News: 0179112222

  ARM Give a man a fire and he's warm for a day, but set fire to him and he's warm for the rest of his life (Terry Pratchett, Jingo)

Apple Launches iPhone 17 Lineup Featuring Ultra-Thin 5.6mm iPhone Air

(Tuesday September 09, 2025 @05:25PM (msmash) from the thinness-arms-race dept.)


Apple has unveiled its iPhone 17 lineup, introducing three distinct models targeting different market segments. The [1]iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max feature an aluminum unibody design incorporating a vapor chamber for thermal management, enabling the A19 Pro chip to deliver 40% better sustained performance than its predecessor. Both Pro models include three 48MP cameras offering 8x optical zoom -- the longest in an iPhone -- and an 18MP Center Stage front camera.

The [2]standard iPhone 17 gains ProMotion display technology previously exclusive to Pro models, along with dual 48MP rear cameras and the Center Stage system. Apple introduced iPhone Air [3]as the thinnest iPhone at 5.6mm , built on a titanium frame housing the A19 Pro, N1 wireless, and C1X cellular chips. All models feature Ceramic Shield 2 protection offering three times better scratch resistance than previous generations. The iPhone 17 starts at $799 with 256GB storage, iPhone Air at $999, iPhone 17 Pro at $1,099, and Pro Max at $1,199.



[1] https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/09/apple-unveils-iphone-17-pro-and-iphone-17-pro-max/

[2] https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/09/apple-debuts-iphone-17/

[3] https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/09/introducing-iphone-air-a-powerful-new-iphone-with-a-breakthrough-design/


Yaaaaawnn.... (Score:2, Troll)

by Viol8 ( 599362 )

ZZZZZzzzzzzzzzz....

Re: (Score:2)

by Valgrus Thunderaxe ( 8769977 )

How about an iPhone Earth with an extra-thick battery?

Re: (Score:2)

by zlives ( 2009072 )

just extra thick case so it doesn't sit lopsided.

iPhone Bend (Score:2)

by Luthair ( 847766 )

I can see it now, "I had my air in my back pocket, now its shaped like a boomerang"

Re: (Score:3)

by bill_mcgonigle ( 4333 ) *

You're sitting on it wrong.

Re: (Score:2)

by bjoast ( 1310293 )

It's almost pointless anyways considering that the camera cluster has such a high protrusion. I am sick of smartphones that can't lie flat on a table.

Re: (Score:2)

by MachineShedFred ( 621896 )

And if they have to have a protrusion to make Z-depth for various components, do it like Google did on the Pixel and at least keep one axis of symmetry so that it doesn't rock around or sit and some weird angle if on a tabletop.

I.e. CENTER the camera protrusion instead of having an asymmetric back.

iPhone Air? Really? (Score:2)

by Misagon ( 1135 )

Before every Apple product launch day, the thing I am always looking forward to the most are all the jokes and memes about how Apple has become a parody of itself.

SAMTIME is one of the very best.

His job has been extra easy this year. The jokes about "iPhone Air" practically write themselves.

Just, why? (Score:3)

by msauve ( 701917 )

Thinner? Why? I don't see anyone clamoring for thinner phones. In fact, I'd prefer a bit thicker, so they're less delicate and easier to handle and they can use the room for bigger batteries. They could even get rid of the camera bumps which put them out there just waiting to be damaged. Because you know, they're lying about the "5.6mm" [sic], which ignores the thickness of the camera.

Re: (Score:2)

by alvinrod ( 889928 )

It's the phone for vapid socialites. Phones don't even need to be thicker as improvements in CPUs, displays, and other components mean that devices can generally go for most of the day and even some of the next without needing a charge. My current phone is about five years old and while I'm not the heaviest user, I still use it regularly throughout the day. I've never had battery worries and have on a few occasions gone for two days on a single charge if I'd forgotten to plug it in.

I do agree about the c

Re: (Score:2)

by w1z7ard ( 227376 )

No battery problems after 5 years? I call bull$hit.

Re: Just, why? (Score:2)

by Big Hairy Gorilla ( 9839972 )

How else do you differentiate your product from all the others?

Thinner.

Faster? Better? Who cares.

We're telling you what you should care about.

I recall when the earth was still cooling we went to the store and you could see the difference in performance of x vs y. Then one day when you asked about performance you were told, that is irrelevant, you're gonna love the lid on this, or it comes in lime green now.

Re: (Score:2)

by CubicleZombie ( 2590497 )

> How else do you differentiate your product from all the others?

> Thinner.

> Faster? Better? Who cares.

Cheaper. That's all I care about.

Re: Just, why? (Score:3)

by sziring ( 2245650 )

So when it slips from your hand it can float to the floor like a feather.

Re: (Score:3)

by CommunityMember ( 6662188 )

> Thinner? Why?

Because you can never be too rich or too thin?

thin = EU ban soon when no battery cover! (Score:2)

by Joe_Dragon ( 2206452 )

thin = EU ban soon when no battery cover!

Re: (Score:1)

by Anonymous Coward

why eu ban everything?

Re: (Score:2)

by Pascoea ( 968200 )

I didn't realize they had banned "shift" keys.

Ultra Thin with Wings (Score:4, Funny)

by TwistedGreen ( 80055 )

I'm holding off until they release it with Wings for extra protection.

Re: (Score:3)

by Locke2005 ( 849178 )

The Maxi iPad?

Thin? (Score:2)

by nospam007 ( 722110 ) *

So I can put even MORE cards in my wallet-iphone cover?

Re: (Score:2)

by alvinrod ( 889928 )

What do you need more cards for? The entire point of a digital wallet is so that you don't need to carry as many cards. Perhaps someday digital IDs will be available and zero card will be a possibility, but outside of a driver's license, a work ID card, and a credit/debit card for places that can't take payment from the phone, what else do most people need.

The real reason they made it so thin is so that there was more room for the external battery pack you can buy so that your device last all day even if

Re: (Score:2)

by blackomegax ( 807080 )

what else do most people need. My ID, in case i get pulled over in bumfuck by cops that don't take digital id.

same for insurance card

costco card

insurance card because nobody accepts digital anything in a healthcare industry still stuck on fax machines and 20 year old tablet computing devices

1 credit card and 1 debit card. each in case somewhere doesn't take tap to pay.

One burner card, just in case (a prepaid visa bought in cash)

I have a 2nd wallet for all the gift cards, work amex, misc stuff as well

Still plenty of room... (Score:3)

by edi_guy ( 2225738 )

...for a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Too thick! (Score:2)

by bill_mcgonigle ( 4333 ) *

I would have bought at 5.2mm.

The case adds 6.1mm so how can they excuse a gargantuan 5.6mm?

Stupid thin phablets have taken over (Score:3)

by greytree ( 7124971 )

Fuck the sheep who buy this shit.

I want a quality, thick, small, solid phone that won't break when I sit on it or drop it.

But no-one makes them.

Apple announces more of the same (Score:2)

by DrXym ( 126579 )

New models of existing products, zero innovation. As for a thin phone - good luck trying to repair it when it breaks. I bet most people put their phones in cases anyway so it seems monumentally stupid to buy something thin when it'll be stuck in a slab to protect it. I'd be more impressed if Apple produced a ruggedized phone, one with replaceable battery, screen and other components.

To have died once is enough.
-- Publius Vergilius Maro (Virgil)