Apple’s ‘Awe Dropping’ event is scheduled to take place this week – but what should we expect to actually see?
While Apple itself is keeping schtum on the specifics of this week’s announcements, there have been plenty of rumours detailing what we should see revealed – and if true, it could be the most significant Apple event in years.
iPhone 17 Air
If there’s any model of iPhone 17 to get excited about, it’s the iPhone 17 Air. Why? If rumours are to be believed, it’ll be the most significant change to the iPhone’s design since the iPhone X.
As the (unconfirmed) Air branding suggests, rumours point towards an impressively thin smartphone that could rival the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge. It’s said to measure 5.5mm thick at its thinnest point, a reduction of more than 2mm compared to the 7.8mm-thick iPhone 16 – although there will be a thicker camera area.
The housing will also be entirely new for Apple’s iPhone collection, with a pill-shaped horizontal camera bump that extends across the entire rear of the phone – though it’ll only house a single 48MP camera. Flip the phone around and you’ll find a 24MP selfie snapper, a big boost over the 12MP sensor found in the iPhone 16 collection.
The phone itself is said to be made from a titanium-aluminium hybrid, allowing it to weigh in at an extraordinary light 145g – only a little heavier than the iPhone 13 mini, but with a rumoured 6.6-inch screen.
That screen, by the way, is said to feature the 120Hz ProMotion technology previously exclusive to Pro models – although that’s apparently applicable to all iPhone 17 models. Long overdue, if you ask us!
Elsewhere, the iPhone 17 Air is said to feature the same A19 chip that’s rumoured to be featured in the regular iPhone 17 – rather than the higher-power Pro variant – and it’ll also feature the same C1 modem found on the iPhone 16e. This means it likely won’t support mmWave 5G speeds, but considering it’s not available in most regions, it shouldn’t be a dealbreaker.
Instead, the real dealbreaker could be battery life. With such a thin chassis, there’s not much space for a big battery. A leaked image suggests that the iPhone 17 Air’s battery will be half the size of the iPhone 16 Pro‘s, with rumours indicating a surprisingly low 2,800mAh capacity.
Apple might be able to improve battery life with efficiency tweaks, but it’s hard to imagine it’ll last as long as thicker phones.
For a much more in-depth dive into the rumours, check out the latest iPhone 17 Air news.
iPhone 17 Pro
The iPhone 17 Air might be the most exciting model of Apple’s upcoming collection, but the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max are also said to sport dramatic new redesigns.
Apple is rumoured to be ditching the titanium of previous Pro entries, instead swapping back to an aluminium frame, while also ditching some of the glass on the rear.
In its place, it’ll have a half-glass, half-aluminium rear design with the glass area dedicated mainly to upgraded MagSafe charging. The use of more aluminium on the rear should mean the new Pro models are more durable than their all-glass-rear predecessors, and it should help improve heat dissipation too.
Apple is also redesigning the camera housing for the Pro models – but there’s no clear logic behind the change at this time. Rather than the square bump we’re used to, it’ll extend across the entire rear of the device – but the cameras are said to sport a similar triangular layout to the iPhone 16 equivalents. What the extra space is for is unclear, but it’ll certainly look new.
There’s said to be more colourful options available for this year’s Pro collection too, including hues of orange, dark blue, grey, white and black.
The screens are said to be similar but more durable, and considering the 6.3- and 6.9-inch OLED ProMotion panels of the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max are among the best in the smartphone market, that’s not a huge complaint.
The Pro models are also said to sport an upgraded 48MP telephoto lens, which means all three lenses will sport the same 48MP resolution for the first time. Some whispers suggest that the boosted lens will support up to 8x optical zoom, while the primary camera could feature a new variable aperture system that allows users to adjust the amount of light reaching the lens.
There are also rumours about Apple working on a dual video recording feature that uses both the front and rear cameras simultaneously. And, like the iPhone 17 Air, the Pro models are also set to get the upgraded 24MP selfie camera.
Elsewhere, expect the upgraded A19 Pro chipset, accompanied by a possible increase in RAM to 12GB, which is likely to enhance AI capabilities. Additionally, larger batteries are said to offer the best battery life of any iPhone to date.
iPhone 17
While other models in the iPhone 17 collection feature a dramatic new look, the entry-level iPhone 17 is reportedly very familiar. The biggest change is Apple ditching the ‘Plus’ model for the Air model.
That means it’ll look a lot like the iPhone 16, with the same vertical camera bump, flat edges and all-glass rear – though the screen could increase from 6.1 to 6.3 inches by slimming down the bezels. It’s also said to get the ProMotion 120Hz screen tech for the first time, something tech fans have been asking for for years.
Like the iPhone 17 Air, the regular iPhone 17 is expected to feature the A19 chipset for improved performance and enhanced efficiency, while a new vapour chamber is expected to help keep the phone cooler for longer when playing games.
Elsewhere, it’s said to be very familiar; it’ll once again sport dual 48MP primary and ultrawide lenses, albeit with an upgraded 24MP selfie snapper, and it’ll also support 25W wireless charging too.
For more on the entry-level iPhone, take a look at the latest iPhone 17 news.
Apple Watch Ultra 3
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is also expected to make an appearance at this week’s event, although in many ways, it seems like it’s playing catch-up to last year’s Apple Watch Series 10.
It’s said to include the upgraded LTPO screen featured on last year’s model, which should bring a boost in brightness and better viewing angles, and it should be more efficient as it can drop down to just one nit when necessary.
The screen itself could also be a little larger, but without expanding the already chunky dimensions of the Ultra model. Rumours point to a higher 422 x 512 resolution, likely achieved by slimming down the screen’s bezels.
Elsewhere, the wearable is set to feature an upgraded S11 chipset – but given that rumours suggest it’ll offer the same performance as the S9 in the current Ultra model, upgrading owners might not notice much of a difference overall.
Things get interesting elsewhere however; the Ultra 3 could be the first Apple Watch with satellite connectivity, offering support for texts and emergency SOS features like on recent models of iPhone, and it’s also said to offer support for 5G too.
The long-awaited blood pressure monitoring could also make its debut, but with rumours pointing towards development issues, it’s unclear whether it’ll make an appearance this year or not.
Apple Watch Series 11
The Apple Watch Series 11 sounds like a relatively modest upgrade; it’s said to feature the same support for 5G as the new Ultra watch, along with the S11 chipset, a brighter screen and potentially blood pressure monitoring if the tech is indeed ready for prime time.
Aside from that, however, very little is known about the Apple Watch Series 11 – a rarity in the run-up to an Apple event.
AirPods Pro 3
Finally, we’re expecting to see the reveal of Apple’s third-gen AirPods Pro 3 – though like the Apple Watch Series 11, not that much is known about the upcoming buds.
Rumours suggest an updated form factor, although the specifics are largely unknown.
The charging case is said to be slimmer, helping to make it more pocketable. Like the AirPods 4 case, the external pairing button is expected to be replaced by an invisible capacitive button for a cleaner look. The LEDs could also be hidden beneath the surface, only appearing when needed.
Elsewhere, Apple is said to be working on a new chipset to bring improvements to sound quality and better ANC. Whispers also suggest the new buds could feature in-ear heart rate tracking – a feature found on the PowerBeats Pro 2 – to measure heart rate during workouts, and temperature sensing technology is similarly possible.
In tandem with the upcoming iOS 26 update, the new AirPods Pro are also thought to provide real-time translation for in-person conversations.
