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Apple Expands iPhone 17 Lineup with New iPhone Air
Apple’s flagship smartphone lineup is welcoming a new member. For the first time, the iPhone family now consists of four models, with the new iPhone Air joining the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. The new lineup was revealed during Apple’s Awe Dropping keynote.
While Apple avoided sweeping reinventions, the latest series introduces incremental hardware upgrades, led by the new A19 chip with a 6-core CPU and an enhanced 16-core Neural Engine. Together, they deliver up to 20% faster performance.
iPhone 17: Larger Display, Camera Upgrades
The standard model now features a 6.3-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display, up from 6.1 inches, with a 2,622 × 1,206 resolution, 460 ppi, a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, and peak brightness of 3,000 nits.
On the back, dual 48MP Fusion cameras (main + ultra-wide) headline the improvements, joined by an upgraded 24MP Center Stage front camera offering improved stabilisation and a wider field of view.
iPhone Air: Ultra-Thin, Ultra-Light
The true standout is the iPhone Air, Apple’s thinnest smartphone yet, at just 5.6mm thick and weighing 165 grams. Compared to the standard model (7.9mm, 177 grams), it marks a dramatic reduction in size.
Built with titanium, the iPhone Air runs on the A19 Pro chip, pairing a 6-core CPU with a 5-core GPU that Apple calls the fastest in any smartphone. Its 6.5-inch ProMotion display supports a 120Hz refresh rate, a resolution of 2,740 × 1,280, and peak brightness rivaling the Pro models.
Camera and Connectivity
The Air introduces a 48MP Fusion system with a 12MP telephoto lens, an 18MP Center Stage selfie camera, and a Dual Capture system that combines front and rear shots.
It also debuts Apple’s new C1x modem, twice as fast as its predecessor, and the N1 chip, which enables Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread connectivity. Battery figures remain undisclosed, though Apple claims up to 40 hours of video playback.
iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max: Refined Performance
At the top of the range, the iPhone 17 Pro (6.3 inches) and Pro Max (6.9 inches) continue with familiar form factors, but with a new aluminium enclosure.
A triple 48MP Fusion camera setup now sits in a larger bump, boasting bigger sensors for more detail and resolution. Both models include an 18MP Center Stage camera and Apple’s vapour chamber cooling, improving sustained performance by up to 40 percent over the iPhone 16 series.
Apple Intelligence and iOS 26
The entire series will ship with the latest Apple Intelligence features, including Visual Intelligence and Live Translation. They also adopt the new Liquid Glass design language, debuting with iOS 26.
Pricing and Availability
Apple is holding close to its previous pricing:
- iPhone 17 – from US$799
- iPhone Air – from US$999
- iPhone 17 Pro – from US$1,099 (S$100 more than iPhone 16 Pro)
- iPhone 17 Pro Max – from US$1,199
All models start with 256GB storage, while the Pro Max introduces a new 2TB option. Pre-orders open September 12, with global availability beginning September 19.
