Apple iPhone Air and 17 in the UAE: Prices, launch date and some geeky details

UAE retailers ready to accept orders on Friday before devices hit shelves on September 19

Apple chief executive Tim Cook with an iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air during the company's event 'Awe-dropping' at the Steve Jobs Theatre. Reuters

Apple has unveiled the iPhone 17, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max and introduced a new model to its flagship line-up, the super-thin iPhone Air.

Among the most significant changes in this iteration are the screen sizes, cameras, chips and user interface.

Apple also launched refreshed accessories, including new versions of its watches and AirPods.

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Orders for new iPhones in the UAE can be made from 4pm on Friday, and they will become available in stores on September 19. Telcos e& and du, as well as other major retailers, have said they will be ready to meet demand.

And, yes, you can trade in your old Apple devices for credit of up to Dh2,500.

iPhone Air: The skinny

Apple, masters of hype, made sure all eyes were on the iPhone Air, as the company seeks to make its mark in the emerging slim-phone game.

Already, Apple has Samsung's Galaxy S25 Edge beat on thinness – 5.6mm versus 5.8mm. But, as expected, there are pluses and minuses – and we fully expect Samsung to respond.

The “Air” branding was first used by Apple in the first MacBook Air in 2008, months after the original iPhone was launched, and adapted by the iPad in 2013. The company has since used the moniker as its signature to showcase the compactness of their devices – even once again evoking the “impossibly thin” tagline for the iPhone Air.

Apple says the iPhone Air model is its most durable, protected by its Ceramic Shield 2 coating on both front and back – three times better scratch resistance and four times better protection against cracks. And it's also built with grade-5 spacecraft titanium – the most common alloy for vessels travelling to space – known for its strength and lightness.

The camera block has also been redesigned: it now runs across the width of the rear, with the flash and light sensor now on the right.

Aesthetics aside, there's a reason for this: the bigger space protruding from the back helped Apple to cram in more hardware components, which, in turn, allowed its thinner finish. Also, more space was created as it only supports e-SIMs.

The Apple iPhone Air is seen at Apple Park in Cupertino, California. Bloomberg

The iPhone Air is also the successor to the Plus model, albeit with a smaller 6.5-inch (16mm) display compared to its predecessor's 6.7in.

And with the new A19 Pro chip, Apple said the iPhone Air has “MacBook-level” power. Without getting too technical, Apple says the combination of boosted efficiency, advancements in artificial intelligence capabilities and a “big upgrade” to the GPU compute abilities of its Neural Engine resulted in what is akin to having a laptop in your palm.

It does only have one camera, albeit with a 48MP sensor that Apple says still has the good stuff, including portrait and macro shots. Samsung, however, was able to put two cameras in the Galaxy S25 Edge.

On the front camera, Apple brought Centre Stage, first introduced in modern iMacs, which automatically puts every person in-frame, in addition to automatically adjusting the orientation so you won't have to rotate the phone to get everyone in.

Battery life is up to 27 hours, on par with the iPhone 16 Plus, but stretchable to 40 hours with a sold-separately MagSafe battery exclusively for the iPhone Air. And, as an added bonus, there's also a dedicated cross-body strap for it.

The iPhone Air comes in 256GB, 512GB and a new 1TB, for Dh4,299, Dh5,149 and Dh5,999, respectively. It is available in white, light gold, blue and black. The latter two prices are higher than iPhone 16 Plus equivalents.

iPhone 17: Bumped-up

The entry-level iPhone 17, once again, represents the best option for those who want that Apple logo in their hands without breaking the bank.

There weren't any major changes physically, and Apple even left it out of the camera block upgrade. Instead, Apple is counting on the A19 chip to do the heavy lifting for the iPhone 17.

Apple said the device also has a more durable design, slimmer bezels and “huge boosts in speed”, capable of providing “incredible gaming”. It also retains a dual-camera set-up, but both now have 48MP Fusion sensors. The front snapper also has Centre Stage capabilities.

The entry-level Apple iPhone 17 did not get a camera block update. EPA

And if there's one big boost, it's on battery. Apple says it can last up to 30 hours for video, compared to the iPhone 16's 22 hours.

The iPhone 17 comes in 256GB and 512GB – 128GB is no longer available – at Dh3,399 and Dh4,249, respectively. Important note: you can now get double the storage for the same base price, while the 512GB option is now down by Dh400 compared to its iPhone 16 equivalent last year. You get to choose from black, lavender, mist blue, sage and white; sage is our pick here.

iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max: A great new feel

Apple's top-tier smartphones somewhat had to take a back seat because of the iPhone Air. Nevertheless, they, of course, remain the best options, spec-wise.

The first thing you'll notice is, like the iPhone Air, a redesigned rear anchored by the extended camera block (the latest Google Pixels come to mind). But, more importantly, this is the first time Apple is using a unibody chassis for its flagships.

Apple says the phones also have the biggest batteries: the 17 Pro can last up to 33 hours for video, while the 17 Pro Max is up at 39 hours, compared to their predecessors' 27 hours and 33 hours, respectively.

The company has also used what is says is a new thermal system that can dissipate heat “rapidly”, which should aid in performance-intensive applications such as gaming and using the camera. The A19 Pro chip, among other things, boosts performance by up to 40 per cent.

And, as with the iPhone 17, all three cameras on the Pro models now have 48MP Fusion sensors, in addition to a wider field of view and up to 8x optical zoom that is the longest for an iPhone, so it's like having the “equivalent of eight Pro lenses in your pocket”, Apple says.

The Apple iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max introduced two new colours, deep blue and cosmic orange. AFP

The front camera also has a wider field of view and its overall improvements would make it the “absolute best for content creators”. This could help Apple beat the more than 500 billion selfies iPhone users shot in 2024, “more than any other phone”, according to the company's data.

The iPhone 17 Pro comes in 256GB, 512GB and 1TB – goodbye 128GB, again – and prices remain unchanged at Dh4,699, Dh5,549 and Dh6,399, respectively. The iPhone 17 Pro Max, meanwhile, has added a new and whopping 2TB option, and the device is priced at Dh5,099, Dh5,949, Dh6,799 and Dh8,499. You colour options are deep blue, silver and, the runaway winner, cosmic orange.

Updated accessories complement the look

Apple's refreshed accessories all are now available to order, but they will hit shop shelves on September 19.

AirPods Pro 3: Features a new design, up to twice the power of active noise cancellation, up to four times more noise removal and a new adaptive equaliser that customises sound signature. Dh949.

Watch Series 11: The thinnest Apple Watch by far that introduces a high blood pressure monitor (regulatory approval for use “soon”). It adds sleep score and now lasts up to 24 hours. Comes in 42mm and 46mm versions, features a new aluminium finish and starts at Dh1,599. The titanium version starts at Dh2,799.

Apple Watch Series 11 is set to support high blood pressure monitoring. Bloomberg

Watch SE 3: Apple's pocket-friendly digital timepiece now has an always-on display, sleep score, wrist temperature sensing, and up to 18 hours of battery. Comes in midnight and starlight colours, 40mm and 44m sizing, and starts at Dh999.

Watch Ultra 3: The rugged watch comes with advanced metrics, “the best GPS in a watch”, the longest battery life of any Apple Watch of up to 42 hours (with normal use) and its largest screen. Comes in black and natural, and is priced at Dh3,199.