What to anticipate at Apple’s iPhone 17 occasion

We’re seemingly solely round a month away (give or take) from Apple’s next iPhone launch event. This 12 months’s shindig might see the thinnest iPhone thus far becoming a member of the iPhone 17 lineup. Additionally on faucet may very well be new Apple Watch fashions — together with the primary Extremely mannequin in two years — and (perhaps) the long-awaited AirPods Professional 3.

Apple’s iPhone household will seemingly welcome a brand new member this 12 months. The iPhone Air is expected to be roughly 5.55 mm thick. The thinnest mannequin to date has been 2014’s iPhone 6, at 6.9 mm. They usually’ve solely gotten chunkier since then. (The iPhone 16 Pro has a depth of 8.25 mm.) So, the Air would stand out from its friends in that respect. It could additionally give Apple a direct rival to Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Edge, which we discovered to be more than a gimmick.

However the iPhone Air’s skinny design will seemingly result in some compromises. It is rumored to have solely a single 48 MP digicam and a smaller battery. So, count on a trendy cellphone that… will not be for everybody.

The Professional lineup might provide some design tweaks and efficiency enhancements. The iPhone 17 Professional and Professional Max are rumored to modify from titanium to aluminum. They may additionally see the rear digicam array broaden to a complete “island” that extends throughout a lot of the cellphone’s bottom. It is anticipated to deal with three cameras (as earlier than), however a number of rumors have instructed it can have an improved telephoto one. The zoom lens might jump to 48MP, which might strengthen its digital zooming / cropping chops. The telephones can also add an anti-glare coating, much like these found on iPads.

The usual iPhone 17 might see some welcome show upgrades. A minimum of one provide chain supply claimed it can add a 120Hz variable refresh fee (ProMotion) show, which the Professional collection has used since 2021.

One factor we all know surely is that the brand new iPhones will launch with iOS 26, which brings Apple’s biggest design refresh in years. It is simple to think about the corporate highlighting the brand new mannequin’s shows as one of the best ways to expertise the brand new Liquid Glass visible language. As for the naming scheme, there have not been any leaks pointing to the same {hardware} rebranding (“iPhone 26,” “iPhone 26 Professional,” and so on.). However hey, Apple does like surprises.

Engadget’s iPhone 17 rumor roundup provides you a deeper dive into what to anticipate from the brand new fashions.

Apple’s fall occasion is not only for iPhones. The corporate can also be anticipated to roll out new Apple Watch fashions. 5G and a processor improve are expected for the Apple Watch Extremely 3. It could additionally allow you to ship texts by way of satellite tv for pc, helpful for individuals who use it out within the wilderness. Whatever the particulars, Apple hasn’t launched a brand new rugged and premium mannequin since 2023 (other than a new color), so it is due for an improve.

The Sequence 11 mannequin is unlikely to depart dramatically from the Sequence 10. In spite of everything, that mannequin launched a brand new design, with a thinner body and larger screen. (And Apple has traditionally saved these round in three-year cycles.). However a quicker chip additionally appears logical. Maybe we’ll see 5G arrive on the usual wearable, too.

We can also see the AirPods Professional 3 on the occasion. It has been about three years since Apple final upgraded its premium earbuds. The brand new mannequin might additionally carry some biometric sensors to the earphones: an in-ear heart-rate monitor and (perhaps) temperature sensing. Live translation is also rumored, though that might not be unique to the third-gen mannequin.