CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA: Today is not just another Tuesday on the calendar. It’s iPhone day. In a few hours, Apple will stream its much-teased ‘Awe Dropping’ event from Cupertino, where the company is expected to reveal a flood of new hardware, and at the centre of it all, the iPhone 17 lineup.
The star attraction: iPhone 17 Air
If rumours hold true, the showstopper will be the iPhone 17 Air. This is not just another yearly refresh with a shinier chip and fancier cameras; it’s Apple’s boldest redesign in years. At just 5.5mm, the iPhone 17 Air is said to be the thinnest iPhone ever.
That makes it slimmer than the original iPod nano, and potentially more fragile than some of us would like to think about.
The Air is being pitched as the ‘wow’ product, but whether everyday shoppers will trade battery life for bragging rights is another story. Think back to the original MacBook Air: slim, beautiful, but not everyone’s daily driver. Analysts suggest the phone could land in a similar spot, iconic but niche.
iPhone 17 Pro models
Meanwhile, the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are expected to bring more than just incremental tweaks. Leaks point to a redesigned camera bar housing a new 48MP telephoto lens with up to 8x optical zoom.
That’s a serious jump from the 5x zoom on last year’s Pro, and could finally put Apple closer to matching the long-range camera chops of Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Ultra.
There’s also talk of vapor chamber cooling to stop the Pros from overheating during gaming or heavy workloads, plus reverse wireless charging, a feature Android phones have had for years.
If Apple pulls it off without sacrificing MagSafe compatibility, it would be a subtle but very Apple way of one-upping the competition.
New Apple watches and more
Of course, this wouldn’t be an Apple event without a wrist full of announcements. The Apple Watch Series 11 and the beefier Ultra 3 are both expected, possibly introducing blood pressure monitoring and satellite SOS. A budget-friendly Apple Watch SE 3 may round out the smartwatch segment.
AirPods Pro 3 are also tipped for a redesign, with a smaller case and new touch controls built directly into it. Add to that whispers of AirTags 2, an upgraded Apple TV 4K, and maybe even a HomePod with a display, and you can see why Apple is billing today as ‘awe dropping.’
When and how to watch
The event kicks off at 10 a.m. PT (1 p.m. ET, 6 p.m. BST, 3 a.m. AEST, or 10 p.m. Pakistan Standard Time).
As usual, Apple will stream it live on its official website and on YouTube, where the stream is already sitting with a countdown. If you’ve got the Apple TV app, you can also tune in directly from your iPhone, iPad or Apple TV.
iOS 26 launches today alongside Apple’s latest software updates
Apple is also launching iOS 26 today, with fans keen to know its official release date. Beyond the new gadgets, software is taking centre stage too.
The iOS 26 release date arrives alongside macOS 26 Tahoe, watchOS 26, tvOS 26, and visionOS 26 updates, all expected this month. First previewed at WWDC, iOS 26 introduces the ‘Liquid Glass’ interface and upgraded Apple Intelligence features like call screening, smarter photo editing, and enhanced Messages.
Why this launch matters
Every iPhone launch is big, but this one feels different. The 17 Air model alone could become the most talked-about iPhone since the original bezel-less X in 2017. Whether it becomes a mainstream hit or a conversation piece for techies remains to be seen.
But with cameras getting sharper, designs getting slimmer, and Apple doubling down on AI-powered features, today’s event is a reminder that the iPhone is still at the heart of Apple’s empire.
The countdown is almost over. Now it’s time to see if Apple can still drop jaws in 2025.
No official Apple store, yet iPhone 17 demand runs high in Pakistan
Despite being the most expensive smartphones in Pakistan after heavy duties and PTA approval costs, iPhones remain hugely popular in the country. Even without an official Apple store, there is strong hype among Apple fans and tech enthusiasts eagerly waiting for the iPhone 17 series to arrive.
When a new iPhone launches, certain companies that brand themselves as “official distributors” import and sell factory-unlocked, PTA-approved Apple smartphones in Pakistan. However, prices here are always significantly higher than Apple’s official global prices because of taxes and PTA approval charges.
This time, distributors like Mercantile are already advertising the iPhone 17 lineup.
Early indications suggest the base PTA-approved iPhone 17 may start around Rs400,000, while the top-end iPhone 17 Pro Max 1TB could reach up to Rs750,000.
WhatMobile has already listed the iPhone 17 Pro Max starting from Rs574,000, though final pricing will only become clear once availability begins in Pakistan. What is certain is that, like every year, owning the latest iPhone will remain a costly luxury.