Apple’s iPhone 17 event is just around the corner – here’s what to expect

Apple’s annual fall press event has, in many ways, become predictable. The star of the show is always new iPhones, ready in time for the holiday shopping season — not that I know anyone who’s ever bought their partner an $800-plus phone on a whim. This clockwork is so precise that I correctly guessed the September 9 date for the event, and I’m willing to bet the company will open pre-orders on September 12 ahead of a launch on September 19. Surprises are possible, but maybe less so under Apple CEO Tim Cook.

I’m expecting more than just the iPhone 17 lineup, of course. Apple always has a number of products it wants out the door before the holidays, and there’s no better way to get attention than to include them in a spectacle with international press coverage. Here are all the major reveals you can expect, as well as some of the more tenuous predictions.

The iPhone 17, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max

For some people, the base iPhone 17 may be the real highlight this year. That’s because Apple is finally expected to grace an entry-level device with a 120Hz ProMotion display, acknowledging the fact that cheaper Android devices have had 120Hz panels for years. Unlike others, I don’t mind a 60Hz refresh rate, but it is hard to go back once you’ve gotten used to smoother animations. Hopefully, this should also translate into always-on display features previously reserved for Pros, such as the best version of StandBy. If you don’t need a telephoto lens or peak performance, the vanilla 17 may be the most cost-efficient choice.

The phone should sport some other minor upgrades, like a slightly larger 6.27-inch (essentially, 6.3-inch) screen, and a sharper 24-megapixel FaceTime camera. Apple may also change material design, covering most of the phone in aluminum, but implementing glass around Apple logo/MagSafe area. USB-C charging speeds could rise to 35W, yet don’t expect the phone to consume all that much more power — Apple might be sticking to the same A18 processor found in the iPhone 16.

As for the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, those should pair A19 Pro chips with 12GB of RAM, potentially using vapor chamber cooling to push performance. They may also switch from 12-megapixel telephoto cameras (on the 16 Pro and Pro Max) to 48-megapixel ones, and stretch zoom from 5x to 8x. They could even be the most aesthetically interesting iPhones in 2025, owing to redesigned camera bumps and bolder colors, including an orange tone. The company is allegedly ditching titanium on Pros, which could be hard for Apple to explain in light of how much it advertised that metal for the iPhone 15 Pro and 16 Pro.

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Two big unknowns are naming and pricing. Apple is already switching up the names of its upcoming operating systems to match the forthcoming year (e.g. iOS 26), so it’s not impossible that the “iPhone 17” could become the iPhone 26. As for pricing, Apple normally prefers to hold things static as long as possible, but a hike could be difficult to avoid in light of tariffs imposed by the Trump administration. If costs do remain in line with the iPhone 16 series, assume that Apple has done a lot behind the scenes to make it happen.

The iPhone 17 Air

For who, exactly?

Pocket-lint / Apple Hub

Assuming the rumors are accurate, the iPhone 17 Air is bound to both get a lot of attention at the event and prove extremely controversial. While it should in some ways be an upgrade from the base iPhone 17 — for instance getting an A19 processor and a 6.6-inch screen — it’s also expected to make some major sacrifices to achieve an ultra-thin 5.5mm body. That includes scaling back to a single 48-megapixel camera, and shrinking battery capacity to 2,900mAh. Reportedly, internal testing has shown that more people than usual won’t be able to make it through a day on a single charge, prompting the revival of an Apple-branded battery pack.

Apple seems to be banking heavily on the idea that a thinner and lighter iPhone will be enough to win customers. But Samsung’s similar Galaxy S25 Edge has only sold a little over a million units so far, well below figures for other S25 variants. It could be that Apple is laying the groundwork for future iPhone designs based on silicon-carbon batteries, which can go ultra-thin without impacting usability.

The Apple Watch Ultra 3, Series 11, and SE 3

Bringing the Ultra and SE back into the fold

One of Apple’s smaller controversies in 2024 was its decision to skip an Ultra refresh, instead giving shoppers a black option for the Ultra 2 with the same $800 pricetag. This year, the Ultra 3 should play catch-up, gaining the same S11 chip as the Series 11, and a wide-angle OLED display like that introduced with the Series 10. But it doesn’t stop there — the watch may also get a larger 422 x 514 pixel resolution screen, and both 5G and satellite connectivity. Needless to say, satellite messaging might be a literal lifesaver on a device meant for hiking, diving, and other adventure activities.

This year, the Series 11 could be the model to languish a bit. While upgrades from the Series 10 should include 5G and the S11, the only other new feature may be passive blood pressure monitoring — alerting you to possible hypertension if you fall outside a safe zone. Even that tech might not be ready in time.

Not much is known about plans for the SE 3 other than it getting the S11 chip. With it being a budget device, though, I wouldn’t expect it to get 5G, blood pressure support, or even an always-on display. It could hypothetically add sleep apnea detection and ECG reading.

The AirPods Pro 3

An Apple Watch replacement?

The next AirPods Pro model may do the Powerbeats Pro 2 one better and introduce not just heart rate monitoring but a temperature sensor. In effect, the Pro 3 could provide some of the basic health tracking of an Apple Watch, without the pricetag. You’ll still want a watch for serious fitness activities, but your earbuds could help alert you to fevers and other conditions.

Other changes should include a “modernized” design to match the AirPods 4, and improvements to noise cancellation and overall audio quality. Some of these may stem from the switch to a new Apple H3 processor. There’s a chance that Apple will shrink or eliminate the earbuds’ stems, but those are so iconic that I’m having a hard time imagining them disappearing.

New HomePods

The greatest mystery

Apple is overdue to update the HomePod mini. The original was introduced five years ago, and needs to catch up with both processor and wireless technologies. If Apple does announce a new model, count on it having a newer S-series chip and faster Wi-Fi at a minimum. Refined acoustics could also be in tow, although there’s only so much Apple can do without a woofer.

As for a new full-size HomePod, Apple has been rumored as working on one with an OLED display, but that may not meet its fall 2025 target, if it ships at all. Personally, I’d think it would make more sense to hold off until the company has its rumored homeOS ready, and that’s supposedly coming in spring 2026.

An updated Apple TV 4K

Entering the Apple Intelligence era

Though Apple could potentially give its streamer Wi-Fi 7, the primary upgrade this year is reported to be a faster A17 Pro processor. That chip is the same one used in the iPhone 15 Pro, meaning there’s a strong chance the device will support Apple Intelligence. Apple didn’t mention this when it showcased tvOS 26 in June, but the company tends to conceal software features tied to unannounced hardware. It’s not hard to imagine tvOS with things like ChatGPT integration and live translations.

The A17 Pro may also enable console-quality games, but I wouldn’t count on it, myself. Apple has largely neglected triple-A gaming on iPhones and iPads, never mind bringing it to a sub-$200 TV add-on.