Apple iPhone 17: Release Date, Price & Specs

iPhone Air

There’s an all-new model for 2025: the iPhone Air. It’s replacing the less popular Plus as a mid-tier model in Apple’s lineup, positioned between the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro.

Back when it was only a rumour, it was referred to as the “Slim” and there’s a very good reason for that.

The iPhone Air is only 5.6mm thick (…although Apple would probably prefer us to say less than 5.6mm thin). This makes it even slimmer than the 5.8mm Samsung S25 Galaxy Edge. It’s 165g in weight, which feels like the more important measurement to us.

It’s thinness is possible thanks to the fact that Apple has redesigned the interior and shunted some components into the distinctive camera bar that the brand is calling a “plateau”. This does feel like a tiny bit of a cheat, to be honest.

Apple

It has a polished titanium frame that keeps it light and should stop it bending. In fact, Apple says that, coupled with the ceramic shield on the back of the phone, it’s more durable than any previous model.

To achieve its ultra-thin form, the iPhone 17 Air will be eSIM only, and it only has a single 48Mp rear camera, although its selfie camera features Center Stage technology.

The Air has a 6.5-inch display that you should be able to enjoy even in bright sunlight, thanks to its 3000 nits peak brightness. It also features a 120Hz refresh rate. Coupled with the fact that it’s powered by Apple’s new A19 Pro chip, it should be able to handle gaming.

The powerful chip should also help with maximising battery life. Apple was a bit cagey about this, with only fairly vague promises that “all-day battery life is only the beginning”. And it wasn’t lost on us that one of the accessories that’s compatible with the Air is a MagSafe battery pack. Hmmm.

Another accessory was the rumoured crossbody strap. There will also be two custom cases from Apple, one of which is a simple, protective bumper.

It will come in four “light” colour options: black, white, a pale gold and a pale blue.

Apple

iPhone 17 design

There were so many leaks in advance of the iPhone 17 launch that many tech writers could have drawn the new handsets from memory.

The biggest visible design difference is the camera bar that stretches right across the back of the Air, Pro and Pro Max models. Apple is calling it a “plateau” and the design is different on the Air than it is on the Pro and Pro Max models, with the latter featuring more of a ridge around the edge.

We think that this is going to be a divisive piece of design. Apple has created the plateau to solve some problems in its powerful new phones: it helps to dissipate heat and adds more space for components. But is it horrendously ugly?

Apple

The iPhone 17 is the sole model not to feature the plateau, with only a smaller dual-lens camera module (a 48MP main camera with a 2x telephoto, and a 48Mp ultra wide).

Apple

It has a 6.5-inch display, a glass back with ceramic shield for durability, and comes in five colours options: lavender, sage, mist blue, black and white. Altogether, given its specs and price, the iPhone 17 could be the surprise winner of the new models.

Apple

The 17 Pro and Pro Max, which have an aluminium unibody, come in textured orange, dark blue and silver finishes.

Apple

The Pro has a 6.3-inch and the Pro Max a 6.9-inch screen. They feature a more powerful chip than the simple iPhone 17 and a souped-up camera array that Apple is trying to position as more or less professional shooting equipment. The Apple Event itself was filmed on an iPhone 17 Pro.

Apple

Center Stage selfie camera

Apple was pretty quiet about AI in its launch – some might say mercifully so, after over-promising and under-delivering on previous occasions. However, one significant use of AI is in bringing Center Stage capabilities to the front camera of every iPhone 17 model.

Apple

That means much better quality selfies – even in group shots. Center Stage will keep you in the centre of the frame. It will also intelligently change the shooting format from portrait to landscape if it’ll mean a better group selfie. And you won’t need to reposition your phone.

Another new feature that’s sure to go mad on TikTok is dual-capture video. It embeds a selfie feed into the corner of the video you’re taking from the main camera, so you can post a video that shows what you’re watching and your reactions simultaneously.

Other key features

All models feature:

• Always-on display
• ProMotion
• 3000 nits peak brightness
• 120Hz refresh rate

The iPhone 17 is powered by Apple’s A19 chip, while all other models get the more powerful A19 Pro.

The Air and Pro models will have wireless connectivity powered by Apple’s new NI chip.

Apple is adopting vapour chamber cooling for the Pro models. Vapour chambers are advanced cooling systems that use a small amount of liquid, typically de-ionised water, to dissipate heat. The heat from the chipset causes the liquid to evaporate, and the vapour spreads across the chamber to cool the device efficiently.

Software

The iPhone 17 series will launch with iOS 26, packed with new features and improvements.

iOS 26 will feature a complete design overhaul, known as “Liquid Glass”, featuring translucent, floating menus.

While AI is playing an increasingly central role in phone software, ongoing issues with Apple Intelligence mean that ChatGPT integration will be used as the basis for Visual Intelligence, a feature that allows users to ask questions about onscreen images and find products from Etsy and Google that match items in photos.

There will also be live translation, a new Games app and new features in Messages, Apple Music, Maps, the Phone and Photos apps.

iPhone 17e

The iPhone 17e was not launched alongside the other models in September 2025. Instead, it’s thought to be arriving in spring 2026. This would be in line with the release of the 16e, which took place on 28 February 2025, after a 19 February announcement.

It’s expected to have an upgraded chipset and a new handset design but otherwise, it’ll be very similar to the 16e. Here are the rumoured specs:

• 6.1-inch OLED screen with 60 Hz refresh rate
• The same Dynamic Island design as its predecessor
• 12 MP front-facing camera with Face ID
• 48 MP rear camera