Sept. 9 (UPI) — Apple debuted its new iPhone 17 during its annual Apple Event on Tuesday, with four new models including the thin iPhone Air, a base model and the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models.
The phones go on sale Sept. 19, with preorders starting Friday.
The event, titled, “Awe Dropping,” showcased the latest versions of its flagship devices.
The Apple Watch 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Apple Watch SE 3 are the company’s latest smartwatches, with Apple launching a new standard smartwatch, and other entry-level and premium wearables. Apple also unveiled new AirPod Pro 3 earbuds.
The base model phone, which has upgraded storage, still starts at $799. The iPhone 17 Pro now costs $1,099, which is a $100 price raise from the iPhone 16 Pro. But the new phone comes with 256GB of storage.
The iPhone 17 Pro Max starts at $1,199, the same as last year’s model.
The new iPhone Air debuts at $999. It’s $100 more than the iPhone 16 Plus it replaces in the lineup.
Apple says it made changes to the iPhone 17 Pro to manage the temperature of the device. There’s a new vapor chamber to help dissipate heat and deliver thermal performance.
Apple also launched iOS 26 with a new design, Apple Intelligence capabilities and improvements to apps. The new design is called Liquid Glass, which “makes apps and system experiences more expressive and delightful, bringing greater focus to content while keeping iOS instantly familiar,” Apple said. It will be released Monday.
Apple Intelligence now translates text and audio with Live Translation, helping users communicate across languages in Messages, FaceTime and phone, the company said.
Apple also introduced N1, a new Apple-designed wireless networking chip that enables Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread. N1 improves the overall performance and reliability of features such as Personal Hotspot and AirDrop, the company said.
The new Apple Watch 11 offers longer battery life, more durable cover glass and 5G cellular capabilities in the thinnest design yet, Apple said. The new watch can notify users of chronic high blood pressure and better sleep insights. The watch has up to 24 hours of battery life and new glass that’s more scratch-resistant.
The new watch OS 26 has Workout Buddy, powered by Apple Intelligence, a wrist flick gesture and new watch faces. The Watch 11 is available for pre-order now and is available Sept. 19.
The new AirPods Pro 3 claims the world’s best in-ear active noise cancellation, removing up to two times more noise than the previous-generation AirPods Pro. The updated design helps AirPods Pro 3 fit better and offers better in-ear stability during activities. The AirPods Pro 3 can now measure heart rate and track over 50 workout types in the Fitness app on the iPhone. They also offer Live Translation. Pre-orders are available and the AirPods will come out Sept. 19.
Apple’s latest product announcements apparently didn’t excite investors. Apple shares were down about 1.5% when the event was over.
During an earnings call in July, Apple chief executive Tim Cook mentioned the company was working on a more personalized Siri, and it is expected to be released next year.