Apple has officially pulled the curtain back on the iPhone 17 series, marking its biggest design shift in years. While the base iPhone 17 keeps a familiar silhouette, the lineup introduces a new camera layout on the Pro models and a brand-new device altogether: the iPhone Air. Replacing the former Plus tier, the Air is the thinnest iPhone Apple has ever produced and aims to push forward a new standard in ultra-slim smartphone design.
The iPhone 17 starts at $799, while the iPhone Air comes in at $999. The Pro and Pro Max models, now starting at $1,099 and $1,199 respectively, bring material changes and some camera trade-offs. All models will be available for preorder Friday, following Apple’s annual September event at the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino. The iPhone Air is the only model this year to ship globally with eSIM only, and more regional variants across the lineup are moving toward eSIM as standard.
The iPhone Air Redefines Thin
Apple’s new iPhone Air is just 5.6 mm thick, making it slimmer than the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge and significantly trimmer than last year’s iPhone 16 Pro. The weight savings are noticeable, down 24 grams compared to the iPhone 16. Despite its reduced footprint, the Air features a 6.5-inch display and uses titanium in the frame for added durability. The front glass debuts Apple’s new Ceramic Shield 2, which improves scratch resistance and drop protection over previous generations.
There’s only one camera on the rear, aligned horizontally, and while it can digitally simulate a 2X zoom, the absence of an ultrawide lens does limit flexibility. Under the hood, it features the new C1X modem supporting sub-6 GHz 5G and introduces the N1 wireless chip with Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread support for smart home connectivity.
Selfie capabilities also get a boost. A new 24-megapixel front camera with a square sensor supports Apple’s Center Stage tech and lets you record with front and rear cameras at once. The battery likely uses silicon-carbon chemistry to maintain 27 hours of video playback, despite the device’s ultra-thin build. Powering it all is the A19 Pro chip, with a 120 Hz ProMotion display and support for Qi2 wireless charging up to 25 watts. It comes in black, white, light gold, and light blue.
The Pro Models Shift to Aluminum and Add Vapor Cooling
The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max now feature a long horizontal camera layout, replacing the square module. Apple is calling it the Camera Plateau, and it introduces a new look for its highest-end models. Interestingly, these phones switch from titanium back to aluminum—100 percent recycled, according to Apple—for better heat dissipation and a smaller carbon footprint. A new vapor-chamber cooling system helps manage thermals during intense tasks like 4K video recording or gaming.
While the telephoto lens now matches the main and ultrawide cameras at 48 megapixels, the optical zoom is reduced to 4X (down from 5X last year). Apple says it compensates with an 8X “optical-like” zoom and digital zoom up to 40X. It also brings support for ProRes RAW and features like Genlock for filmmakers. The A19 Pro powers the Pro models as well, though these versions get an additional GPU core. They come standard with 256 GB of storage and support both mmWave and sub-6 5G, as they do not use Apple’s in-house modem.
The Base iPhone 17 Finally Gets a High Refresh Display
The best-selling base iPhone keeps a similar design but gains a slightly larger 6.3-inch screen. The biggest change is the addition of ProMotion for a smoother 120 Hz refresh rate, a feature long offered on Android devices. The new selfie camera is upgraded to 18 megapixels and also supports Center Stage and Dual Capture.
It’s topped off with support for Qi2 25W charging and an anti-reflective coating to reduce glare in direct light. It may look familiar, but Apple has clearly given the base model a meaningful spec bump this year, aligning more closely with the Pro experience than ever before.
