Apple revealed its first major iPhone redesign in years on Tuesday, introducing the sleek new iPhone Air. CEO Tim Cook called it the “biggest leap ever for iPhone.”
The announcement came during Apple’s annual event at its headquarters in Cupertino, California, where the company also showed off new Apple Watches and AirPods Pro. This year’s event carried extra pressure, as iPhone sales have slowed, Apple has lagged behind rivals in AI, and trade tensions have added challenges.
Instead of putting AI at the center, Apple emphasized how its hardware enables smart features. Analysts liked what they saw.
“Apple’s iPhone 17 Air was the headline announcement, reflecting the company’s push to prove it can still differentiate through design,” said Emarketer analyst Gadjo Sevilla. “It’s a reminder that Apple’s competitive advantage remains rooted in product experience rather than raw AI as a product.”
Still, Apple’s stock slipped about 1.5% after the event, showing that Wall Street may need more convincing.
Meet the New iPhones
The lineup now includes four models: iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and the ultra-thin iPhone Air.
All phones get tougher “ceramic shield” displays. The Pro has been rebuilt with a bigger battery, more memory, and better cooling. The iPhone Air, built with “spacecraft titanium,” is only 5.6 millimeters thick but still promises “all-day battery life.”
Apple’s John Ternus described it as “so thin and light, it seems to disappear in your hands.”
The iPhone 17 and 17 Pro have 6.3-inch screens, the Air has 6.5 inches, and the Pro Max stretches to 6.9 inches. New colors include lavender, sky blue, and cosmic orange.
“It has been a few years since Apple has had new iPhones that you could put on the table in a coffee shop, meeting room or pub, and people would ask, ‘Is that the new iPhone?’” said Ben Wood of CCS Insight. “With the iPhone 17 Air and the redesigned iPhone 17 Pro models, particularly the bright orange variant, Apple is delivering products that will create renewed interest.”
AirPods Pro 3 with Live Translation
AirPods Pro got their first update in three years. The new AirPods Pro 3 bring heart rate sensing, better fit, stronger noise cancellation, and real-time language translation.
The translation feature, powered by Apple Intelligence, lets you hear another language directly in your ears while lowering background sound. Your iPhone then translates your reply back to the other person.
New Apple Watches
Three updated watches are on the way: Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch SE 3, and Apple Watch Ultra 3.
The Series 11 is thinner, with stronger glass, 5G, and 24-hour battery life. The SE 3 gets an always-on display for the first time. The Ultra 3 offers a bigger screen, a longer 42-hour battery, and satellite messaging for emergencies.
Apple also leaned into health. The Series 11 adds blood pressure alerts and sleep scoring. “We expect to notify over 1 million people with undiagnosed hypertension in the first year alone, empowering them to make life saving behavioral changes or start treatment,” an executive said. The SE 3 can track temperature for ovulation predictions, while the AirPods Pro 3 can measure heart rate and calories during workouts.
Prices Hold Steady
Despite tariffs, prices are mostly unchanged. The iPhone 17 with 256 GB starts at $799, the Air at $999, and the Pro at $1,099.
All the new products hit stores on September 19.
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