📱 iPhone 17 lineup revealed, including the brand-new iPhone Air – Apple’s thinnest phone ever
⌚ Entire Apple Watch family updated with new health tools, all powered by last year’s S10 chip
🎧 AirPods Pro 3 debut with better noise cancelation, heart-rate tracking, and live translation
Apple’s September showcase has wrapped, headlined by the iPhone 17 series and the debut of iPhone Air – a new ultra-thin model that reshapes Apple’s smartphone lineup to look more like the iPad and MacBook ranges. Alongside that, we saw big updates to Apple Watch and AirPods.
If you missed the live stream, don’t worry – we’ve pulled out the key announcements so you can get up to speed in minutes.
iPhone 17
The standard iPhone 17 doesn’t look wildly different but brings some long-awaited upgrades. The 6.3-inch display now supports ProMotion’s 120Hz refresh rate, once exclusive to the Pro models. The new A19 chip ensures a big performance bump, with battery life stretched by eight more hours of video playback.
The front-facing camera gets the biggest innovation: a new square sensor that enables Center Stage-style framing for selfies and calls, without the need to rotate your phone. Around the back, there’s a dual-lens setup with a 48MP Fusion main and 12MP macro camera. Ceramic Shield 2, with three times the scratch resistance of last year’s cover glass, keeps it all protected.
iPhone Air
Apple’s newest iPhone entry feels like the star of the show. At just 5.6mm thin, it’s the thinnest iPhone ever made – but Apple insists it’s also the most durable, thanks to its titanium frame and upgraded Ceramic Shield. To save space, the Air ditches the physical SIM tray entirely, going all-in on eSIM.
Despite sporting only a single visible lens on its full-width “plateau” camera ridge, that camera system promises the flexibility of a dual-lens setup. The 48MP Fusion lens offers four focal lengths, an optical-quality 2x zoom, and next-gen portrait depth mapping on par with multi-camera systems. In short: it aims to do almost everything the regular iPhone 17’s two-lens array can manage, but in a sleeker form factor.
It also carries the same A19 Pro chip as the Pro models, plus Apple’s new N1 and C1X chips for more reliable hotspot and AirDrop performance. This is Apple trying to carve out a new category – an iPhone that prioritizes portability and design while still holding its own on power and features.
iPhone 17 Pro / Pro Max
The Pro models once again pack the biggest punch. Their new anodized aluminum unibody integrates a vapor chamber for better heat management and houses the largest iPhone battery ever – up to 39 hours of video playback.
The triple-lens camera array is a true step above the rest of the lineup, offering the equivalent of eight pro lenses including an 8x telephoto zoom. For filmmakers, ProRes RAW and Apple Log 2 support make these devices pocket-sized production rigs. With the A19 Pro chip running the show, this is the option for enthusiasts and professionals who want every possible tool at their fingertips.
Apple Watch Series 11, SE 3, and Ultra 3
Apple Watch Series 11 continues the company’s health push, introducing alerts for hypertension – the so-called “silent killer” – plus a new sleep score metric to track rest quality. It’s tougher, longer-lasting, and ships with watchOS 26, which adds gestures, AI-powered coaching, and fresh faces.
The entry-level SE 3 is arguably the biggest winner of the bunch. For the first time, Apple hasn’t released a new chip alongside a Watch, meaning the whole lineup runs on last year’s S10 chip. That’s a huge leap for the SE, which jumps from the older S8 straight to parity with its premium siblings, while also gaining an Always-On display and modern gestures like double-tap and wrist flick.
Rounding out the lineup is Ultra 3, Apple’s adventure watch. It boasts the largest screen yet, built-in satellite communications, 42–72 hours of battery life, and the same new health and sleep features as its smaller siblings. It remains Apple’s most rugged, most versatile watch.
AirPods Pro 3
The third-generation AirPods Pro double down on noise cancelation, cutting twice as much background sound as before. They’ve been ergonomically reworked to fit more securely, especially during workouts.
For the first time, AirPods can also measure heart rate and track workouts via the iPhone’s Fitness app, while Live Translation turns them into a handy travel tool for real-time conversations across languages.
Pricing and availability
All new iPhones now start at 256GB storage. Prices begin at $799 for iPhone 17, $999 for iPhone 17 Air, and $1,099/$1,199 for the iPhone 17 Pro/Pro Max. The iPhone 16e remains in the lineup at $599.
Apple Watch Series 11 starts at $399, SE 3 at $249, and Ultra 3 at $799. AirPods Pro 3 are $249.
Pre-orders for all the new devices open Friday, September 12, with shipping from September 19.