iPhone 17: Pro, Pro Max and Air release date, prices and new features
Tim Cook, Apple’s chief executive, with the iPhone 17 Pro at the tech giant’s launch event in California - Justin Sullivan/Getty
Apple has revealed a new thinner and lighter iPhone Air and its first £2,000 iPhone model at its annual launch event in California.
Tim Cook, Apple’s chief executive, unveiled the company’s latest iPhone 17 and a flurry of other gadgets at the company’s “Awe Dropping” event on Tuesday.
The refreshed range of four phones includes the iPhone 17, the powerful iPhone 17 Pro, a big-screened iPhone 17 Pro Max and the new thin iPhone Air.
The mobiles include new features including simultaneous front-and-back video recording – intended to appeal to live-streamers and selfie addicts – and automatic translation technology.
The most powerful version of its iPhone 17 Pro Max sets a record as the most expensive iPhone ever, at £1,999 for a model with 2TB of storage. A much-anticipated foldable iPhone is not expected to debut until next year.
On Tuesday, Apple also unveiled a series of updates to its AirPods Pro headphones and its Apple Watch line.
Here is everything you need to know about the iPhone 17 and everything else Apple has announced.
- iPhone 17 release date: when will it go on sale?
- iPhone 17, Pro and Pro Max new features
- iPhone Air best features
- How much will the iPhone 17 cost?
- What about the Apple Watch and AirPods?
iPhone 17 release date: when will it go on sale?
Apple’s latest iPhone will be available for pre-orders on Friday and then go on wider sale in retail stores next week – on Friday Sept 19.
The rest of its devices will also go on sale on Friday Sept 19. The company’s new iOS 26 technology will arrive as a software update from Monday Sept 15.
iPhone 17, Pro and Pro Max new features
Apple has launched four new phones as it shakes up the line-up of its flagship product, including the new iPhone Air.
Its main model, the iPhone 17, is a modest upgrade on last year’s iPhone 16 with small tweaks to the design and features. These include a larger, brighter display at 6.3 inches, a more powerful A19 processor and upgraded screen technology – called ProMotion – for the first time.
All the new phones in the range will receive an upgrade to their selfie camera, with the iPhone 17 boosted to 18 megapixels. Like past models, they will feature Apple’s Dynamic Island.
On the back, the iPhone 17 has a 48MP ultrawide camera and a 12MP telephoto lens with 2x zoom.
Inside it has an A19 processor. This should make it 20pc faster than the iPhone 16. It comes in the colours lavender, mist blue, black, white and sage.
Apple’s more expensive Pro models return with the iPhone 17 Pro and larger 17 Pro Max. These models come with advanced A19 Pro processors and significantly larger batteries than earlier models. The 17 Pro has a 6.3-inch screen while the iPhone 17 Pro Max will have a 6.9-inch screen. A switch to an aluminium body should make the phones lighter.
Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro in orange - Godofredo A. Vásquez/AP
Both phones feature major upgrades to their rear triple cameras this year. The camera bump, or “forged plateau”, across the rear is larger and spreads across the back of the phone.
All three lenses on the back are now 48 megapixels. They feature up to 8x optical zoom and 40x digital zoom. The front facing camera is upgraded to 48 megapixels too. It too has 256GB of storage on the base model up to a colossal 2TB.
The Pro models will also come with the ability to film from the front and rear cameras simultaneously for the first time – called dual capture – a feature popular with YouTube live-streamers. It comes in silver, deep blue and cosmic orange colours.
iPhone Air best features
The iPhone 17 Air is a new entry to Apple’s phone range, taking on the same name as its popular MacBook Air. It features a lightweight design with a titanium frame.
The new phone has a larger screen than the regular iPhone 17 at 6.5 inches, but its body is just 5.6mm thick with a thin camera bump. Unlike most other phones, it doesn’t have a Sim card, instead relying on digital eSIM technology.
The new iPhone Air design in frost colour - Godofredo A. Vásquez/AP
Its thickness compares to the current iPhone 16 Pro Max, which is 8.3mm deep. Its thin size, however, means it will have a smaller battery capacity than its peers. On the back the Air comes with a single 48-megapixel camera.
Battery life should be offset by its chipset. Inside, it gets the more powerful A19 Pro chip, which is more energy efficient, while a modem designed by Apple offers two times faster connectivity and 30pc more power efficiency. It also gets dual capture video. It comes in Frost and Shadow colours.
How much will the iPhone 17 cost?
The new iPhone Air will start at £999 for the 256GB version, £1,199 for 512GB of storage and £1,399 for the 1TB phone. The iPhone 17 will cost £799 for 256GB of storage or £999 for 512GB.
The iPhone 17 Pro will start at £1,099 for 256GB of storage, rising to £1,299 for 512GB and £1,499 for 1TB.
The 17 Pro Max will start at £1,199 for 256GB, £1,399 for 512GB, £1,599 for 1TB and a massive £1,999 for 2TB.
Apple has been battling Donald Trump’s shifting tariffs and the global trade war, which could push up prices. In the US, its iPhone 17 Pro models will start at $1,099 compared to $999 last year, although they come with more storage than before.
What about the Apple Watch and AirPods?
Apple’s AirPods 3 Pro headphones, which come with active noise cancelling technology, now include live translation technology that allows users to receive foreign languages translated into English in their ears. Live translation is activated by grabbing both stalks on the headphones.
Arriving as part of an update to Apple’s iOS 26, live translation gives users a Star Trek-like experience of universal translation. The AirPods will also record a users’ speech and automatically translate it on the screen of their iPhone to enable conversations.
The AirPods Pro 3 enjoy a big update in terms of battery life, with eight hours up from six. In addition, they come with heart rate monitoring for the first time for sports. Like the previous model, they can also act as a medical grade hearing aid.
They are now available for pre-order and will go on full sale on Friday Sept 19 and will cost £219.
The company also debuted an updated Apple Watch Series 11, SE 3 and Ultra 3, its rugged sports watch. The Watch Series 11 comes with 5G connectivity for the first time. It has redesigned glass that is twice as scratch resistant and new Liquid Glass design for its software.
Now, you can use the watch to check for hypertension, which can increase the risk of serious heart disease. The Watch uses an optical heart rate sensor to identify signs of hypertension, combined with machine learning.
Apple’s Watch Series 11 on display - AP
An upgraded battery means up to 24 hours of life, and the watch comes in black, silver, rose gold and space grey, with the usual plethora of strap options.
For those on a budget, the Apple Watch SE 3 receives a few updates such as faster charging and an always on display for the first time. It comes in Starlight and Midnight colours.
Apple is also upgrading its rugged Ultra watch with the Ultra Watch 3. It can communicate with satellites for the first time with an SOS feature and has up to 42 hours of battery life. It comes in Black and Natural Titanium.
All the new watches are available today and will go on sale next Friday. The Apple Watch SE will cost £219, the Ultra 3 will cost £749 and the Apple Watch Series 11 will cost £369.
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