Apple officially introduced the highly anticipated iPhone 17 lineup at its latest event, where AirPods Pro 3 and Apple Watch Series 11 also took the spotlight. The company once again underlined its dominance in mobile, audio, and health technologies.
Goodbye Plus, Hello Air
This year, Apple discontinued the underperforming “Plus” model and replaced it with the all-new iPhone 17 Air.
Designed to be thinner and lighter, the Air represents Apple’s push toward a more streamlined product strategy and a refreshed design language.
iPhone 17: Entry Model Gets Major Upgrades
While the iPhone 17 visually resembles the iPhone 16, it introduces key technical improvements:
- Display: 6.3-inch OLED (up from 6.1-inch)
- Refresh Rate: Now supports 120Hz ProMotion
- Rear Cameras: Dual system (48MP main + 12MP ultra-wide)
- Front Camera: Upgraded to 18MP
For the first time, the entry-level iPhone offers a display experience on par with the Pro models.
Camera Differentiation
Apple has created a clearer separation between models. The standard iPhone 17 ships with a dual-camera setup, while the Pro and Pro Max include triple 48MP cameras. The new iPhone 17 Air opts for a single 48MP rear camera. All models now feature an upgraded 18MP front-facing camera.
Powered by the A19 Chip
The entire lineup is powered by Apple’s A19 chip, built on a 3nm process.
- iPhone 17: 8GB RAM
- iPhone 17 Air, Pro, and Pro Max: 12GB RAM
This hardware boost is especially important for Apple Intelligence features, which rely heavily on on-device AI processing.
Colors and Durability
The iPhone 17 series is available in lavender, mist blue, black, white, and sage green. Thanks to the new Ceramic Shield 2, the devices are three times more resistant to scratches compared to the previous generation.
iPhone 17 Air: The Thinnest iPhone Ever
The spotlight, however, was on the iPhone 17 Air — Apple’s thinnest iPhone to date. Measuring only 5.5 mm thick and weighing 145 grams, it features a titanium-aluminum frame that combines durability with lightness. Apple described it as “so light it disappears in your hand.”
The Air model comes with a 6.6-inch OLED display, 120Hz refresh rate, ultra-slim bezels, a single 48MP rear camera, and a 2800 mAh battery. While some hardware trade-offs were made for thinness, the design is clearly targeted at modern, on-the-go users.
Launch Date
Pre-orders for the iPhone 17 lineup will begin on September 12, with general availability starting on September 19.