We've known that Apple was coming out with an iPhone 17 for forever now. But after countless leaks and rumored changes over the past few months, the Sept. 9 Apple Event confirmed it all. You can officially preorder all versions of the iPhone 17 at the three major phone carries, as well as from Best Buy or from Apple directly. Shipping begins Sept. 19.
For Apple people, September isn't just a month spent torn between hanging onto summer or falling for fall propaganda. It's also that time of year to debate hanging on to your old iPhone or falling for new iPhone propaganda. If you're heavily considering taking the plunge this year, you have more options to choose from than in 2024: Apple dropped four new iPhones (compared to three iPhone 16s) to choose from: the base iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Max, and the iPhone Air. Here's the pricing breakdown:
iPhone 17 (lavender, mist blue, sage, black, white) — starting at $799
iPhone Air (space black, sky blue, cloud white, light gold) — starting at $999
iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max (silver, deep blue, cosmic orange) — starting at $1,099
As more retailers open up their respective preorder pages, we'll link those here, too. Additionally, you can save a big chunk on your iPhone 17 upgrade when you trade in an iPhone 13 or newer in any condition.
All new Apple devices revealed
The AirPods Pro 3, Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3, and Apple Watch SE 3 were also announced during the event and will be available to pre-order on Sept. 12.
So, what's the difference between the iPhone 17 and the iPhone 16 that thoroughly impressed us last year? This time around, Apple's being more generous with specs at every budget level: Every iPhone 17 model has a 120Hz ProMotion display (not just the Pro models), hitting up to 3,000 nits of peak outdoor brightness.
And then there's the elusive iPhone Air — it's real, and it's like no iPhone you've held before. At just 5.6 millimeters thick, the iPad Air is incredibly lightweight yet incredibly durable. The lone rear camera situation required a redesign that's reminiscent of the Google Pixel 10, but chic as hell nonetheless. Despite the physically compact build, the iPhone Air maintains much of the same brainpower and all-day battery life as the other iPhone 17 models.
But to hold the most powerful iPhone of them all (by far, apparently), you'll have to opt for the iPhone 17 Pro. It's powered by the A19 Pro chip and what Apple referred to as the fastest CPU in any smartphone. But more juice doesn't necessarily mean shorter battery life here, as the iPhone 17 Pro Max is the first iPhone in history with a battery over 5,000mAh capacity.
"Shot on iPhone" is about to have a whole new meaning. The camera situation has gotten a pretty serious revamp with the 17, including selfie cameras up to 18MP (compared to the 12MP on older iPhones) that automatically flip the orientation based on what's in the picture — no more turning your camera sideways just to get a long group selfie. The iPhone 17 Pro models are also outfitted with triple 48MP fusion cameras on the back and an ultrawide lens with four times the resolution of that on the iPhone 16. During the event, the iPhone 17 Pro's camera system was described as "the equivalent of eight Pro lenses in your pocket."
Pre-orders for the new iPhone opened on Sept. 12 and will run through Sept. 19, when all iPhone 17 and iPhone Air models will begin shipping.
For more Live Apple Event coverage, follow Mashable's live blog and get real-time updates on the iPhone 17, Apple Watch Series 11, and AirPods Pro 3 launch.
