Apple unveiled its most ambitious iPhone redesign in years at its “Awe Dropping” event Tuesday, launching the iPhone 17 series alongside the thinnest iPhone ever created and discontinuing several older models in its traditional post-launch product refresh.
Record-Breaking iPhone Air Device Design
The star of Apple’s September 9 announcement was the iPhone Air, measuring just 5.6 millimeters thick and representing the company’s thinnest iPhone to date. The ultra-slim device breaks the previous record held by the iPhone 6, which measured 6.9mm thick.
According to Apple’s press release, the iPhone Air features a grade 5 titanium frame with an innovative “plateau” design on the back that houses cameras, speakers, and Apple silicon while maximizing battery space. Despite its extremely thin profile, the device includes a 6.5-inch Super Retina XDR display with 120Hz ProMotion refresh rates and delivers all-day battery life through the company’s A19 Pro chip
“The all-new iPhone Air is so powerful, yet impossibly thin and light, that you really have to hold it to believe it’s real,” said John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Engineering. The device starts at $999 and will be available in space black, cloud white, light gold, and sky blue colors.
Complete iPhone 17 Lineup Debuts
Apple introduced four new models in total: the standard iPhone 17 ($799), iPhone 17 Air ($999), iPhone 17 Pro ($1,099), and iPhone 17 Pro Max ($1,199). All models now start with 256GB of storage, doubling the entry-level capacity from previous generations.The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max feature Apple’s new A19 Pro chip built on 3-nanometer technology, aluminum unibody construction with vapor chamber cooling, and what the company claims is its “longest-ever battery life”. Both Pro models include three 48MP Fusion cameras offering 8x optical zoom, the longest reach ever on an iPhone.
Four iPhone Models Discontinued
Following its traditional post-launch pattern, Apple removed four iPhone models from its official store: the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max. The discontinued iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max were the only older models that supported Apple Intelligence, the company’s AI feature set
Apple simultaneously reduced prices on the remaining iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus by ₹10,000 in India, with the iPhone 16 now starting at ₹69,900
Pre-orders for all iPhone 17 models begin September 12, with general availability starting September 19 in over 63 countries. The devices will expand to 22 additional countries on September 26
The new lineup introduces iOS 26 with enhanced Apple Intelligence features, including live translation capabilities and improved visual intelligence. According to Apple, the iPhone Air represents “a brand-new member of the iPhone family” that delivers pro-level performance in an unprecedented form factor.
Industry analysts view the iPhone Air as Apple’s attempt to differentiate its product line amid increasing smartphone market competition, with the ultra-thin design potentially appealing to users prioritizing portability over maximum performance.
