On September 9th Apple held their annual hardware event to announce the new iPhone lineup and more. This years event was titled “Awe Dropping” and we learned about the new iPhone 17 lineup. In this article I will breakdown the best features, specs and pricing.
iPhone 17
Apple announced four different models in the iPhone 17 lineup to be released on September 19th. The iPhone 17 models have updates including larger displays and an improved camera system, we also have the all new ultra-thin iPhone Air which replaces the plus model in the lower tier.
iPhone 17
The iPhone 17 now has a slightly larger display size of 6.3 inches which makes it closer to the Pro models. They also upgraded the display to a 120Hz ProMotion display with a ceramic shield for better scratch resistance. The base model of the lineup also received a camera upgrade with a Dual Fusion 48MP rear camera system and a new Center Stage front camera. This phone is powered by the new A19 chip. The iPhone 17 is available in Black, White, Mist Blue, Sage and Lavender. It comes in two different storage configurations 256GB and 512GB with a starting price of $799.
iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max
The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max replaced the titanium band around the screen with an aluminum band to maximize performance, battery life and durability. There is a design change in the Pro and Pro Max models on the back of the phone, you now have a rectangular bar that extends across the back with the three cameras on the left and the flash, light sensor and microphone on the far right. The rear cameras also got an upgrade with all three cameras now being 48MP Fusion cameras and the longest ever zoom on an iPhone, an 8X telephoto 200mm. Both models also feature the A19 Pro chip. Both models feature a Super Retina XDR display while the Pro has a 6.3” display and the Pro Max has a 6.9” display. Both models come in Silver, Cosmic Orange and Deep Blue. They both have a base storage capacity of 256GB and can be upgraded to 512GB or 1TB with the Pro Max adding a 2TB model. The Pro has a starting price of $1099 while the Pro Max starts at $1199.
iPhone Air
The biggest announcement was the introduction of the all new iPhone Air. This is Apple’s thinnest iPhone ever at just 5.6mm. However, this phone still has the power you expect from an iPhone. Inside is the A19 Pro chip, the same chip found in the Pro models, allowing you to easily run Apple Intelligence features. It has a 48MP Fusion Main camera and a 18MP Center Stage front camera. The display is a 6.5” Super Retina XDR with 120Hz ProMotion and a Ceramic Shield 2 front. It does have the action button, but due to its thinness it does not feature the camera control button and is eSIM only. The iPhone Air replaces the Max model from the non Pro lineup. It comes in Space Black, Cloud White, Light Gold and Sky Blue. The storage capacities available are 256GB, 512GB and 1TB. The all new iPhone Air starts at $999
Summary
Apple has changed up the lineup for the first time in a while with the new Air model. Let’s see how popular that is and if they stick with it in the future. Other than that we did not see many major upgrades this year, except for the usual camera upgrades and faster chips. All these new models will be available starting September 19th and will ship with the all new iOS 26
