Here’s Everything Announced at Apple’s iPhone 17 Showcase

By Dean Blake - News

Published: 10 Sep 2025

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Readtime: 9 min

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The main event: finally, after months of rumours, leaks, and questions, Apple showed off the next step for its main moneymaker: the iPhone 17. We thought last year’s iPhone 16 was a pretty average release that lacked a defined identity—so we were skeptical as to whether Apple would really blow the doors off this year.

And, while there’s some cool stuff here (especially the triple 48MP camera system on the Pro models), things also kind of feel a bit same-same. As the leaks suggested, we ended up with four separate models: the base iPhone 17, the more powerful iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max upgrades, and a new, slimmer iPhone Air. You can pre-order starting 12 September, with everything announced set to launch on 19 September.

The Air is certainly the stand-out announcement, bringing iPhone into a new, thinner form factor, but one that was definitely muted by months of leaks and the memory of bendgate. Let’s hope the Air can stand up to a bit of pressure.

So, how to Apple’s new phones differ? Let’s dive in and find out.

RELATED: Apple’s Folding iPhone is (Probably) Coming Next Year: Here’s What We Know

iPhone 17: Standard, Slim, and Supercharged

What are the Key New Features?

Probably the biggest standout feature (beyond the Air’s existence) is the fact that you can now get access to Apple’s 120Hz ProMotion display tech across every model. That’s going to be a significant display upgrade for anyone upgrading from a previous years’ base model, and brings Apple’s phone a bit closer to its competition.

The new A19 chip is a faster, more efficient step up from previous models: in fact, it’s 20 per cent faster than last year’s A18 (in graphics performance), and 80 per cent faster than the A16. That’s not a huge surprise, considering how good Apple’s M-series silicon has gotten—the business just seems to have cracked how to make powerful, efficient chips in a way that other businesses aren’t quite able to match yet.

What’s the main use of all that power? Well, beyond gaming on your phone, there’s that ever-elusive Apple Intelligence. This year, the A19 and A19 Pro chips are better suited to perform on-device and cloud-based AI interactions, Apple says, such as live translation and visual intelligence.

We all know one of the key uses of any smartphone is a camera, and Apple has delivered some new features for everyday photographers. The new Center Stage-style front camera (which features a redesigned square sensor) makes taking selfies easier, delivering a wider field of view, while a new ability to record video out of both front-facing and rear-facing cameras at once allows you the ability to share what you’re seeing, as well as your reaction to it. It’s basically made for influencers.

Who Are Apple’s iPhone 17 Models For?

If al that was a bit too ‘techy’ for you, let me break it down for you like this: Apple is targeting three different customers across its iPhone 17 line-up.

Firstly, the base iPhone 17 is the company’s new entry-level phone and should deliver solid performance for the vast majority of users without the trade offs of the Air’s lower battery life, or the 16e’s focus on budget features. If all you want is something reliable to upgrade into, but aren’t particularly interested in the Air or Pro models, the base 17 is a solid pickup. In saying that, the iPhone 16e is a surprisingly good device for under a grand.

For the professional and power users, there’s the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max. These two devices are exactly the same power-wise, but the Pro Max brings a larger display, effectively putting the iPhone into iPhablet territory. The main draw here is the extra power delivered by the A19 Pro chip, as well as a more robust camera system—with three 48MP lenses. If you’re someone who creates content for a living, or just loves phone photography, these are the models I’d be looking at.

And finally, for people looking for something new, the iPhone Air effectively skirts the line between the 17 and the 17 Pro, but in a larger, slimmer form factor. And make no mistake, the main selling point of the Air is its shape—its only 5.6mm thick, and weighs just 165 grams. There isn’t much here that isn’t also in the base model (barring the faster A19 Pro chip), but it’d be silly to discount consumers’ willingness to try something new after years of same-same upgrades.

While there are some concerns around the Air’s durability—which explains how Apple spent quite a bit of time talking about how tough it is—prospective customers may also be worried about the phone’s battery life. It is, indeed, less than the base 17, 17 Pro and Pro Max models, but Apple also announced it’ll be selling an additional MagSafe battery pack which can be used to juice up the Air on the go.

Despite the hum-drum response to the leaks from many within the tech space, I actually expect this phone to be a big seller this year. Apple does a ‘good’ job of keeping people within its ecosystem of products with the likes of AirDrop, Handoff, and iPhone Mirroring to a Mac, and I think many iPhone users are going to want to try something new without actually leaving Apple’s walled garden. We’ll see, though—I could definitely be wrong, and Google and Samsung might finally have a chance to grab some marketshare.

Apple Watch SE 3, Series 11, Ultra 3

Okay—on to what are effectively glorified iPhone accessories: the new and improved Apple Watch lineup. I’ve been using an Apple Watch Series 10 for the past few months, and through that time the unit has had quite a few notable upgrades. Now, though, we’ve got some hardware revisions launching in the Apple Watch Series 11, the cheaper SE 3, and the top-of-the-line Ultra 3.

Here’s what you need to know about these newly updated models:

• The Apple Watch Series 11 launches on 19 September for AU$679. It’ll feature a revised S11 chip, which has been redesigned to be smaller, allowing for up to 24 hours of battery life.
• The Apple Watch SE 3 launches on 19 September for AU$399. It lacks some of the features of the Series 11, but comes in at a lower price point.
• The Apple Watch Ultra 3 launches on 19 September for AU$1,399, and brings built-in satellite tracking to keep you on the grid while you’re off the grid, with up to 72 hours of battery life in low-power mode. It features the largest display on an Apple Watch yet.

It’s worth noting that Apple’s Watch line-up rarely gets a significant power-boost by way of a dramatically improved processor, unlike the iPhone, iPad and Mac line-up, and instead features more software upgrades each year. This holds true in 2025, which brings the ability for all of the new Apple Watch models to better track your heart health, and can notify you of any potential hypertension (make sure you see a doctor if that happens, the Watch won’t help you with that.)

In an effort to help people get a better night’s sleep, Apple is also launching ‘sleep score’, which will bring together a bunch of data collected throughout the night to deliver you a more easily understood metric each morning.

Importantly, all three of the new watches announced today feature 5G compatibility, which will help with battery life and cellular compatibility.

AirPods Pro 3

If you’re in the market for a solid improvement to the already great AirPods Pro 2, you’re in luck: Apple finally showed off a better, more ergonomically designed AirPods Pro 3. The earphones come in at slightly more expensive, at AU$429, but with that comes far better noise cancelling technology and a built-in heart rate sensor.

Customers in Australia and more than 50 other countries and regions can pre-order AirPods Pro 3 from Wednesday, September 10th, before they’re available online and in-store on Friday, September 19th.

Related: ‘Twice as Good’: Apple AirPods Pro 3 Price and Specs Revealed

What Did You Think?

Despite many of Apple’s big announcements getting leaked in the days, weeks, and months up to the event, I still think the September Showcase was pretty solid. While I’m not so sure that the brand has quite beaten the ‘yearly incremental upgrade’ allegations this year, the iPhone Air is a step in the right direction, and hopefully 2026 brings some more wild swings from what is one of the most exciting (and profitable) companies in the world.