The iPhone 17 Sequence Will get the Greatest iPhone Design Refresh in Years

Apple has largely caught with the identical iPhone design for the reason that iPhone 11 debuted in 2019, however change is afoot in Cupertino. While the iPhone 17 could resemble iPhones of the previous few years, there’s a completely new digital camera structure for the iPhone 17 Pro fashions. Also, there is a brand-new iPhone! The iPhone Air replaces what was presupposed to be the iPhone 17 Plus. It, too, encompasses a new look, and it is the thinnest iPhone Apple has ever made.

The modifications on the usual iPhone 17—usually Apple’s hottest iPhone mannequin—aren’t as drastic. The firm introduced the brand new handsets alongside new Apple Watches and AirPods Pro at its annual September occasion on the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple Park in Cupertino, California.

Preorders can be found on Friday, with the iPhone 17 beginning at $799, the iPhone Air costing $999, and the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max seeing a rise to $1,099 and $1,199. The iPhone Air is eSIM solely globally, and extra iPhone fashions than ever have eSIM-only variations all over the world. Here’s all the things it’s good to know.

The iPhone Air

Apple’s iPhone Air is becoming a member of a slew of different telephones that launched in 2025 that tout unbelievable thinness, just like the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge and the Honor Magic V5. It’s 5.6-mm thick—an unbelievable feat, as that is even thinner than Samsung’s handset and a 2.65-mm drop from the iPhone 16 Pro.

iPhone Air is the thinnest iPhone ever.

Courtesy of Apple

That’s about seven bank cards stacked on prime of one another. With it comes weight financial savings of 24 grams in comparison with the common iPhone 16, and this combo can dramatically alter how the cellphone feels in your hand, particularly contemplating it sports activities a big 6.5-inch display. It’s additionally the one iPhone this yr using titanium to assist with the sturdiness of the body. Speaking of which, Apple says this cellphone makes use of its new Ceramic Shield 2 materials on the entrance for 3X higher scratch resistance and 4X higher drop safety. The again glass makes use of the unique Ceramic Shield glass combination.

There’s nonetheless a digital camera bump, besides it is now horizontal (ahem, like a sure Google cellphone), however as you may see, there are compromises: You solely get one digital camera. It can simulate a 2X optical zoom like most iPhones right this moment, however not like Samsung’s skinny cellphone, there isn’t any ultrawide digital camera, making it much less versatile for shutterbugs.

This cellphone debuts Apple’s C1X modem, which permits for sub-6 5G however no millimeter wave 5G, and it additionally options the first-ever Apple N1 wi-fi networking chip. The N1 has Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread assist, which may enhance native good house controls with supported units.

It nonetheless maintains options from earlier iPhones, just like the Dynamic Island, which takes up much less house on the entrance, the Action Button, and Camera Control. The selfie digital camera has been upgraded to 24 megapixels and helps Apple’s Center Stage know-how, which retains you within the body. The selfie digital camera has a sq. sensor, so you may take selfies in panorama or portrait orientation with out having to change the cellphone into panorama orientation. Apple has additionally added the flexibility to shoot movies with each the entrance and rear cameras on the identical time.

The internals of the iPhone Air have been designed to maximise battery house.

Courtesy of Apple

Apple says inside is a “high-density battery,” which likely alludes to silicon-carbon battery technology to achieve this level of thinness. The phone is powered by the new A19 Pro chip, features Apple’s ProMotion 120-Hz refresh rate for the display, and has magnetic Qi2 25W wireless charging. It’s available in black, white, light gold, and light blue.

You might think this super-thin iPhone will have limited battery life, but Apple is still claiming the same video playback numbers as the iPhone 16 Plus: 27 hours. This is likely why Apple is selling a new low-profile MagSafe power bank to help users keep their slim phone topped up. Let’s just see how often you need to use it.

The iPhone 17 Pro

The first thing you’ll notice about the iPhone 17 Pro and the iPhone 17 Pro Max is the redesigned camera array on the back, which Apple calls the Camera Plateau. Gone is the square-shaped camera module in favor of a long, horizontal camera bar. Maybe it means the iPhone finally won’t rock on a table. There’s also a slightly different color tone below, indicating the split between the new aluminum chassis and the glass.

The solid plateau creates further house for elements, like a bigger battery.

Courtesy of Apple

You heard that proper, Apple’s priciest fashions are reverting to aluminum as a substitute of the titanium of yesteryear. Aluminum handles warmth higher and is cheaper and lighter, to not point out a greater carbon footprint. (It’s 100% recycled aluminum.) Now the one titanium mannequin within the firm’s lineup is the iPhone Air. You’d assume this is able to carry a value drop, however alas.

Apple can also be debuting a vapor-chamber cooling system on these telephones, serving to them maintain cool below load. This is one thing Android telephones have used for years, so it will be fascinating to see the way it impacts efficiency throughout the board, whether or not you are capturing 4K video or taking part in a graphically demanding sport.