Apple has officially launched its latest flagship lineup, and the spotlight is on the all-new iPhone Air — the slimmest iPhone to date, measuring just 5.6mm thick. This marks the biggest design shift in years for the company’s most iconic product, which still contributes nearly half of Apple’s $400 billion annual revenue.

🚀 What’s New in the iPhone Air?

• Ultra-slim 5.6mm body
• Single rear camera with Apple’s in-house custom chips
• Starting price: $999, available later this month
• Virtual eSIM only (no physical SIM slot)
• Packed with the new A19 chip for faster on-device AI performance

Apple CEO Tim Cook called it the “biggest leap ever for iPhone,” comparing the launch to earlier “Air” models of MacBook and iPad, which were also designed to be thinner and lighter versions of their originals.

📱 The iPhone 17 Lineup

Alongside the iPhone Air, Apple also announced the iPhone 17 series. Prices remain almost the same as last year, except the iPhone 17 Pro which is $100 more. Interestingly, this decision goes against analyst expectations who predicted Apple would hike prices due to tariff disruptions impacting its global supply chain.

🌍 Market Strategy & Competition

• No price hike despite trade costs: Experts estimate Apple faced over $1.1B in extra costs from supply chain disruptions, yet chose to keep pricing stable.
• Aggressive play in China: The iPhone 17 pricing qualifies for government subsidies, boosting its appeal in the Chinese market.
• Competitor pressure: Samsung has already released its slim S25 Edge, and Huawei continues to lead with foldable phones. Analysts believe Apple’s move could pave the way for its own foldable device in the future.

🤖 AI & Future Direction

While Apple focused heavily on hardware this time, all 2025 iPhones will feature the A19 chip — designed to run generative AI models more efficiently on the device. However, the company is still catching up in the AI race. The highly anticipated upgrade to Siri has been delayed, and Apple has seen talent drain from its AI research teams.

📉 Market Reaction

Despite the buzz, Apple’s shares fell by about 1.5% after the event. Still, experts say the pricing strategy and the launch of an ultra-thin iPhone may help the brand capture upgrade demand in a slowing global economy.