ultra 3, at around 3,199 AED in the UAE, is exactly that. It isn't a gadget; it is a coach that never lets you quit.
Apple Watch Ultra 3. Source: Apple
iPhone 17 Series — Finally a phone that won’t melt in Dubai
Apple gave us four flavours this year: the featherweight iPhone 17 Air, the reliable iPhone 17, the powerhouse 17 Pro, and the indulgent 17 Pro Max. All run on the new A19 chips and wear iOS 26’s frosted “Liquid Glass” interface like couture.
iPhone 17. Source: Apple
The Air is a 5.5 mm-thin titanium whisper, almost too pretty to be useful — ideal for those who want their phone to double as an accessory at brunch. The standard 17 is the safe bet: durable, solid, with a better battery and a price around 3,399 AED that doesn’t make you choke.
iPhone 17 Air. Source: Apple
iPhone 17 Air. Source: Apple
But the real juice is in the Pro models. The 17 Pro and Pro Max are built for people like me: who shoot photos for work, edit on the go, and refuse to babysit an overheating phone during calls in the Middle East. Vapor-chamber cooling keeps it steady, triple 48MP cameras deliver 8K video that could replace your DSLR, and the Pro Max’s monster battery will outlast even my longest editorial days. Prices climb accordingly — expect 4,399 AED and beyond — but if you live by your phone (and let’s be real, I do), it is an investment in sanity.
iPhone 17 Pro. Source: Apple
For me, the 17 Pro is the sweet spot: just enough performance to handle travelling, creating, and endless WhatsApp groups, without requiring me to carry a power bank the size of a brick.
iPhone 17 Pro. Source: Apple
When and how to buy in the UAE
Pre-orders open September 19, with deliveries rolling out the following week. Expect iPhones starting at 3,399 AED, AirPods at 920 AED, Watches ranging from budget-friendly SE 3 to the 3,199 AED Ultra 3. Available across Apple Stores, Sharaf DG, Virgin, Jumbo, and every mall that thrives on our collective tech addiction.
My advice? Pre-order. Otherwise you will be fighting with resellers and explaining to your clients why you are still stuck on last year’s hardware. And honestly — if you are living the creative grind, your tools are as important as your coffee supply.
More from
LivingTechnologies
When Everything Looks Fake: AI, Instagram, And the Crisis Of Trust
From Instagram wellness to luxury branding, the overuse of AI visuals is creating fatigue, distrust, and a growing demand for authenticity
by Sofia Brontvein
3 Feb 2026
SportHealth
How Do You Make Your 2026 Fitness Goals Work?
With updated Apple Fitness+, your resolutions have all the chances to stay for long
by Dara Morgan
5 Jan 2026
RamadanTechnologies
Best Ramadan Apps & Digital Tools For Muslims In 2026
From prayer and Quran tools to fasting trackers and zakat calculators
by Sana Bun
2 Jan 2026
RamadanHeritage
How Ramadan Is Changing In the Modern Arab World: Tech, Trends & Tradition
A look at modern Ramadan trends in the Arab world
by Sana Bun
25 Dec 2025
TechnologiesNew Year
The Tech Gift Guide: Clever Gadgets They Will Actually Use
From AI-powered sport glasses to smart art pieces
by Sana Bun
14 Dec 2025
HealthSport
The Data Doesn’t Lie: Women Need To Train Differently
Wearables finally show what science always knew — female physiology has its own rules, rhythms, and performance patterns
by Sofia Brontvein
26 Nov 2025
Technologies
Top 5 Tech Trends from GITEX That Will Affect Everyday Life In GCC
From app-free parking to paperless court
by Sana Bun
2 Nov 2025