Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Lineup and Ultra-Thin iPhone Air

Apple’s fall hardware event refreshed its core lineup: the iPhone 17 family, a new ultra-thin iPhone Air that replaces the Plus, updates to the Apple Watch range, and AirPods Pro 3. The release focuses on display, camera, and health-sensing improvements rather than a dramatic AI pivot.

What changed for iPhone 17

The iPhone 17 narrows the gap with Pro models: a slightly larger 6.3-inch screen (up 0.2 inches), a jump to 120 Hz from 60 Hz, and a 48MP ultrawide camera. The Pro models got a redesigned rear camera bar and a material swap—aluminum replacing the titanium display band.

• iPhone 17: 6.3-inch, 120Hz, 48MP ultrawide, new colors, starts at $799 with 256GB base storage.
• iPhone 17 Pro / Pro Max: camera redesign, edge-to-edge rear bar, Pro at $1,099 and Pro Max at $1,199.

iPhone Air debuts as the new slim option

The headline device is the iPhone Air, Apple’s thinnest phone at 5.6 mm. It offers a 6.6-inch ProMotion display (120Hz), is eSIM-only for a slimmer profile, and is priced at $999. Apple positions it against competitors pursuing slimmer hardware and possibly as a step toward future foldables.

Apple Watch and AirPods updates

Apple refreshed its watch lineup: Series 11, Ultra 3, and SE 3. The Ultra 3 adds faster charging, 5G and satellite capabilities, and a larger display. A notable addition across Series 11 and Ultra 3 is blood-pressure monitoring that alerts users to abnormal readings.

• Apple Watch SE 3: always-on display and S10 chip — $249.
• Series 11: health upgrades and new sensors — $399.
• Ultra 3: bigger display, satellite, 5G, faster charging — $799.

AirPods Pro 3 adds smaller earbuds, improved audio, heart-rate sensing and live translation powered by Apple Intelligence, priced at $249.

What Apple skipped and why it matters

Conspicuously absent was an AI-enhanced Siri announcement. That leaves Apple behind rivals pushing generative AI in devices and services. For developers and product teams, this means Apple is prioritizing hardware and health capabilities this cycle rather than platform-level AI tooling.

Implications are practical: camera and display upgrades demand updated imaging workflows and UX testing. New health sensors bring regulatory and privacy considerations for medical and wellness apps. eSIM-only devices affect carrier partnerships and provisioning flows. These are the areas teams should be auditing first.

Apple’s announcements reshape the device landscape incrementally — not revolutionarily. Organizations that treat these changes as a checklist (camera pipelines, display tuning, health data compliance, eSIM support) will move faster and avoid surprises when the devices ship.

For product leaders and developers, now is the time to prioritize testing on the new screens and sensors, audit data flows and permissions, and model how pricing and storage changes affect upgrade cycles and app monetization.