Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Lineup, Including Ultra-Thin iPhone Air

ace · September 9, 2025, 9:18pm

Originally published at: Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Lineup, Including Ultra-Thin iPhone Air - TidBITS

At its September 2025 “Awe Dropping” event, Apple announced its latest iPhone lineup, starting with a notably improved iPhone 17 and including a much-rumored new model: the ultra-thin iPhone Air. The company also unveiled redesigned iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models featuring a new 48-megapixel Telephoto camera and aluminum unibody construction for improved thermal performance. All three models now start with 256 GB of storage.

The iPhone 16e ($599), iPhone 16 ($699), and iPhone 16 Plus ($799) continue to provide lower-cost options for those for whom the $799, $999, or $1099 starting prices of the new iPhone models are too high.

Pre-orders for the new iPhone 17 models started at 5 AM Pacific on Friday, 12 September 2025, and they’ll become available on 19 September 2025.

iPhone 17

The standard iPhone 17 builds on last year’s model with worthwhile improvements to its display, camera system, processing capabilities, and durability:

Larger 6.3-inch display: Apple increased the screen size slightly and thinned the bezels, while adding ProMotion adaptive refresh up to 120 Hz and always-on functionality. The display can scale its refresh rate down to 1 Hz to preserve battery life, and at 3000 nits, it’s the brightest iPhone display yet.
48-megapixel Dual Fusion camera system: The iPhone 17 now features a dual 48-megapixel Fusion system, anchored by a main camera that enables a 12-megapixel 2x telephoto. A new 48-megapixel ultra-wide camera quadruples the resolution over the iPhone 16’s ultra-wide camera, offering more detail in landscapes and macro shots.
Center Stage front camera: Powered by a new square sensor that offers a wider field of view, the iPhone 17’s new selfie camera can automatically reframe shots to keep multiple people in view without rotating the phone. The 18-megapixel sensor also promises higher-resolution photos and stabilized video.
A19 chip: Apple’s latest processor boosts CPU and GPU performance, increases memory bandwidth, and accelerates Apple Intelligence tasks. While I never want to mock performance advances, I can’t remember the last time any iPhone has felt slow. Then again, I don’t play games, which are presumably the main apps that stress the processor.
Higher scratch resistance: Apple claims that its new Ceramic Shield 2 coating delivers three times better scratch resistance. Although I presume Apple has data to back up that claim, it feels irrelevant—you’ll only know if some incident causes a scratch, not what might have happened but didn’t.

The iPhone 17 comes in five colors (black, white, mist blue, sage, and lavender), starting at $799 for 256 GB of storage.

iPhone Air

Although heavily rumored ahead of the event, the iPhone Air still wowed audiences as Apple’s thinnest iPhone ever at just 5.6 mm. At 165 grams, it’s relatively light, though not as light as many previous smaller iPhones. Although those specs imply improved portability, the iPhone Air’s 6.5-inch display makes it taller and wider than both the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro. Its notable features include:

Ultra-thin titanium design: To deliver a thin, lightweight device designed to be highly durable, Apple gave it a titanium frame and used Ceramic Shield 2 on the front and Ceramic Shield on the back. We’ll see how it holds up in practice—it will be a bad look for Apple if it turns out to flex under pocket pressure.

Redesigned internal architecture: Apple introduced a new “plateau” design—a reimagined, wider camera bump that houses many of the iPhone Air’s core components while maintaining a more balanced feel than traditional camera bumps. This architectural change allowed Apple to maximize battery space in the body and claim “all-day” battery life, though its video playback time still falls 3 hours short of the standard iPhone 17’s 30-hour rating. (As always, Apple’s battery life estimates are worthwhile only for comparative purposes.)
48-megapixel Fusion camera: The iPhone Air’s single 48-megapixel Fusion camera is a notable compromise compared to the dual and triple Fusion camera systems in the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro. You’ll lose the capabilities provided by the Ultra Wide and Telephoto cameras.
New N1 and C1X communication chips: A new N1 wireless networking chip delivers Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread networking support, while the updated C1X cellular modem promises twice the speed and 30% better power efficiency compared to the C1 chip Apple introduced in the iPhone 16e. Apple used the N1 in the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro too, but reserved the C1X for the iPhone Air.

The iPhone Air comes in four finishes (space black, cloud white, light gold, and sky blue), starting at $999 for 256 GB. Apple also introduced a slim MagSafe battery pack that extends the video playback spec to 40 hours, along with a clear case and a bumper case, plus a new cross-body strap that works with the cases.

iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max

As usual, the iPhone 17 Pro models are where Apple flexes its camera technology, making them the choice for serious photographers and videographers. Changes aimed at that audience include:

Aluminum unibody: Moving away from last year’s titanium, the new aluminum unibody design provides better thermal conductivity while increasing the weight by only 7 grams. Apple even added a vapor chamber to improve heat dissipation, so if you break an iPhone 17 Pro open—which is probably extremely difficult—it would be wet inside.
A19 Pro chip: The iPhone 17 Pro features the new A19 Pro chip, which incorporates neural accelerators into each GPU core and leverages the improved thermal design for consistent high performance. You may notice if you’re doing serious video work.
Triple 48-megapixel camera system: All three rear cameras—housed in the “plateau”—now feature 48-megapixel sensors. The new 48-megapixel Telephoto camera uses a tetraprism design to provide both 4x zoom with 48-megapixel shots and 8x cropped zoom with 12-megapixel images.
Pro video features: ProRes RAW capture and Genlock synchronization support make the iPhone 17 Pro more suitable for professional filmmakers.

The iPhone Pro models come in three anodized aluminum colors: silver, deep blue, and a cosmic orange that’s the boldest iPhone Pro color ever. The iPhone 17 Pro starts at $1099 for 256 GB, while the iPhone 17 Pro Max starts at $1199 and is now available with a 2 TB storage option.

Upgrade Decisions

In the last two years, I have felt as though the base‑level iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 were the most compelling upgrades for most people. That remains true again this year. The $799 iPhone 17 is the easy choice for most people looking to upgrade, with a larger, better screen, increased durability, improved front and rear cameras, more base-level storage, and faster charging.

The $999 iPhone Air occupies an awkward slot in the lineup. It’s thin and light, but it’s also taller and wider than its siblings and has the weakest camera system. It’s hard to recommend paying $200 more for a phone that’s less capable than the iPhone 17, and easy to justify $100 more for an iPhone 17 Pro. Unfortunately, it seems as though the iPhone Air is primarily aimed at those for whom form trumps function. I’d rather see Apple refocus its efforts on a smaller iPhone rather than making one that’s even larger yet.

The iPhone 17 Pro continues to be aimed at professional photographers and videographers. The shift to aluminum frames and focus on thermal performance makes sense given that my iPhone 16 Pro could get pretty hot, and I seldom do anything that would tax its performance. I’m sure creative professionals push it much harder. Given the level to which the iPhone 17 continues to catch up with the iPhone 17 Pro, it’s hard to recommend the Pro models to anyone who doesn’t know exactly how they’ll take advantage of their advanced specs.

All that said, I also think that there’s little need for most people to upgrade from an iPhone 15 or iPhone 16—the changes, while welcome, aren’t that significant. Once you get back to the iPhone 13 or iPhone 14, however, the camera and performance improvements, not to mention the longer runtime from a new battery, become more compelling.

Personally, since I’m much more interested in macro photography than higher zoom levels, I dropped down from the iPhone 16 Pro to the iPhone 17 and saved $300. I think its new 48-megapixel Ultra Wide camera will provide the same level of macro capabilities that I’m used to in the iPhone 16 Pro (see “Understanding the iPhone 16 Pro’s 48-Megapixel Macro Photography… and Reverting to 12-Megapixel Shots,” 4 October 2024), and the iPhone 17 Pro’s new 48-megapixel Telephoto camera won’t help at all in that category. It’s just too bad that the iPhone 17 colors are so weak.

Where do you come down on the upgrade decision?

mpainesyd · September 9, 2025, 9:34pm

“I’d rather see Apple refocus its efforts on a smaller iPhone rather than making one that’s even larger yet…”
I agree. There is a need to return to the original iPhone concept of a compact phone with useful extra features. The current models are more like a small tablet that also functions as a phone.

ddmiller · September 9, 2025, 9:58pm

I’d love a smaller phone, too, but Apple tried that for two years and too few people bought them.

Based on rumors, it seems obvious to me that this Air is a precursor / test run for a foldable phone next year, which will need two thin halves in order to not be too thick.

direct · September 9, 2025, 10:22pm

Is there data to back this claim up? My impression has always been that the SE line was incredibly popular. I think Apple killed this form factor because they want to stop supporting smaller screens, not because the form factor was unpopular.

I still haven’t upgraded my SE, and I remain unsure what I’ll go to when I do.

direct · September 9, 2025, 10:25pm

It occurred to me after posting that you might be talking about the “mini” line of phones, which were in fact unpopular. I think Apple shot itself in the foot with this line in a number of ways. But bear in mind the SE was out there as on option the whole time the Minis were on the market.

silbey · September 9, 2025, 10:46pm

I think that ship has sailed.

I think this Apple follows the money and if the smaller form factor was selling, they’d go with it. They’re not; it’s not.

(I realize this will never convince the mini-ride-or-die contingent)

josehill · September 9, 2025, 10:55pm

I’d love to know the actual numbers on that, whether in units sold or, more importantly, profitability. I’d expect that they were able to turn on a profit on the minis and SEs, even if it wasn’t enough to give Apple’s shareholders the margins they are looking for. I doubt the issue is that they didn’t sell; the issue is that they didn’t sell enough to meet their targets. My 13 mini remains a great phone.

(I realize that Apple doesn’t break out its numbers that way.)

Simon · September 9, 2025, 11:19pm

I’d also prefer focus put on a smaller device, not just thinner. That said, I do like that the Air emphasizes great screen and lighter weight while remaining humble when it comes to cameras. In the past, Apple forced folks who wanted a great screen to go Pro and thus incur the size and weight penalty that comes from a truck of a camera array. The Air now gives people a great screen without forcing camera overkill. With my photo skills I’m sure an Air or 16e would easily suffice. The 16e was dismissed for having just a single camera, but I have little doubt if the Air takes off those same reviewers will spin things so that the single camera is not an issue at all.

Some of the criticism leveled elsewhere against the Air in terms of battery I cannot follow. The battery life of the Air is exactly the same as that of the 16 Pro. And I do not recall the 16 Pro getting dinged for its “all-day” battery life. Perhaps some people are getting carried away with the battery pack offered for the Air.

Personally I wouldn’t get an Air. For me it’s just too big at 8+ mm taller and 3+ mm wider than my 15 which I already cannot operate single handed. And I could not argue that the better screen of the Air over the 16e justifies an extra $300 (256 GB model). The Air certainly offers other improvements over the 16e, but to me the only one that really counts would be the better screen. I don’t need the extra CPU or RAM (on a phone), I don’t need a better selfie camera or Wifi7/BT6/Thread.

The 17 itself seems to be the star of the show. It got a superior screen that was previously exclusive to the Pro. And with the new 256 GB base, most users will be perfectly happy getting pretty much everything you need at $800 and forgetting about $1100+ Pro models that at this point seem to be geared at people who want the best cameras possible, videographers with huge storage demands, or those that just want the most expensive iPhone money can buy.

I guess if my 15 got run over by a truck, I’d likely replace it with either a 16e or a 17, not a 16. The 17 offers a much nicer screen for only $100 more than the 16e at 256 GB. Even if I’d be content with 128 GB (which I am now, but assume I’ll no longer be a year or two from now) I’d probably still not go for the 16, but rather just take a 16e and enjoy saving $100 with no real perceived downside. Of course, what I’d really like is the guts of the 17 in a 12/13 mini form factor and that appears just not to be happening.

I’m still turned off by Apple thinking it’s acceptable in 2025 to sell a $1k premium phone with 480 Mbps USB2 from the year 2000. But I won’t lose sleep over it. I’ve just given up hope they will once again become sufficiently aggressive, unless eventually forced to by declining sales revenue.

What I do find really surprising is that Apple seems to have made a much stronger case this time for their regular non-Pro iPhone and buyers saving money. I’m used to seeing them emphasize upsell and pushing people to their high revenue models. But not feeling that this time. Perhaps they expect the Air will do spectacular and if that happens I’m sure they’ll make a ton of profit off of it considering the $1k price tag. OTOH perhaps they are hedging their bets for a broader economic downturn they anticipate. If people start limiting their spending on these phones, perhaps it makes more sense to offer them a cheaper iPhone that still presents a decent upgrade and at least making some profit from that sale over watching people just hold on to their older iPhone and not buying at all.

I’m very happy Apple made use of the space saved by not having a SIM card slot (on models sold in the US, Canada, Japan, and a few others) for extra battery. Much better than just installing a plastic insert. Great improvement!

Last thought. Any idea why the iPhone Air was labeled the Air and not the 17 Air? Could this be intended as a one-off? Perhaps until release of the foldable?

direct · September 10, 2025, 12:02am

I think Apple believes, correctly, that if they stop offering a small iPhone, most customers who want a small iPhone will buy a larger one. If you can serve the same number of customers with a smaller number of products, you make more money, and that’s been Apple’s general approach to product lines since Steve Jobs came back in 1997.

Even if most of these customers were willing to switch to Android (I suspect most are not), nobody else is making a sub 5" smartphone either (unless you count foldables, which I really don’t). Apple’s motivation to keep making a small phone might be higher if they had competition in this area which was stealing a substantial amount of their business-- but they don’t. They just have legacy customers who refuse to upgrade. Apple won’t blink, and eventually those holdouts will stop holding out.

And if the customers don’t like it, they can try using two dixie cups and a string.

jweissmn · September 10, 2025, 12:18am

I’m going to move from the iPhone 13 to the 17. I don’t need the Pro features and while the Air is intriguing it’s not worth $200 more to me. Like Adam, I wish the colors were nicer. But that’s not enough to make me wait another year to upgrade.

MyBlueSky · September 10, 2025, 12:45am

Actually, 2 TB is only an option on the Pro Max, not the regular Pro.

JadeGreen · September 10, 2025, 1:12am

I’m one of the 13 mini holdouts. It doesn’t particularly affront me that Apple doesn’t make a phone I want to buy now; they don’t owe me anything, after all. But on the other hand they’re not getting any upgrade dollars from me either.

If something happened to this phone tomorrow, I would buy the cheapest available model - the 16e maybe, or something refurbished. It’s all well and good how many jigaflops the new cpus can crunch, but I’m still going to mainly use my phone for email and Signal and some dumpy bank apps.

ace · September 10, 2025, 2:49am

Very likely, but it’s not as though the iPhone 16 Plus was enough of a hit to keep around either. It seems that the plain iPhone, the iPhone Pro, and the iPhone Pro Max are all popular, and there’s a fourth slot that will never be equivalent. If Apple is going to goof around in this slot, I’d prefer to see a smaller model. Whether or not it sold well, it’s an absolute constant in what people in my everyday life tell me for why they aren’t upgrading, usually from a rather old iPhone. Eventually, they’ll break down since there’s no alternative.

Fixed, thanks!

david_blanchard · September 10, 2025, 4:35am

Same. It should run for many more years even if I cannot upgrade iOS.

I won’t. I will stay with the SE3 until it dies. After that, maybe not even bother with a phone.

Dafuki · September 10, 2025, 5:02am

Thanks for the excellent summary and perspective, Adam.

You know? After all these years of watching these introductions I’ve come to think that deep in Cupertino there is an Apple Superlatives Thesaurus (with modern movie trope enclosures). Kind of like the library in Dr. Strange with books behind doors, chained to their shelves. “Ah! Glasshoppah! You must describe the latest iPhone? Take this and memorize every adjective and pungent noun! You may not take it out of the library before your performance—too dangerous for mortals. Memorize ‘greatest,’ ‘astounding,’ and most importantly ‘neural cores’ or ‘amazing neural cores’ for success!”

Dave

ace · September 11, 2025, 9:33pm

17 posts were split to a new topic: Why do people want a smaller iPhone?

tommy · September 10, 2025, 10:55am

I suspect they’re separating it out to take it off the annual upgrade cycle. The specs are high, it’ll be a solid choice for a good while.

tommy · September 10, 2025, 10:59am

My 16 Pro overheats regularly. This, I may add, is in Ireland.

I found it interesting that they spent quite a bit of time on the thermal approach for the 17 Pro.

LarryR · September 10, 2025, 12:54pm

That seems logical, but this is a premium phone, not like the SE which is sold as a budget model. Will the iPhone Air lose its luster compared to an iPhone 19 (non-fold)? And if that’s how numbering (or not) works, does that mean there will inevitably be an iPhone 17e?

I understand making different phones for different folks, in order to appeal overall to a larger market, but are we at risk of spreading out so far that we will need a Jobsian clean-up in a few years?

tommy · September 10, 2025, 1:29pm

My wife loves a bigger phone. Doesn’t bother with any iPad once she got one (the house has a bunch of iPads lying around, I tend to be the sole user). She’d love the Air I bet.