Apple has scheduled its launch event for iPhone 17 on September 9. The company has started sending out invites for the event, which will be held at the Steve Jobs theatre in Cupertino and will start at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET.
The company is expected to release one regular and two Pro phones. It could also replace the Plus with a new and slim iPhone 17 Air model. The device could reportedly have a thickness of 5.5 mm with a 6.6-inch screen making it 0.08 inches thinner than the current models.
The base iPhone 17 also has a new and bigger 6.3-inch screen with a 120Hz refresh rate instead of 60Hz as in previous models, according to TechCrunch.
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Apple CEO Tim Cook has teased an “awe-dropping” Apple event, with the logo styled like a thermal camera image. While there’s been no suggestion that a thermal camera is coming to the iPhone 17, fans online are speculating that it could hint at the rumored vapor-chamber cooling upgrade that could help with thermal management. There are also rumors pointing to major camera improvements, including 8x optical zoom for the Pro models and a significantly enhanced 24MP front-facing camera across the line-up. Simultaneous recording with both front and rear cameras has also been stated to be a possibility.
In addition to the new iPhone, Apple would have likely have updated the Apple Watch Series 11, Ultra 3, and SE 3. The company might also announce Airpods Pro 3, three years after the release of the previous generation of Airpods. The new Airpods will have a more compact design, a new chip for better noise cancellation and audio processing, and touch-sensitive controls.
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Bank of America Research Analyst Wamsi Mohani stated his expectations for the new product saying, “Some media reports and tech websites are highlighting Tuesday, September 9, as a potential launch date for iPhone 17, with pre-orders starting Friday, September 12, and new devices reaching stores on Friday, September 19. We expect the main feature to be the introduction of a slim iPhone (iPhone 17 Air) replacing the current Plus model. While prior form factor changes have driven significant increases in the next iPhone cycle, we believe investor expectations for the benefits from a thinner phone are more tempered.”
Despite his cautious outlook, Mohani reiterated a “buy” rating on Apple stock, setting a price target of $250. This is higher than the recent $235 target from Morgan Stanley, which was issued prior to Apple’s latest quarterly results and recent market events in Washington.