Apple Delivers a Slew of New Devices and Software Updates at ‘Awe-Dropping’ Event

At its annual fall media event—dubbed “Awe-Dropping”—Apple revealed a major refresh across its flagship smartphone, wearables, audio accessories, and software platforms.

iPhone 17 Lineup: Redefining Thin, Powerful, and Pro

iPhone Air

• Apple’s slimmest iPhone ever, measuring just 5.6 mm, built with a lightweight yet durable titanium design.
• Equipped with the A19 Pro, N1 networking, and C1X modem chips, it’s touted as its most power-efficient model yet.
• Features a 6.5-inch Super Retina XDR display with 120 Hz ProMotion. The 48 MP Fusion Main camera and 18 MP Center Stage front camera elevate photo and video capabilities.
• Offers impressive all-day battery life, Ceramic Shield 2 protection, and a price tag of $999, available in four finishes. Preorders start September 12; available September 19.

iPhone 17 (Standard)

• Boasts a 6.3-inch screen with 120 Hz ProMotion, runs on the A19 chip, includes a 48 MP rear camera, and starts with at least 256 GB storage.

iPhone 17 Pro & Pro Max

• Introduce an all-new design, powered by the A19 Pro chip and featuring an integrated vapor chamber cooling system, offering industry-leading performance and significantly improved battery life.
• Equipped with three 48 MP Fusion cameras including longest-ever 8× optical-quality zoom, alongside the new 18 MP Center Stage front camera.
• Video creators benefit from pro-grade tools like ProRes RAW, Log 2, and genlock, plus Ceramic Shield 2 front (and back), up to 3000 nits brightness, and 120 Hz Always-On display.
• Available in Deep Blue, Cosmic Orange, and Silver, starting at $1,099 (Pro) and $1,199 (Pro Max), with storage up to 2 TB. Preorders begin September 12; shipping starts September 19.

Other Notable Reveals

AirPods Pro 3

• Priced at $249, featuring improved noise cancellation, live translation, better fit, heart-rate sensing, and up to 8 hours battery life. Ships September 19.

Apple Watch Lineup

• Series 11 ($399): Adds hypertension alerts (pending FDA approval), sleep scoring, and new health sensors.
• Watch SE 3 ($249): Now faster with S10 chip, always-on display, gesture controls, sleep apnea detection, 18-hour battery, temperature sensor, and runs watchOS 26. Launches September 19.
• Watch Ultra 3 ($799): Focuses on rugged adventure use with satellite connectivity and extended battery (42 hours).

iPadOS 26: Software Gets More Powerful

• Launching September 15, iPadOS 26 brings a windowing system for resizable and movable app windows, a sleek Liquid Glass UI, enhanced Files app, tablet-optimized Preview, and a new phone app with AI-powered live translation.

Looking Ahead

Apple offered solid hardware and incremental software updates, notably improving design, camera, and productivity features. AI transformations and Siri overhauls were notably absent, with major AI enhancements postponed.

Summary Table

The Bottom Line

In essence, Apple doubled down on design — emphasizing ultrathin form factors and high-performance silicon — while laying the groundwork for more advanced software features in the near future.

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