Apple on Tuesday wrapped its fall hardware keynote, and yes, it was a whirlwind. The star of the show is the iPhone Air, Apple’s thinnest phone ever.
Alongside it, we got a new slate of iPhone 17 models, Apple Watch updates, and the AirPods Pro 3. Mark your calendar: all of this lands on September 19th.
If you missed the keynote, don’t stress. Here’s a breakdown of the biggest announcements and what they actually mean.
Apple is bringing the Air to iPhone
The iPhone Air is officially a thing. Previously, “Air” was reserved for laptops and iPads, but Apple is now using it for phones too.
At 5.6mm thick, it’s their thinnest iPhone ever, and its 6.5-inch ProMotion display stretches edge to edge with a camera bump that’s more like a plateau spanning nearly the full width of the phone.
Most of the guts, including cameras and chips, are tucked into that bump, leaving more room for a battery in the slim body.
Powering it is Apple’s A19 Pro chip, which the company says delivers performance on par with a MacBook Pro. The iPhone 17 Pro shares this same chip, so you’re getting serious horsepower.
The iPhone Air also introduces a couple of firsts. The N1 chip handles wireless connections, supporting Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread. The C1X modem doubles the speed of last year’s iPhone 16e.
On the camera front, Apple’s Fusion camera combines an ultrawide lens with a 2x telephoto option.
In contrast, the front-facing camera has Center Stage, keeping you perfectly framed without moving your phone. You can even record from front and back cameras simultaneously.
The iPhone Air starts at $999 for 256GB and hits shelves September 19th.
Accessories for the iPhone Air
Apple isn’t stopping at the phone itself. There’s a new MagSafe battery pack that can extend battery life up to 40 hours.
Protective options include a translucent case and a bumper case, plus a crossbody strap if you want to wear your iPhone Air on your hip.
The iPhone 17 gets ProMotion at last
For those looking for something more familiar, the iPhone 17 now finally includes ProMotion on its 6.3-inch OLED display, letting content run up to 120Hz.
The A19 chip inside boosts GPU performance by 20 percent over the A18 and nearly doubles the performance of the iPhone 14’s A15, which should make gaming and graphics-intensive tasks smoother than ever.
The dual-camera system now features a 48-megapixel fusion ultrawide lens with f/1.6 aperture, which can double as a macro lens.
The main 48-megapixel camera can also act as a 2x telephoto lens, producing what Apple calls optical-quality shots. The selfie cam features Center Stage like the Air, so wide shots are effortless and natural.
The iPhone 17 Pro is more pro than ever
Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro pushes things further than the standard models, but with some surprising differences.
It shares the camera plateau with the Air and runs on the A19 Pro chip, but it also brings a three-camera system to the table.
Each lens is 48 megapixels, but they serve different purposes: an ultrawide with macro support, a main lens, and an 8x telephoto lens.
Center Stage is back on the front-facing camera, so subjects stay perfectly framed while you get multiple cropping options in one shot. And yes, you can still record from both front and rear cameras simultaneously.
The design takes a bold turn this year. Apple swapped titanium for anodized aluminum, giving the Pro a two-toned look we haven’t seen before.
Beyond its looks, the new aluminum body is all about performance. It dissipates heat 20 times faster than the previous titanium design, using a vapor chamber to keep the powerful A19 Pro chip cool.
Battery life is reportedly the largest ever in an iPhone, so all that power has some endurance to match.
Accessories for the Pro include TechWoven cases, translucent cases, and a crossbody strap if you’re looking to carry it hands-free.
Pricing starts at $1,099 for the 256GB iPhone 17 Pro, with storage options up to a massive 2TB on the iPhone 17 Pro Max, which comes in at $1,999.
Apple Watch Series 11 leads the charge with 5G
The Apple Watch Series 11 lands on September 19th and, unlike last year’s Series 10 redesign, the updates are mostly under the hood.
Aside from a new space gray aluminum option and a slate gray titanium model, the biggest upgrades are internal.
Series 11 introduces 5G connectivity and live translation capabilities. Health features get a boost, too, with hypertension notifications expected to gain FDA clearance, joining Series 9 and 10 in supporting this feature.
Battery life tops out around 24 hours per charge. Pricing starts at $399 for the 42mm model, with the 5G version costing a bit more, and preorders are live now.
Apple Watch Ultra 3 brings the largest display ever
The Ultra 3 looks familiar compared to the Ultra 2, but Apple has packed in its largest display yet.
The screen can drop to a 1Hz refresh rate to keep the always-on display active without draining the battery.
5G connectivity and satellite texting make off-grid communication possible. Battery life stretches up to 42 hours per charge.
Like Series 11, hypertension notifications will work on the Ultra 3 once FDA clearance is in place. This model starts at $799.
Apple Watch SE 3 makes its debut
The SE line finally gets a refresh. The third-gen SE includes the S10 chip, 5G support, and, for the first time, an always-on display.
Temperature sensors are added for ovulation tracking, and audio playback now works from its built-in speaker, something last-gen models lacked. The SE 3 will launch at $249.
AirPods Pro 3 step up in performance
Apple also introduced the AirPods Pro 3 at $249. Externally, they look familiar, but there are significant upgrades inside.
A new, tiny heart rate sensor lets you track vitals without an Apple Watch, and durability improves with an IP57 rating.
Live translation is enabled by holding both stems, letting you hear in-ear translations while your voice is transcribed on your iPhone.
Active noise cancellation is enhanced, now four times stronger than the original AirPods Pro, with bass performance boosted thanks to a new vent on each earbud.
Apple includes five ear tips for a better fit, rounding out a thoughtful set of upgrades.
