The thinnest iPhone ever released was unveiled on the 9th.Apple held its annual product launch event at the Steve Jobs Theatre in Apple Park, Cupertino, California, and unveiled new products, including the latest smartphone series, the iPhone 17 lineup. The iPhone series has traditionally consisted of four models: the basic model, the Plus, and the higher-end Pro and Pro Max. This year, a new model, the iPhone Air, was unveiled in place of the Plus model.
The iPhone Air is the thinnest iPhone ever, measuring just 5.6mm thick. It’s more than 2mm thinner than the 7.8mm of its predecessor, the iPhone 16 Series Plus. It’s also thinner than the Galaxy S25 Edge (5.8mm thick, 163g), released by Samsung Electronics in May.
Apple hasn’t officially revealed the weight of the iPhone Air, but a representative said it weighs 165g.Apple stated, “We wanted to create an iPhone that feels like it’s from the future,” adding, “We wanted to make it so powerful, thin, and light that you can’t even feel it in your hand.”
Apple explained that the iPhone Air is the slimmest iPhone ever, but it boasts greater durability than previous models. The frame is made of Grade 5 titanium, the same material used in spacecraft, and the front cover is finished with a new Apple-designed coating. Apple emphasized that this provides three times more scratch resistance and four times more shatter resistance than previous models.
Apple CEO Tim Cook said, “The iPhone Air is unlike any other product out there,” adding, “It’s a game changer.” Apple CEO Tim Cook holds an iPhone 17 pro and an iPhone air, as Apple holds an event at the Steve Jobs Theatre on its campus in Cupertino, California, US September 9, 2025. REUTERS[Reuters]The camera has been reduced from the previous two (wide-angle and ultra-wide angle) to a single camera, but a new “Centre Stage” front camera automatically widens the frame for an improved photo and video experience.
This eliminates the need to rotate the iPhone from portrait to landscape when taking selfies to capture landscapes or photos of multiple people.
The base iPhone 17 model has a larger display, up from 6.1 inches to 6.3 inches, the same as the Pro. The front-facing camera has doubled its resolution to 18 million pixels, and the rear camera has increased to 48 million pixels. The higher-end iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max feature a functionally redesigned rear camera. The upper left corner of the rear, where the camera was located, has become larger and rectangular.
Apple explained that this design “secures additional space for internal components, allowing for a larger battery and improved heat dissipation and performance.” Apple also added that the front and rear feature high-resolution sensors, making it “like carrying eight pro lenses in your pocket.”
Prices remain the same as last year in US dollars.
Apple also eliminated the 128GB option on each model, effectively raising prices. The base iPhone 17 starts at $799 (256GB), and the iPhone Air starts at $999 (256GB). The Pro starts at $1,999 (256GB), and the Pro Max starts at $1,199 (256GB). The new iPhone series will be available for pre-order in more than 63 countries and regions, including South Korea and the United States, starting on the 12th, and will be available for purchase through online and offline stores starting on the 19th.Apple also unveiled the third model of its wireless earphones, the AirPods Pro series. The AirPods Pro 3 offer noise cancellation that is up to twice as powerful as its predecessor and four times stronger than the original model. It features an ultra-small heart rate sensor designed by Apple to measure heart rate and calorie consumption in real time during exercise, and a real-time translation function. It will initially be available in five languages, including English and French, and will expand to Korean, Japanese, and Chinese within the year.
The Apple Watch 11 series also unveiled enhanced health features, including “Sleep Score,” which analyses vascular response data to alert users to signs of high blood pressure and analyses heart rate and oxygen saturation to quantify the quality of their sleep.