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The Independent UK

Technology

Andrew Griffin and Anthony Cuthbertson

Apple event as it happened: ‘Impossibly thin’ iPhone Air unveiled alongside new Apple Watch and AirPods

Apple

Apple has launched a brand new iPhone – described as an “impossibly thin” device.

The company showed off the latest member of the iPhone family, the iPhone Air, alongside the new iPhone 17 line-up during a live-streamed event from its California headquarters.

The event, named “Awe-Dropping”, also saw the launch of the Apple Watch lineup, as well as improvements to the AirPod earphones.

The iPhone Air is dramatically thinner and lighter than existing devices, while also featuring “MacBook pro levels of compute” to support new artificial intelligence features.

Apple also announced the most powerful iPhone to date in the form of the iPhone 17 Pro Max, which is also the first iPhone to have water inside it.

You can read more about it and watch a live stream of the event below.

Read more

Apple iPhone event live: Key points

Watch a round-up of everything announced
All the specs of all the devices
Are we getting iPhone fatigue?

Apple Event live stream

17:57 , Anthony Cuthbertson

You can watch along here:

Hello and welcome...

12:03 , Andrew Griffin

... to The Independent’s live coverage of the launch of the iPhone 17.

Everything else due to be launched at iPhone event

12:19 , Andrew Griffin

The iPhone 17 (or iPhones 17) will be the star of the show. But there are support acts, too.

Here’s everything else Apple plans to announce at its event today.

Apple is about to release a new iPhone. But there’s something else, too

Everything to know about iPhone launch

12:20 , Andrew Griffin

There’s new colours, new designs, new cameras and much else besides. Here’s everything expected to be revealed for the iPhone later.

iPhone 17 arrives today – here’s everything you need to know

iPhone 17 comes amid AI missteps

12:28 , Andrew Griffin

Last year’s iPhone 16 was supposed to be the AI iPhone: it was introduced as the first one designed from the ground-up for Apple Intelligence, and much of the marketing centred on how useful those AI tools would be.

But then Apple Intelligence ran into trouble. Many of the promised tools – such as an upgraded Siri – haven’t yet arrived, and those that did actually turn up were met with a fairly cool reception.

Apple has promised to fix those problems. At its software event in June, for instance, it moved the focus away from AI but said in passing that the promised upgrades were still on their way.

They won’t be here in time for the new iPhone, however. That will have to prove itself without much reference to AI – which, besides, fewer people are now asking Apple for.

The iPhone 17 could be an opportunity to move the conversation back onto ground that Apple feels much more confident with: selling shiny new hardware to people. The reception and success of the various iPhone 17 models will depend on how ably it can do that.

Are we getting iPhone fatigue?

12:37 , Andrew Griffin

Today’s iPhone 16 is built on the same foundations as the iPhone X, which was released in 2017. While the phones that have come since have brought changes – the Dynamic Island, squarer sides – they have been about evolution rather than revolution, and it remains difficult to even tell at first glance which year in the last almost-decade an iPhone is from.

The world once waited with bated breath to find out what the new iPhone looks like. Now, each year’s design brings something of a sigh. iPhone fatigue has been part of the discussion of each new launch for years, but it is getting louder.

The iPhone 17 offers a chance to change some of that. The “Air” will be the first new kind of iPhone offered in a while, and the whole line-up is rumoured to be bringing more substantial and noticeable changes.

But it might also firmly be the last year that we see this design. Next year is rumoured to bring more dramatic changes, including the first foldable iPhone.

That could be a blessing to everyone looking for a new iPhone: finally, one that actually looks like a new iPhone. It could be a blessing for Apple, too, which has seen a substantial uptick in sales when it has launched new designs, such as when it first introduced a bigger screen with the iPhone 6.

But it might also be a bad year for those who actually want their iPhone to be boring. A foldable phone will bring all kinds of new questions, and less guarantee of stability.

So this could be the last year to get a relatively boring iPhone, for better or worse.

Event should also bring release dates for new software updates

12:59 , Andrew Griffin

It’s not all hardware. Apple tends to use the iPhone release event to announce when it will release its big new software updates, which were launched in June. (iOS needs to be released in time for the new phones.)

Most likely, iOS and iPadOS 26 will be released straight away after the event. The Mac usually takes a little longer.

The biggest change this year is a redesign, known as “Liquid Glass”. You can read about the updates here.

Apple completely changes the look of the iPhone at live event

How and when to watch

16:06 , Andrew Griffin

Everything kicks off in two hours (10am local pacific time, or 6pm in the UK). That’s when the video will begin, and probably last for 90 minutes or so, based on previous years.

You’re able to watch in a variety of ways. You can tune in through the Apple Events app on the Apple TV, or the devoted page on Apple’s website.

But the easiest place is probably YouTube. Not only does that offer the ability to watch on most platforms and in most places, you can also set yourself a reminder that will go off when the livestream begins.

You can find the video here:

And of course we will be providing full live coverage here throughout the event.

Last-minute rumour suggests AirPods 3 are coming today

16:23 , Andrew Griffin

The AirPods Pro 3 have been rumoured for a while – but they might arrive very soon. On Reddit, one user has shared what they claim is a message from Best Buy offering a reward on the new earbuds, and suggesting that they’ll be on sale from 9 September.

Could Apple change the name of this year's phones?

16:28 , Andrew Griffin

Every rumour has suggested that Apple is planning a host of new iPhones: the iPhone 17, the Pro and Max, and the Air. All of those names have seemed fairly certain in part because they follow the usual run of things, with Apple tending to give iPhones sequential names and being a big fan of “Pro”, “Max” and “Air”.

But what if they didn’t use the numbers this time around? Last-minute rumours are suggesting the iPhone 17 Air could just be the iPhone Air. Or perhaps Apple could change to year numbers – like it did with this year’s software updates – so that it will be the iPhone 26.

This does only feel like a matter of time. Apple has already done it with other devices such as the iPad. And at a certain point the numbers simply become hard to follow and unwieldy to use.

But maybe this will instead be the last year of the old naming scheme. Next year is due to bring other even more different kinds of phones – the widely rumoured iPhone Fold, most notably – and that might mark a useful time to move away from adding a number each year.

Will tariffs bring price rises?

16:35 , Andrew Griffin

This is the first set of iPhones to come out since Donald Trump imposed tariffs on goods imported to the US. In the time since that happened, Apple has been working hard to try and keep the administration on board – including by giving Mr Trump a special golden statue – but it has nonetheless been hit by some fallout from the changes.

Now, we will see whether that and other changes mean that the price of the iPhone will go up. Most rumours have suggested that the entry-level price will stay the same, but that the Pro and Pro Max models could get a price bump of $50. And of course, strictly the Air doesn’t have a price to rise from, so could be very expensive.

Apple could offset some of those changes by offering people extra storage. And rumours have suggested that might happen, with Apple offering more storage in the Pro phones at the same time.

We’ll find out in a couple of hours.

Tim Cook posts ahead of Apple event

17:00 , Anthony Cuthbertson

Apple chief executive Tim Cook has made his customary pre-event post to social media, sharing an image of sunrise at Apple Park.

“Days like today are some of the most exciting moments at Apple,” he writes.

Days like today are some of the most exciting moments at Apple. #AppleEvent pic.twitter.com/NWdOtNQVYH
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) September 9, 2025

Apple Event bingo

17:20 , Anthony Cuthbertson

It’s become a tradition at this point for various Apple commentators to come up with a bingo card for Apple’s biggest announcement of the year.

The best I’ve seen so far is from Basic Apple Guy (@BasicAppleGuy), who has 25 predictions for today’s event. Some seem pretty nailed on, like the much-rumoured iPhone 17 Air, but others seem a bit less likely. (I’m not betting on an updated HomePod mini.)

One thing we’re probably all hoping to see is a “One more thing...” at the end. It feels like a while since we’ve had a good surprise announcement.

Some pics from around Apple Park

17:36 , Anthony Cuthbertson

The Independent’s David Phelan has just shared some photos from Apple Park this morning. It looks a lot more overcast than Tim Cook’s photo earlier.

David will be sharing some first impressions of whatever is announced later, but for now you can check out his most recent piece comparing the best phones of 2025... so far.

Best phones for 2025, reviewed by a tech expert

Everything to expect from today's 'Awe Dropping' Apple event

17:48 , Anthony Cuthbertson

As Morti pointed out in the comments, ‘Awe Dropping’ is a peculiar choice of name for today’s event. It should either be ‘awe inspiring’ or ‘jaw dropping’ - though maybe there’s a clue there for what to expect.

With just over 10 minutes to go, here’s a reminder of everything we are expecting to be announced.

iPhones:

iPhone 17 arrives today – here’s everything you need to know

Everything else:

Apple is about to release a new iPhone. But there’s something else, too

First shots from inside the Steve Jobs Theatre

17:49 , Anthony Cuthbertson

Apple Event underway

18:04 , Anthony Cuthbertson

We’re underway with an intro video showing everything from AirTags to AirPods. It’s all about Apple design, and how it’s not just how things look, but how they work.

Tim Cook appears and greets us with his customary “Goood moorrning.”

He tells us to expect the “biggest leap ever” for iPhone.

AirPods Pro 3 announced

18:09 , Anthony Cuthbertson

First up is AirPods, with AirPods Pro 3 offering the next iteration of the world’s most popular headphones.

There’s improvements to noise cancellation, and to the foamy buds that go in your ear. Apple claims it is the best active noise cancellation of any in-ear headphones.

One great new feature is live translation, which should allow fairly seamless conversations for two people speaking in different languages - so long as they’e both wearing the AirPods.

'Best-fitting AirPods ever'

18:14 , Anthony Cuthbertson

Apple has made improvements to the fit of the ear buds, to help you stay fit. More people apparently wear AirPods while working out than any other pair of earphones.

With a smaller design, the AirPods Pro 3 are the “best-fitting AirPods ever”, according to Apple.

Other improvements include longer battery life, bumping up from six hours to eight hours to get you through a trans-Atlantic flight.

They’re available 19 September for the usual price of $249. Here’s the full rundown:

Onto the Apple Watch

18:20 , Anthony Cuthbertson

Apple is about to announce its new Apple Watch lineup, but first there’s some first-hand accounts of how the smartwatch is changing people’s lives. Stories of wearables saving lives seem to be getting more and more frequent as this tech gets better.

I’m sure Apple Watch Series 11 will be no different, especially with new heart health features.

Apple Watch to alert '1 million users' about hypertension

18:24 , Anthony Cuthbertson

Apple expects to diagnose 1 million people with undiagnosed hypertension in the first year of the new Apple Watch’s launch.

It is yet to be approved by regulators like the FDA, but this is apparently pending.

There is also a new sleep score feature that looks similar to the Fitbit Charge 6. Here’s everything you know:

Apple Watch SE can now play podcasts

18:27 , Anthony Cuthbertson

There’s a host of improvements to the cheaper Apple Watch SE, including 5G and the ability to play media like music and podcasts directly from the inbuilt speaker.

Here’s the full specs for the Apple Watch SE 3:

Apple Watch Ultra 3 gets big update

18:30 , Anthony Cuthbertson

The new Apple Watch Ultra 3 is coming with better battery life, as well as new colours and designs for its strap. This is everything you need to know about it:

Onto the iPhone 17

18:34 , Anthony Cuthbertson

Tim Cook is back to introduce the new iPhone. As expected, it’s called the iPhone 17, and there’s four new models.

The iPhone 17 comes with more power, better brightness, improved durability and five new colours.

The A19 chip makes the iPhone 17 the most powerful yet

18:36 , Anthony Cuthbertson

Here’s how much faster the iPhone 17 is compared to its predecessors:

'Big year for iPhone cameras'

18:40 , Anthony Cuthbertson

The iPhone 17 comes with a 48 megapixel dual fusion camera set up, offering “excellent image quality and greater detail”.

The front camera is also getting an upgrade with a “centre stage” lens with a wider field of view and square sensor.

iPhone 17 specs

18:41 , Anthony Cuthbertson

Here’s all the specs for the iPhone 17:

'Introducing the newest member of the iPhone family'

18:43 , Anthony Cuthbertson

Tim Cook is back to tell us about the “newest member of the iPhone family”. It’s very thin, and as expected it’s called the iPhone Air.

iPhone Air is most power-efficient iPhone model ever

18:52 , Anthony Cuthbertson

The iPhone Air is not only the thinnest iPhone ever, it also features MacBook pro levels of compute” to support new artificial intelligence features, and is the most power-efficient iPhone model ever.

The camera seems pretty impressive too:

iPhone Air camera specs

18:54 , Anthony Cuthbertson

One interesting new feature is dual record, that lets you film yourself on the front camera while capturing a scene with the rear camera.

Here’s all the iPhone Air camera specs:

Full iPhone Air specs

18:55 , Anthony Cuthbertson

Despite Apple claiming it to be incredibly durable, the Cupertino company has included a custom case for extra protection.

This is everything you need to know about the iPhone Air:

iPhone 17 Pro has water in it

19:02 , Anthony Cuthbertson

The new iPhone 17 Pro is “by far the most advanced iPhone ever”, according to Tim Cook.

There’s a lot of details about thermal management, which involves deionised water inside the phone to help cool the device. There is also a “plateau” design that helps dissipate heat - though it looks like it makes it fairly chunky.

All of this allows the phone to run at higher speeds than ever before.

iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max feature 'best iPhone cameras ever'

19:07 , Anthony Cuthbertson

The Pro models come with the best camera system ever featured in an iPhone, Apple says. All three cameras are 48 megapixel for the first time.

Here’s how the lenses line up:

iPhone 17 Pro specs

19:10 , Anthony Cuthbertson

Here’s the full specs for the iPhone 17 Pro:

iPhone 17 prices

19:12 , Anthony Cuthbertson

There’s a $400 price jump between the standard iPhone 17 and the top-of-the-line iPhone 17 Pro Max. Here’s the full price list:

iPhone 17: $799

iPhone Air: $999

iPhone Pro: $1099

iPhone Pro Max: $1199

Tim Cook says goodbye

19:13 , Anthony Cuthbertson

Apple boss Tim Cook is back again, but this time just to say goodbye. There will not be a “One more thing...” this year.

Everything announced at today's Apple Event

19:24 , Anthony Cuthbertson

It was a relatively swift rundown of all the latest devices from Apple, with the whole event clocking in at just 70 minutes. We got new iPhones, new AirPods and a new lineup of Apple Watches.

You can read all about them here:

Apple just released the thinnest iPhone ever

Apple just launched whole new AirPods

The Apple Watch can now see how hard your heart is beating

Tim Cook posts round-up of everything announced

20:00 , Anthony Cuthbertson

Tim Cook has a handy round-up that Apple put together of today’s event. It’s pretty hectic to watch, but it covers everything major that was announced.

AirPods Pro 3, the new Apple Watch lineup, iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and the all-new iPhone Air—here’s everything we just announced! pic.twitter.com/EDPNjpoUW8
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) September 9, 2025

All the specs of the new devices

20:44 , Anthony Cuthbertson

Apple has handy cheat sheets for all of its new devices. They show the specs and best features of the new iPhone 17 lineup, AirPods and Apple Watch.

They flashed on screen during the live stream, but we’ve got all the main ones here in case you missed them:

Best iPhone deals and how to get them

21:14 , Anthony Cuthbertson

Our colleagues over at IndyBest have rounded up the best deals for the iPhone 17, as well as provided all the details of how to pre-order them. You can read all about it here: