Authors note: Pre-orders for the iPhones do not open until September 12th. Apology’s for any confusion

It’s the annual September Apple event, where Apples unveils their newest line of iPhones, Apple Watches, and a look at the newest iOS features. This year Apple really needs to have smash the launch of the new products out of the park, as last year’s launch was mired by the lackluster rollout of Apple Intelligence.

Expectations

My expectations going in were rather lukewarm for this year. There wasn’t any signs of a groundbreaking new flagship phone, as the iPhone 17 Pro rumors show much of the same. I did have some interest in the rumored iPhone 17 air, as this will be the first time Apple has added a new line to their iPhone lineup since the introduction of the pro models back with the iPhone 11 Pro.

Overall, I was expecting more of the same from Apple this time around, but I hoped for some pleasant surprises.

The Introduction

Tim Cook began the event by mentioning the importance of design, which led to him discussing the new Liquid Glass design of iOS 26. While iOS 26 hasn’t been officially released, it has been out in public beta for a few months now.

Apple then began the presentation discussing the new products being launched. If you wish to view the event itself, you can view it here. This post will not review the event itself, rather I will just be discussing the new products being released.

AirPods Pro 3

The first product revealed was the new AirPods Pro 3. The teaser for these waas reminiscent of the old iPod ads from the 2000’s, which definetly gave me a feeling of nostalgia.

The overall design of the new AirPods is very similar to the previous AirPods Pro 2, but there are some changes to the internals. Apple claimed that they redesigned the acoustic chambers for the AirPods, which will improve the bass and vocal performance. Active noise cancelling also gets a boost from the acoustics, and the ear tips are infused with foam to help improve Active noise cancellation as well. Apple claims that this will give the AirPods performance that matches some over the ear headphone designs. I’m sure there will be reviews from audiophiles that prove or deny this claim.

One of the most interesting features from the new AirPods has to be the live translation. When you are wearing the AirPods, Apple Intelligence will translate foreign languages to English and speak back the translation for you in real time. This doesn’t just work for individual words, but apple claims that it will be able to translate full phrases as well for added context. If both parties are wearing AirPods, both sets will translate, allowing a live conversation across languages.

Finally, AirPods will have a built-in heart rate sensor that will help with activities like workouts. I’m unsure how well these will work, but the Apple Watch has a decent heart rate sensor built in, which gives me trust that the AirPods will be fairly accurate.

The new AirPods Pro 3 are available for preorder at $249.

Apple Watch Series 11

Apple began the reveal by showing testimonials from users who claimed to be saved by the Apple Watch. Two had medical episodes, while another person was stranded on a mountain during a blizzard. This worked to show the benefits of the Apple Watch while also showcasing some of the established features of the Apple Watches. Overall, this was a touching presentation and was effective in showing the device as a “lifesaver”.

First, The Apple Watch series 11 was unveiled. A quick sidenote, I am surprised that we are up to series 11. I still remember when the first Apple Watch was unveiled!

Apple began the presentation of the Apple Watch by discussing their new formula in ceramic coated glass. They say that this bonds the ceramic on a molecular level. This new formula was mentioned multiple times throughout the entire presentation.

The Apple watch series 11, SE 3, and Ultra 3 are all 5G Compatible. This is the first line of Apple Watches that are 5G compatible.

The series 11 also now has sleep tracking, sleep apnea detection, and heart rate monitoring. These features were previously available on the Ultra 2 but now make their way to the standard model of Apple Watch. Apple also discussed their new Hypertension detection, which will be interesting to see when it gets FDA approval.

Sleep score was also mentioned with the Series 11. This makes it easier for users to understand how effective their sleep is, or if there are any changes needed in their sleeping habits. Finally, the series 11 hosts a 24-hour battery life, which complements the new sleep tracking features.

Overall, the Series 11 is a small jump forward for the line, but the features added shows apples commitment to health tracking in their watches. The Apple Watch Series 11 is available for pre-order for $399

Apple Watch SE 3

The Apple Watch SE 3 gets Apples S10 chip, which allows for an always on display for the SE 3, a first for the line. The SE 3 will also track Sleep scores and Wrist temperatures. Apple also mentioned that you are able to play music and podcasts through the SE 3, though this is already a feature for the SE line. The SE 3 also boasts an 18-hour battery life and quick charging. Both of these are needed for any type of sleep tracking.

While there wasn’t a lot mentioned for the SE 3, I think this line had the largest upgrade among the entire line. The addition of fast charging, a larger battery, and multiple new health tracking features, the SE feels like the best Apple Watch for those who are looking for a budget friendly model. The SE 3 is available for preorder at $249.

Apple Watch Ultra 3

The Apple Watch Ultra 3 did not have a lot of major updates and felt more like an Apple “S” type upgrade rather than entirely new revision. The main discussion mentioned a new OLED display that improves use in outdoor environments. The screen also has thinner boarders, which makes for the largest screen on an Apple Watch. Again, Apple mentioned their satellite connectivity and includes 3 years of SOS usage with purchase. The Ultra 3 is available for Preorder for $799.

iPhone 17

Finally, we get to the main event. The iPhone reveals. I was surprised to see that apple maintained their current numbering system instead of changing to “iPhone 26” to match their iOS generation number change.

The base model iPhone, the iPhone 17, has a 6.3” display, and includes pro motion. This dynamic screen refresh rate has been on the Pro models for quite some time now and is really nice on your eyes when using the device. Outdoor brightness on the display has also been improved for better outdoor usage. Again, Apple mentioned the new Ceramic Shield formula, which claims to have more scratch resistance than the previous formula. The new screen formula also boasts better glare resistance for better outdoor usage.

Apple pivoted to discussing the new A19 Chip. This chip has an updated Display Engine and improvements to the Neural Engine for Apple Intelligence. Apple claims that the performance is 20% better than the previous A18 Chip.With the new Neural Engine, apple discussed Visual intelligence, which adds some AI support for on screen information. This means you can search for products seen in images or have signs translated in images for example.

Apple then talked about the battery, which boasts and all-day battery life and 8 more hours of video playback. This is mainly due to improved energy efficiency in the A19 Chip. Apple also mentioned that wired charging has been improved for faster wired charging.

The camera systems were the main focal point (pun intended) of the presentation. Apple included a 48MP “Fusion Ultra Wide” camera on the rear paired with a 2x telephoto lens. Ultra wide photos will now have a default resolution of 24MP. Apple claims that these photos will be the highest quality photos seen on an iPhone. The front camera is now an 18MP “Center Stage” camera. The sensor has been made larger which allows for different photo orientations without having to move the iPhone. This means you can get landscape photos while the phone is in portrait mode. Apple has also utilized AI to automatically adjust the layout when multiple faces are detected in the photo. Both front and rear cameras will have motion stabilization for videos, and the front camera will use AI to keep your face in the frame while on FaceTime calls.

Apple is now using 256GB as the minimum storage capacity, which will see the 128GB option phase out of the lineup. The iPhone 17 is available for Pre-order starting at $799

iPhone Air

Apple moved on to announce the newest iPhone line to the lineup, the iPhone Air. This iPhone has a tiny 5mm depth. The housing is framed with Grade 5 Titanium, and both glass panels are coated in their new ceramic formula for durability. Apple claims that the Air is highly durable, but I will wait for stress tests to substantiate that claim. While thin, the Air has a 6.5” Super Retina XDR Display, which matches the Iphone 17.

Apple was able to skinny up the design by Putting a majority of the components into the back bump (which Apple calls the “plateau”). This also allowed them to maximize the size of the battery and keep the phone as thin as possible.

The Air ships with the A19 Pro chip, which they claim is the fastest smartphone chip. This chip improves energy efficiency for battery life, and sees improvements on the GPU, which they claimed rivaled the MacBook Pro. Apple also included their N1 chip for better WiFi, Bluetooth, and thread connectivity, as well as a CX1 modem for better connectivity and energy efficiency. Apple claims that the Air is the most power efficient iPhone, which makes sense, as the batter size has to be sacrificed to reach a 5mm depth.

Apple has also returned to a single camera system for the air. To do this without sacrificing photography features, apple claims the single 48MP fusion camera still maintains the telephoto ability and works like a dual camera system. The front camera is the same center stage camera introduced on the iPhone 17. With the pro chip, the Air can perform dual capture video capabilities. This means the Air can simultaneously record the front and back cameras.

For my classic SIM card users, I have some sad news for you. The Air is ESIM only, meaning it does not have any SIM card slots available. This was done to maximize physical space inside the Air for more battery.

Finally, Apple revealed some accessories for the Air like a low-profile external battery that can increase battery life to 40 hours, a full case and bumper that shows off the thinness of the device, and a new cross body strap that made me laugh. The idea of wearing an iPhone like a handbag just was a funny image in my head.

The iPhone air is available for Pre-order starting at $999.

iPhone 17 Pro

Finally, iPhone unveiled their flagship device, the iPhone 17 Pro. One of the major changes is the new Aluminum unibody design. This makes the iPhones body work as a heatsink. They also added a new vapor chamber that helps dissipate heat evenly and efficiency to improve both internal and external temperatures on the device.

Being the pro model, the Pro includes the A19 Pro chip like the Air. The Pro also has a huge better, which allows for 39 hours of video playback on the ESIM only models.

The cameras on the Pro are also pretty large jumps. All three cameras are 48MP fusion cameras, and the Pro boasts an 8x telephoto zoom. Apple claims this gives you the equivalent of 40 professional lenses. Apple also added ProRes Raw and Genlock compatibility for the device when shooting videos. During the presentation, apple showed off photos taken on the device by professionals, which looked beautiful to my untrained eye.

Apple utilized the end of the Pro presentation to reveal a new tech woven case, the silicone and clear case, and showed off the hilarious crossbody strap again.

The iPhone 17 Pro is available for Pre-order starting at $1099.

Overall Thoughts

Overall, I wasn’t completely blown away at the presentation except for a couple of products. The AirPods Pro 3 have some interesting new features but seems like a small refresh over a major change. The iPhone 17 had some good updates but overall seems like more of the same. iPhone 17 Pro didn’t really have anything I found useful for the average consumer, which I guess makes sense since it is the “professional” edition. The Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Series 11 had some good additions, but nothing I saw really warrants dropping hundreds of dollars for an upgrade.

However, the Apple Watch SE 3 had some major updates that makes it a worthwhile purchase if you are on an older Apple Watch. Having an always on display and including more health and sleep tracking really makes this watch the best of the watches unveiled.

Finally, the iPhone Air stole the show, and Apple should have ended the presentation with it. The insane thinness combined with the pretty beefy internal specs makes this an intriguing device. If I did any upgrade this year, this would probably be the device I picked up.

What did you think of the presentation? Were there any devices you saw that got you excited for the new lineup? Let me know on my socials (Facebook, X, Threads) or in the comments of this post. I would love to hear what you thought about Apple’s event.