The curtains have lifted at Cupertino, as Apple has made significant announcements during its hour-long keynote event aptly titled Awe Dropping. The tech giant unveiled an impressive lineup including the iPhone 17 series, Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3, and AirPods Pro 3. Our team at ZDNET is on-site in Cupertino, providing comprehensive coverage of the event and highlighting the most exciting product reveals. Stay tuned for continuous updates on these groundbreaking releases.
iPhone 17 Series: Kicking off the event, Apple introduced the standard iPhone 17 retailing at $799. This model features a stunning 120Hz ProMotion display, an enhanced front-facing camera for versatile recording, and is powered by the new A19 chipset. However, the showstopper was the newly launched $999 iPhone Air, heralded as Apple's thinnest and lightest phone to date. The iPhone Air operates on the robust A19 Pro chip, comes equipped with a single camera sensor due to its slim design, and boasts a durable build. The Pro and Pro Max variants, starting at $1,099 and $1,199 respectively, also received upgrades, including a redesigned back cover with a larger camera visor that incorporates an enhanced telephoto sensor. An innovative vapor chamber cooling system ensures the devices maintain peak performance and extended battery life.
Apple Watch Series 11: Apple showcased the $399 Apple Watch Series 11 as a vital piece of personal health technology, supported by real-world testimonials illustrating its life-saving capabilities. This model promises to be the thinnest and most comfortable watch yet, sporting 5G connectivity, new watch faces, and a highly scratch-resistant ceramic design.
Apple Watch Ultra 3: The $799 Apple Watch Ultra 3 features a bright, wide-angle OLED display with thinner bezels, maximizing screen size. It will be the first Apple Watch to offer satellite connectivity for emergency messaging and location syncing, alongside 5G support. Impressively, the Ultra 3 boasts the longest battery life of any Apple Watch, lasting up to 42 hours on a single charge.
Apple Watch SE 3: The third-generation $249 Apple Watch SE is powered by the S10 chip and introduces an always-on display. This model also features fast charging capabilities for the first time, providing users with up to eight hours of battery life from just a 15-minute charge. It maintains an 18-hour overall battery life and is compatible with iOS 26, unlocking advanced features.
AirPods Pro 3: Kicking off the event, Apple announced the $249 AirPods Pro 3, designed with a multi-port acoustic architecture to enhance sound quality for both music and calls. These new earbuds feature double the active noise cancellation (ANC) of previous models and offer a battery life of up to eight hours with ANC activated, a four-hour increase from earlier versions. They will also support Live Translation powered by Apple Intelligence and come with new ear tips available in five sizes for improved fit.
Throughout the event, our ZDNET team provided live coverage, including insights from Apple CEO Tim Cook, who engaged with the press and took photos with the new devices. As the excitement continued, the team shifted focus to hands-on experiences with the newly launched devices, promising to share photos, videos, and detailed analyses in the coming days.
For those eager to secure their new devices, here are the starting prices for the iPhone 17 lineup, all now featuring a base storage of 256GB:
iPhone 17: $799iPhone Air: $999iPhone 17 Pro: $1,099iPhone 17 Pro Max: $1,199Preorders will commence on Friday, September 12 at 5:00 am PT, with all phones available for purchase starting September 19.
The Apple Watch Series 11 will introduce sleep scoring, a feature that assesses users' sleep patterns using complex algorithms. Additionally, the blood pressure tracking functionality in the Series 11 anticipates FDA clearance soon, enhancing its health-monitoring capabilities.
In a surprising turn, all three iPhone 17 Pro cameras will now feature 48MP fusion sensors, enabling enhanced zoom capabilities. Despite some downgrades in optical zoom, Apple has emphasized the advanced video capabilities of the iPhone 17 Pro, which was notably used to film the launch event itself.
With these exciting product announcements and advanced features, Apple continues to solidify its position as a leader in the technology sector. For more in-depth coverage and updates from the event, visit our sibling sites' live blogs at CNET, PCMag, Mashable, and Lifehacker.
As the dust settles from this year's Apple event, the anticipation around the iPhone 17 series, Apple Watch Series 11, and AirPods Pro 3 continues to build. With a focus on health, connectivity, and improved performance, these devices are set to redefine user experiences. Stay connected for further updates on availability, features, and hands-on reviews as we delve deeper into Apple's latest innovations.
