Apple has finally unveiled the new iPhone 17 lineup, and this year’s Apple says it has made the ‘biggest leap ever for iPhone’.
The new iPhone 17 launches with some basic but important upgrades, while the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max boast new hardware and a new look.
But the highlight of today’s event is the long-anticipated iPhone 17 Air – the first new flagship model since 2020’s iPhone Mini.
Measuring just 5.6 mm thick, the ultra-slim iPhone 17 Air is Apple’s thinnest device yet by a wide margin.
The iPhone 17 Air is a third thinner than the iPhone 16 Pro Max, and even slimmer than rival Samsung‘s 5.8mm S25 Edge.
The new device comes in four stunning colours: space black, cloud white, light gold, and sky blue, previously seen on the M4 MacBook Air.
With a 6.5-inch Pro Motion display, a lightweight titanium frame, and Apple’s latest A19 Pro chip, the iPhone 17 Air is a serious upgrade in several big ways.
However, to pack all that into the thinnest iPhone yet, Apple has had to make a few sacrifices, leaving the iPhone 17 Air lacking key features.
Apple has unveiled its thinnest device ever, the $999 iPhone 17 Air. Measuring just 5.6mm thick, the iPhone 17 Air is the first new iPhone model since the Mini in 2020
Speaking at Apple’s ‘awe dropping’ event in California, Apple CEO Tim Cook called this year’s releases the ‘biggest leap ever for iPhone’
iPhone 17 Air – $999/£999
Today’s event, billed as ‘awe dropping’, is being held at Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino, California.
Although Apple has led with the launch of the new iPhone 17, the most exciting revelation has been the reveal of the iPhone Air.
Starting at $999/£999, the iPhone Air’s price positions it between the basic iPhone 17 and the more expensive iPhone 17 Pro Max.
Although many might be tempted to pay a small amount extra for the improved hardware of the iPhone 17 Pro, Apple is gambling that the lightweight form-factor will be enough to tempt potential customers.
At just 5.5mm thick, the iPhone 17 Air is even smaller than the 6.9mm iPhone 6, which was previously the slimmest Apple device.
Despite its slim design, Apple claims that the iPhone 17 Air is ‘more durable than any previous iPhone’ thanks to the new Ceramic Shield 2 coating on the front and rear.
However, to get a device this slim, Apple has had to ditch a few features that many users may have come to expect.
The iPhone 17 Air is available in four colours: Space black, cloud white, light gold, and sky blue. Sky blue was previously used on the M4 MacBook Air
Compared to the two rear cameras on the iPhone 16, the iPhone 17 Air saves space by dropping to a single 48-megapixel ‘fusion’ camera.
Apple claims that this single camera should be able to function like ‘multiple cameras’, offering 2 times telephoto images or wide-angle shots.
On the front, the iPhone 17 Air features a brand new 18-megapixel ‘Centre Stage’ camera.
Unlike most cameras, the Centre Stage camera uses a square sensor, which means it doesn’t matter how you hold the phone while taking a selfie.
By holding the phone vertically, you can simply tap the screen to convert the aspect ratio into a landscape profile.
Using on-board AI, the camera will detect when other faces are nearby and automatically adjust the framing to get everyone in the shot.
This also allows for ‘Dual Capture Video’, letting users simultaneously record video from the front and back cameras in a single clip.
The smaller frame also means less room for battery, meaning that Apple has had to drop down to a smaller capacity.
Although Apple claims the iPhone Air will have ‘all-day battery’, concerns over the slimmer phone’s lack of battery space mean the company has also released a new MagSafe battery pack to accompany the device
Apple claims that the iPhone 17 Air still offers ‘all-day battery’ thanks to more efficient processing, but didn’t specify how long that would last.
To make up the difference, Apple has announced a new slim MagSafe battery, which can boost the iPhone 17 Air’s battery to give 40 hours of video playback.
iPhone 17 – $799/£799
Alongside the new model, Apple has also unveiled the next generation of its core product: the iPhone 17.
The iPhone 17 is available in five colours: black, lavender, mist blue, sage, and white
Despite rumours that iPhone prices would be increasing, the iPhone 17 will start from $799 (£590) just like in previous years.
However, Apple is also ditching the smaller storage option for all iPhone models – bringing the cheapest option up to 256GB.
Apple hasn’t unveiled any groundbreaking changes for their flagship smartphone, but this year’s model features some important updates.
The new iPhone 17 starts at $799 and comes in five new colours: black, lavender, mist blue, sage, and white
Most notably, the iPhone 17’s display has grown to 6.3 inches to match the iPhone 17 Pro, up from the 6.1-inch display on the iPhone 16.
That screen has finally been upgraded to feature ProMotion display previously reserved for the Pro and Pro Max options.
That boosts the iPhone 17’s display refresh rate from 60Hz to 120Hz, with a reactive refresh rate which should make a noticeable difference in everyday use.
With a peak brightness of 3,000 nits and featuring a ‘seven-layer’ anti-glare coating
The rear cameras include a new 48-megapixel ‘dual fusion’ camera system on the rear, which combines the main camera and telephoto camera.
The iPhone 17 also features a 48-megapixel fusion ultrawide camera, capable of capturing images in resolution four times higher than the camera on the iPhone 16.
On the front, the iPhone 17 Pro will get the same Centre Stage camera as the iPhone 18 Air.
iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max – $1,099/£1,099
The iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max have had a major redesign with a large camera island stretching across the top of the phone and a glass insert to support wireless charging
Apple has reserved its biggest changes for the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, both of which make big design changes from the iPhone 16.
Prices start at $1,099/£1,099 for the iPhone 17 Pro, keeping costs at the same levels as previous years.
For the first time ever, the iPhone 17 Pro Max is available with two terabytes of storage, doubling the previous biggest option.
Both the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max are available in three colours: Silver, Deep Blue, and Cosmic Orange.
The iPhone 17 Pro keeps the same 6.3-inch display as the iPhone 16 Pro, while the iPhone 17 Pro Max also maintains the same 6.9-inch display from last year’s model.
However, despite not changing size, Apple’s Pro options now have a starkly different design.
A large, rectangular camera island now stretches all the way across the top of the phone.
There is also a new cutout area in the bottom two-thirds of the device, holding a glass panel that acts as the wireless charging area.
The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max have the largest battery life of any iPhone model yet, boasting up to 39 hours of continuous video playback
Besides the new look, the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max have the biggest camera upgrades of any iPhone model this year.
In addition to the new Centre Stage front camera, all three rear cameras on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max have been increased to 48 megapixels.
That includes the telephoto lens, which is now capable of up to 8x optical zoom.
Inside, both the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max have been fitted with Apple’s latest in-house chip, the A19 Pro.
That should enable the devices to comfortably handle Apple’s increasingly demanding AI features.
Since higher-performance chips produce more heat, Apple has also included a new ‘vapour chamber’ cooling system.
This is a small space in the body of the phone filled with de-ionised water that turns into a vapour when warmed, drawing heat away from important components.
To help keep things even cooler, the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max have also ditched earlier models’ titanium construction in favour of aluminium.
To support a powerful new A19 Pro chip, the iPhone 17 Pro features a vapour cooling chamber designed to redistribute heat around the device so it always stays cool
In addition to being cheaper and lighter, aluminium is a better conductor of heat and so should help keep the devices’ powerful chips at peak performance for longer.
The iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will also have the biggest battery ever featured on an iPhone.
The new design and larger camera island, or ‘plateau’ as Apple calls it, have made more room for battery space.
That gives the iPhone 17 Pro a battery capable of supporting up to 39 hours of continuous video playback, according to Apple.
THE TRILLION DOLLAR RISE OF APPLE
1976: Founders Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne created the company on April 1 1976 as they set about selling computer kits to hobbyists, each of which was built by Wozniak.
The first product was the Apple I.
1977: Apple released the Apple II in June, which was the first PC made for the mass market.
Steve Jobs unveils Apple Computer Corporation’s new Macintosh February 6, 1984 in California.
1981: Jobs became chairman.
1984: The Macintosh was introduced during an ad break for the Super Bowl and later officially unveiled during a launch event. It was discontinued a year later and Jobs left the firm.
1987: Apple released the Macintosh II, the first colour Mac.
1997: Apple announces it will acquire NeXT software in a $400 million deal that involves Jobs returning to Apple as interim CEO. He officially took the role in 2000.
The then Chief Executive Officer of Apple, Steve Jobs, with the iPhone
2001: Apple introduced iTunes, OS X and the first-generation iPod.
The first iPod MP3 music player was released on October 23, 2001, at an event in Cupertino and was able to hold up to 1,000 songs.
2007: Apple unveils the iPhone.
2010: The first iPad was unveiled.
2011: Jobs resigned in 2011 due to illness, handing the CEO title to Tim Cook. Jobs died in October from pancreatic cancer.
2014: Apple unveiled the Apple Watch. It also unveiled its first larger iPhones – the 6 and 6 Plus.
2015: After purchasing Beats from Dr Dre, Apple launched Apple Music to compete with Spotify and other music streaming services.
2016: Apple returned to its roots and announced the 4-inch iPhone SE. Meanwhile, the firm is embroiled in a legal battle with the FBI, involving the agency demanding access to the locked phone used by Syed Farook, who died in a shootout after carrying out a deadly December attack in San Bernardino, California with his wife. The court order was dropped on March 28 after the FBI said a third party was able to unlock the device.
2017: Apple introduces the iPhone X, which removes the home button to make way for a futuristic edge-to-edge screen design and a new FaceID system that uses advanced sensors and lasers to unlock phones with just the owner’s face.
Apple CEO Steve Jobs speaks at an Apple event at Apple headquarters in Cupertino, Calif.
2018: In a first for the company, Apple introduces new features in its latest operating system, iOS 12, that encourage users to manage and spend less time on their devices. The move was spawned by a strongly worded letter from shareholders that urged the firm to address the growing problem of smartphone addiction among kids and teenagers.
2019: In January, Apple reports its first decline in revenues and profits in a decade. CEO Tim Cook partly blamed steep declines in revenue from China.
2020: In March, Apple closes all its bricks and mortar retail stores outside of China in response to coronavirus.
2021: In an online virtual event in April CEO Tim Cook declared Apple’s goal of becoming carbon neutral for Earth Day. Later in the year the iPhone 13 was announced.
2022: In September the iPhone 14 was announced. One of the new features included a new sensor to detect if a user had been in a car crash as well as an improved camera system.
2023: Apple brought back its ‘Home Pod’ after the first generation was discontinued. The ‘Home Pod’ can be seen as an alternative to Amazon’s Alexa or Google Home as it is powered by voice commands.
2024: Apple makes its first steps into artificial intelligence with the release of Apple Intelligence. The features are not all released at once with many delayed until the following year.
