The iPhone 17 lineup officially welcomes a new ultra-thin flagship model. Apart from the base variant, all models in the series feature notable upgrades in design and hardware specifications. Although the overall smartphone market faces increasing challenges, both in demand and pricing, shipments are still expected to see slight growth over last year. The Pro series will remain the primary sales driver, while the market acceptance and sales performance of the new Air model will require time to be validated.
Key Highlights:
- In September, Apple will launch four flagship iPhone models, including a new ultra-thin series-the iPhone 17 Air (tentative name).
- The iPhone 17 Air attracts market attention with its extremely slim design, but a smaller battery and downgraded camera may run counter to mainstream preferences; thus, its market acceptance and sales performance remain to be seen.
- This year, Apple has focused on improvements in processors, display refresh rate, memory, camera systems, and thermal management, with much higher design recognition as well.
- Pricing strategy for the new models: the iPhone 17 base edition will maintain last year's price level, while the Air, Pro, and Pro Max models will see modest adjustments due to upgraded specifications.
- With a differentiated product lineup, refined pricing tiers, and strengthened software ecosystem, Apple aims to reinforce its leading brand position and drive new profit growth through software and cloud services.