Unless you’ve been living under a dusty ‘ol Blackberry, you probably know Apple announced its skinny iPhone Air on Sept. 9, at its much-hyped “Awe Dropping” keynote.
Yours truly had an opportunity to play around with the 5.6mm-thin iPhone Air following the reveal, and also got hands-on time with the new iPhone 17 family, AirPods Pro 3 earbuds, and new Apple Watches – all available September 19.
While not a review — as I haven’t yet tested the new hardware in and around my home at the time of writing this — the following are my initial impressions.
iPhone Air
The form factor and design of the iPhone Air will be the first thing you notice, as it’s a thin and light phone that feels good to hold with one hand while simultaneously scrolling and tapping the screen with your thumb.
The 6.3-inch screen is super smooth, thanks to Apple’s ProMotion display that refreshes up to 120 times per second, compared to a standard 60Hz display which only refreshes 60 times per second.
Despite how thin the phone is, it feels remarkably durable. Apple says it uses titanium instead of aluminum, along with its proprietary Ceramic Shield coating on the back of iPhone Air, and the newer Ceramic Shield 2 on the front, the latter of which is said to be three times more scratch-resistant than its predecessor.
While not tested, Apple says its engineers were able to squeeze up to 27 hours of video playback – remarkable for such a thin device.
iPhone Air starts at $999, in one of four color options.
iPhone 17 family
All three new iPhone 17 models were on-hand – iPhone 17, the beefier iPhone 17 Pro, and the larger iPhone 17 Pro Max – each with improved specs over last year’s models. (And a striking new orange color with the Pro models.)
Interestingly, while many were bracing for higher prices due to tariffs, prices remain the same as last year. In fact, starting at $799, iPhone 17 is a better deal compared to the iPhone 16, as it starts with twice the storage (256GB instead of 128GB).
The cameras are the real story here, especially on the Pro models (from $1,099), as they contain three advanced rear lenses (a main, telephoto, and ultra wide-angle), each at 48 megapixels for incredible detail.
As with iPhone Air, the entire iPhone 17 family also has a greatly improved front-facing 18-megapixel camera – perfect for selfies – and with a new square-shaped sensor, coupled with AI, that allows for neat things like automatically keeping you centered in frame and being able to swap between portrait and landscape photos without needing to rotate the camera.
For the first time, you can also shoot video on both the front and rear cameras simultaneously, so you can capture the action (like a concert) and your reaction (like singing along), picture-in-picture, and share it with your friends.
IPhone 17 also has a powerful processor, improved screens (with that ProMotion), better protection (Ceramic Shield 2), longer battery life, and other bells and whistles.
Note: All iPhone 17 models and iPhone Air are “eSIM only,” but Apple will make it easy to transfer over your number for those with an old-fashioned SIM card.
Apple Watch models
Just as there were three new iPhone 17 models, Apple let us spend some time with the three new Apple Watch options: the flagship Apple Watch Series 11 (from $399), the larger and more adventure-proof Apple Watch Ultra 3 (from $799) and entry-level Apple Watch SE 3 (from $249).
Apple Watch Series 11 devices are thinner, with brighter screens, and are more durable, says Apple, along with a 24-hour battery for the first time.
I’ve not tested, but a new hypertension monitor will be available at some point, notifying you of possible high blood pressure, to complement the plethora of existing health-related measurements. A new “Sleep Score” is said to also give you more insights into your all-important sleep quality and quantity.
For outdoorsy types and serious sports lovers, Apple Watch Ultra 3 has up to 42 hours of battery life (or up to 72 hours in Low Power Mode), and for the first time supports satellite connectivity in the event you’re off the grid and want to send messages to friends and family – or require emergency services.
AirPods Pro 3
Finally, the world’s best-selling earbuds just got better.
If my “ears-on” time with the AirPods Pro 3 ($249) are any indication, they’re more comfortable (thanks, in part to foam inside the ear tips) and offer twice the Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) as the previous model.
Battery life has been extended to 8 hours instead of 6 (with ANC enabled) and up to 10 hours (compared to 6) on Transparent mode for those who want to hear the outside world (like pedestrians and cyclists).
For the first time, AirPods Pro 3 can measure your heart rate while exercising, displayed on the Health app on an iPhone.
Powered by Apple Intelligence, a new Live Translation mode is said to deliver near real-time language translation to your ears when conversing with someone who speaks another language.
The final Apple take
Apple recognizes it must offer a compelling reason for consumers to upgrade – yet not mess what made these products so sought after to begin with.
iPhone Air isn’t the first ultra-thin phone – Samsung recently launched its 5.8 mm-thin Galaxy S25 Edge (from $1219.99) – not to mention Samsung and Google Pixel boast some seriously impressive AI features that currently trump what Apple can do.
But those who like iPhone will no doubt love iPhone Air.
The other devices are also examples of iterative but meaningful advancements over their predecessors, and with a broad selection of options to suit varying tastes, needs, and budgets.
I’ll reserve final judgment until these can be tested freely, including important features like battery life, but what we’ve seen so far is “awe dropping” indeed.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: The iPhone Air offers fans a fresh, lighter version of the iPhone