Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Lineup, Introduces Super-Thin 'iPhone Air'

Apple unveiled its next-generation iPhone 17 lineup Tuesday, introducing a new super-thin model called the iPhone Air that the company said marks its first major redesign in years. The Air features a 5.6-millimeter "space grade" titanium frame, a second-generation chip that Apple said delivers three times the GPU computing power of last year’s models, and a starting price of $999.

The devices were revealed during Apple’s keynote at its Cupertino headquarters, where executives highlighted the Air’s slimmer profile, upgraded front camera and all-day battery claims. "Our intention was to make an iPhone that feels like a piece of the future, powerful, yet so thin and light it seems to disappear in your hands," an Apple presenter said. The Air will be offered in white, gold, black and sky blue finishes and includes what Apple described as a "center stage front camera" with a sensor nearly twice the size of the previous front camera.

Apple said the new Air is more durable than previous iPhones despite its thin profile, attributing the improvement to the titanium frame and engineering refinements. The company also touted an "amazing all-day battery life" for the device but did not provide detailed battery specifications during the presentation.

The new second-generation chip was a centerpiece of Apple’s performance claims. Company executives said it provides three times the GPU computing power of last year’s phones, a performance boost Apple framed as supporting more demanding graphics and computations. Apple pointed to user habits such as the 500 billion selfies taken on iPhone last year as part of the context for its camera upgrades.

Markets responded modestly. Apple shares fell about 1.4% by approximately 2:15 p.m. ET on Tuesday. Analysts said a thinner iPhone had been widely anticipated, and some investors and commentators have criticized Apple in recent years for a perceived lack of breakthrough innovations in product launches. The company did not disclose broad availability dates or detailed pricing for every configuration during the keynote.

Apple’s presentation continued with additional models in the iPhone 17 family and software updates that the company said will arrive alongside the new hardware, but the Air drew the most attention for its combination of reduced thickness and upgraded internals. The company positioned the device as a redesign focused on materials and engineering rather than a radical departure in features.

The unveiling adds to an increasingly competitive smartphone market where manufacturers emphasize design, camera systems and processor performance. Apple’s emphasis on a thinner titanium frame and increased GPU capability signals the company’s priorities for the latest iPhone cycle, even as investors weigh whether the changes will be enough to spur a major upgrade wave.