Was Apple's iPhone 17 launch event truly 'Awe-dropping' with the latest launches?

Apple’s ‘Awe-dropping’ event did not have as many ‘awe-dropping’ moments, given much of the launches were as expected. Yet, as always Apple’s latest launch event held on Wednesday (evening for Indian readers), brought announcements around smartphones and wearables from the Cupertino-based tech giant.

Here is your ultimate guide to everything Apple said about the latest iPhone 17 series launch last night, and what ripple effects are expected in the smartphone market following the launch event. The tech giant’s smartphones launches include the slimmest-ever iPhone 17 Air and more powerful Pro and Pro Max.

What is new with iPhone 17 that will make you upgrade or switch to this series?

Apple unveiled the iPhone 17 series lineup, introducing major design and performance upgrades across the board. As Fortune India had reported earlier, the iPhone 17 series lineup will not bring major software upgrades to the device. Yet, there were some critical hardware rejigs announced last evening that will impact smartphone performance.

“The emphasis on improved durability, including drop and scratch resistance, aligns with the growing consumer demand for longer-lasting devices,” Prabhu Ram, VP - Industry Research Group (IRG), CyberMedia Research (CMR) tells Fortune India.

First things first, the iPhone 17 Air, its thinnest-ever iPhone, is just 5.6mm thick and weighs way lighter than any other smartphone. Contrary to popular discourse, the company has positioned the mobile phone as a slimmer alternative to its Pro version.

The model features a 6.5-inch ProMotion OLED display with a peak brightness of 3,000 nits, powered by the latest A19 Pro chip, the same chip that powers the Pro and Pro Max models of the series.

Despite social media users claiming that the model will have poorer camera, Apple claims to get much of the work done with a single rear camera due to its Fusion camera capabilities of 48 megapixels. The phone comes with an 18MP front camera with Centre Stage AI, and a titanium frame protected by Ceramic Shield 2 on both front and back. The phone also debuts a custom N1 chip for seamless Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread connectivity, alongside a new C1X modem promising twice-as-fast wireless speeds.

“With the all-new iPhone 17 series, Apple breaks from the incremental update cycle with a refreshed design language. The introduction of the iPhone 17 Air marks a significant design leap, likely to spur upgrades from loyal users of older models ranging from iPhone 12 through 15,” says Ram.

Aside from starting the slim phones era, Apple may just be starting the eSim era as well globally, as with Air to keep up with the battery capabilities, the company has dropped the physical SIM tray completely for all markets.

The phone is available in four finished including Space Black, Cloud White, Light Gold, and Sky Blue.

The company claims to provide as much as 40 hours of battery but, only with an additional Mag Safe accessory, leaving consumers muddled if this would mean carrying the Mag Safe everywhere and adding to the overall costs of the phone.

What is new with the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max?

The sturdier iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, meanwhile, come with an aluminium unibody design, with as expected horizontal camera bar, that the company claims to help add more features to the phones. The bar houses a triple 48MP camera system that has 2x enhanced telephoto capabilities now, and even over 8x optical zoom and 40x digital zoom.

Same as Air, the A19 Pro chip comes with a 6-core CPU and 5-core GPU, expected to deliver up to 40% better sustained performance compared to the previous Pro models. What was interesting was Apple’s notion to position the Pro products for creators and gamers, something that it had not done in its previous models that evidently. This also signals that the tech giant is betting big on emerging markets such as India where creator and gaming economies are extensively shaping up.

“The iPhone 17 Air delivers notable design innovation, likely driving upgrades from loyalists of older models, including iPhone 12 through 15, while the iPhone 17 Pro lineup—with its durable, performance-focused design, enhanced battery, and advanced camera capabilities—will appeal to power users, digital natives, and content creators,” Ram adds.

The Air model features Ceramic Shield 2 on both front and back, and all models have the technology in their glass front screen, giving users better scratch and crack resistance, and a vapour chamber cooling system for thermal management.

On the display front, the Pro and Pro Max sport 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch ProMotion OLED screens respectively, both with 3,000-nit peak brightness and improved outdoor contrast. Battery life reaches new heights, with the Pro Max supporting up to 39 hours of video playback. Fast charging is enhanced via a new 40W Dynamic Power Adapter, delivering 50% charge in 20 minutes.

Contrary to public demands, Apple users for all but Pro Max models will not get the first-ever up to 2TB storage option.

The models come in Deep Blue, Cosmic Orange, and Silver colour variants.

All models are set to ship with iOS 26, announced at the June WWDC event of the company. Under the latest operating system revamp, the tech giant introduced a refreshed ‘Liquid Glass’ design, expanded Apple Intelligence features, live translation, and new Visual Intelligence tools including screenshot search.

Trends that Apple will start from this year’s launch

With the latest phone launches, however, what caught the eye was the two key trends that Apple is set to begin in the smartphone industry. This is not the slim phone trend nor the eSim trend. These are trends on sustainable production and cross-body straps for phones.

Apple announced that its latest iPhone 17 series uses as much as 30% recycled content, 100% recycled cobalt in batteries, and fully fibre-based packaging. If Apple announces sustainable manufacturing as the way ahead, many other OEMs are expected to catch up. This becomes crucial especially at a time when Apple’s home state head U.S. president Donald Trump has declined to focus on practices for environmental protection.

Another key trend that Apple is set to begin is the obsession with cross-body straps. Alongside the phones, Apple on Wednesday, introduced new accessories. These included the $59 TechWoven case and a MagSafe clear case. These cases are accompanied by 100% recycled crossbody straps. If one tracks Apple’s experience over the years with its loyal fans, many OEMs have to catch up with accessories that Apple introduces, signalling the possibility of more smartphones offering similar add-ons to their smartphones.

Pricing for all products so launched

Pre-orders begin on September 12 in more than 63 countries, with general availability from September 19 and further rollout on September 26.

The iPhone 17 base model, Air, Pro and Pro Max start at $799, $999, $1099, and $1199 for the base 256GB storage variants.

Apple is offering trade-in credits up to $700 and carrier deals worth as much as $1,100.

Lastly, was it really worth the hype?

The storage remains an issue with 256 GB option for base models at $799 and the eSim feature may prevent many existing users to immediately make the switch to the new lineup. Another issue was the negligible Apple Intelligence and Siri-related announcements. It seems Live translation and Visual Intelligence are the only two features Apple has had since almost two years now.

“However, the absence of any announcement on enhanced AI capabilities was notable. While consumer AI adoption is still early and concentrated among tech enthusiasts, the window for Apple to catch up is rapidly narrowing,” adds Ram.

As a result, if you’re considering whether to make the switch, it seems to be as much a question of desire as of need, after all, who wants an older iPhone when the newer one is trendier and more talked about in town?