iPhone Air: Apple sets the tone for the future with a slim iPhone

Titanium frame for stability

The iPhone Air featured a large 6.5-inch (approximately 16.5-centimeter) screen and a titanium frame. The choice of materials was intended to ensure maximum strength. A good decade ago, Apple faced criticism during the so-called "Bendgate" incident, which claimed that the larger iPhone 6 was too easily bent. This time, Apple intends to avoid a repeat.

A camera lens and eSIM

The slimmer design required a technical balancing act and compromises. There's only one camera lens—there simply wasn't enough room for more in the curved back of the iPhone Air. Thanks to software and the lens design, telephoto images with the quality of a 12-megapixel camera are also possible. There was also no room for a SIM card slot. Connection to the cellular network is handled exclusively via the built-in reprogrammable eSIM.

Battery "for the whole day"

It initially remained unclear how exactly the slimmer design would affect battery life. Apple promises enough battery power "for an all-day runtime" – but initially didn't specify a runtime in hours. Artificial intelligence is supposed to help with energy management. The new operating system, iOS 26, analyzes users' typical battery consumption and predicts when the battery might run out, thus saving power in time. Nevertheless, the company designed a new – equally thin – external battery, which is held to the back of the device by magnets.

Harbinger of a foldable iPhone?

For industry analyst Francisco Jeronimo of market research firm IDC, the Air demonstrates how far Apple has already come in developing a foldable iPhone. He even believes that the technical advances made in the process made the thinner Air possible. "They're on the right track because the Air is one of the thinnest smartphones available, if not the thinnest." According to media reports, Apple could introduce an iPhone that folds to the size of a small tablet next year. Samsung set the standard in the market this year with an extremely thin generation of its Galaxy Fold model series.

The Air replaces the iPhone Plus—the larger version of the standard model—in Apple's lineup. The Plus wasn't particularly popular, said Jeronimo. Consumers looking to save money would have preferred to buy last year's iPhone Pro models. However, with the Air, Apple is offering them an "interesting device." Both Jeronimo and industry analyst Avi Greengart don't see compromises in camera and battery performance as a problem. "It should be fine on most days," Greengart concluded.

Orange thanks to aluminum

In addition to the Air, Apple also introduced the iPhone 17, as usual, as a standard model and as a more expensive Pro version with more features. They received the usual upgrades with better chips and cameras. However, with the Pro model, Apple switched from a titanium frame to an aluminum casing, which – like the MacBook notebooks – is milled from a single block. According to the company, one advantage is that aluminum dissipates heat 20 times better than titanium. And AI functions, such as those used in camera operation, require a lot of processing power and can heat up the device considerably. Aluminum also gave Apple more flexibility in color design. The iPhone 17 Pro is therefore now available in a bright color: orange. The next iPhone Pro will also have a notable new look for the first time since 2020: The camera island on the back now extends across the entire width of the device.

Under the hood, the iPhone 17 series and the iPhone Air have been better protected against spy attacks than previous models. Apple calls this enhanced protection the "most significant upgrade in memory security in the history of consumer operating systems." The measures combine changes to the chips and operating system to block surveillance software like the infamous Pegasus program.

Watch can detect high blood pressure

The new generation of the Apple Watch can now also alert users to suspected high blood pressure. While the device won't be able to detect all cases, Apple executive Sumbul Desai said it expects to notify one million users of elevated blood pressure in the first year.

The next generation of the larger Apple Watch Ultra, designed specifically for adventurers and extreme athletes, will have a larger display. It will also be able to communicate directly with satellites and have a longer battery life of up to 42 hours. At the other end of the price range, the cheapest Apple Watch SE will also get a chip update and faster charging times.

New AirPods Pro can measure heart rate

A new model of the AirPods Pro earbuds is capable of measuring heart rate, making it ideal for use during workouts. When paired with the iPhone, the AirPods Pro 3 can also translate users' conversations in real time between different languages. This feature will not initially be available in the European Union. Apple has previously withheld new services and features in Europe, citing ambiguities caused by European digital regulations. The AirPods Pro 3 are also said to offer better sound quality and twice the ambient noise cancellation.

AI in the background

The iPhone has been by far Apple's most important product for years. Rivals like Samsung and Google have recently focused heavily on marketing their competing models, with many features based on artificial intelligence, as personal everyday assistants. Apple, too, had announced major AI leaps with a more helpful version of its Siri assistant software in the previous iPhone generation. However, the company then had to postpone the new Siri until next year. Now, AI is once again more deeply embedded in individual functions. Users often access them without realizing that artificial intelligence is behind them. Analysts like William Kerwin of the financial firm Morningstar don't see this as a major problem for Apple. While people think of artificial intelligence as software, it is ultimately used on devices, Kerwin pointed out on CNBC. And Apple is the leading device provider with the iPhone, Mac computers, and iPads. "To me, that means they still have time to get their strategy right."