Apple
has largely stuck with the same iPhone design since the iPhone 11
debuted in 2019, but change is afoot in Cupertino. While the iPhone 17
may resemble iPhones of the past few years, there's an entirely new
camera layout for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Also, there's a brand-new
iPhone! The iPhone Air replaces what was supposed to be the iPhone 17
Plus. It, too, features a new look, and it's the thinnest iPhone Apple
has ever made.
The changes on the standard iPhone 17—typically
Apple's most popular iPhone model—aren't as drastic. The company
announced the new handsets alongside new Apple Watches and AirPods Pro
at its annual September event at the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple Park in
Cupertino, California
Preorders are available on Friday, with
the iPhone 17 starting at $799, the iPhone Air costing $999, and the
iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max seeing an increase to $1,099 and $1,199. The
iPhone Air is eSIM only globally, and more iPhone models than ever have
eSIM-only versions around the world. Here's everything you need to know.
The iPhone Air
Apple's
iPhone Air is joining a slew of other phones that launched in 2025 that
tout incredible thinness, like the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge and the
Honor Magic V5. It's 5.6-mm thick—an incredible feat, as that's even
thinner than Samsung's handset and a 2.65-mm drop from the iPhone 16
Pro.
Preorders are available on Friday, with the iPhone 17 starting at $799, the iPhone Air costing $999, and the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max seeing an increase to $1,099 and $1,199. The iPhone Air is eSIM only globally, and more iPhone models than ever have eSIM-only versions around the world. Here's everything you need to know.
The iPhone Air
Apple's iPhone Air is joining a slew of other phones that launched in 2025 that tout incredible thinness, like the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge and the Honor Magic V5. It's 5.6-mm thick—an incredible feat, as that's even thinner than Samsung's handset and a 2.65-mm drop from the iPhone 16 Pro.
The highlight of these phones is the telephoto camera, which now has a 48-megapixel sensor, matching the ultrawide and main camera. That bump in megapixel count means more detailed photographs, but it also debuts a new zoom level: 4X optical zoom. That is technically a downgrade from 5X optical zoom on prior Pro models, but Apple says this camera can achieve 8X optical-like zoom. You can now digital zoom up to 40X too.
We've seen phones with higher zoom before, like 10X optical zoom on Samsung's Galaxy S23 Ultra. Google and Samsung's flagships top out at 5X, and both can hit up to 100X zoom with AI enhancements.
Apple's Pro models can now shoot in ProRes RAW, with a few new capabilities catered to filmmakers, like Genlock support. These phones are powered by the A19 Pro chip, but they have one extra GPU core over the A19 Pro in the iPhone Air. Apple says this A19 Pro is 40 percent faster than the A18 Pro on the iPhone 16 Pro. The latest Pro models also start with 256 GB of storage. They do not use Apple's own modem, which means these devices support both types of 5G connectivity, but they do feature the N1 wireless networking chip.
The iPhone 17
| Specs: iPhone 17 | iPhone Air | iPhone 17 Pro | iPhone 17 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display: 6.3 inch, 120 Hz, OLED, 3,000 nits (peak), always-on display, anti-reflective coating | 6.5 inch, 120 Hz, OLED, 3,000 nits (peak), always-on display, anti-reflective coating | 6.3 inch, 120 Hz, OLED, 3,000 nits (peak), always-on display, anti-reflective coating | 6.9 inch, 120 Hz, OLED, 3,000 nits (peak), always-on display, anti-reflective display |
| Processor: A19 (5-core GPU) | A19 Pro (5-core GPU) | A19 Pro (6-core GPU) | A19 Pro (6-core GPU) |
| Storage: 256 or 512 GB | 256, 512 GB, 1 TB | 256, 512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB | 256, 512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB |
| Cameras: 48-MP main camera, 48-MP ultrawide with Macro, 18-MP front camera | 48-MP main camera, 18-MP front camera | 48-MP Fusion camera, 48-MP ultrawide with Macro, 48-MP telephoto with 8X zoom, 18-MP front camera | 48-MP Fusion camera, 48-MP ultrawide with Macro, 48-MP telephoto with 8X zoom, 18-MP front camera |
| USB-C speeds: USB 2, up to 480 Mb/s | USB 2, up to 480 Mb/s | USB 3, up to 10 Gb/s | USB 3, up to 10 Gb/s |
| Colors: Lavender, Mist Blue, Black, White, Sage | Space Black, Cloud White, Light Gold, Sky Blue | Silver, Deep Blue, Cosmic Orange | Silver, Deep Blue, Cosmic Orange |
| Material: Aluminum and Ceramic Shield 2 on front | Titanium, Ceramic Shield 2 on front, Ceramic Shield on back | Aluminum, Ceramic Shield 2 on front, Ceramic Shield on back | Aluminum, Ceramic Shield 2 on front, Ceramic Shield on back |
| Thickness: 7.95 mm | 5.64 mm | 8.75 mm | 8.75 mm |
| Extras: Qi2 25W (MagSafe) wireless charging, Face ID, Dynamic Island, Ultra Wideband (2nd Gen), IP68, N1 networking chip, Dual Capture | Qi2 20W (MagSafe) wireless charging, Face ID, Dynamic Island, Ultra Wideband (2nd Gen), IP68, N1 networking chip, Apple C1X modem, Dual Capture | Qi2 25W (MagSafe) wireless charging, Face ID, Dynamic Island, Ultra Wideband (2nd Gen), IP68, N1 networking chip, Vapor chamber cooling, Dual Capture | Qi2 25W (MagSafe) wireless charging, Face ID, Dynamic Island, Ultra Wideband (2nd Gen), IP68, N1 networking chip, Vapor chamber cooling, Dual Capture |
| Price: $799 | $999 | $1,099 | $1,199 |
