Apple's iPhone 17 Lineup to Star at September 9 Event: Analysts Expect Pro and Pro Max to Reign Supreme

Apple's annual fall product event on September 9 is expected to feature the iPhone 17 line, with the iPhone Air likely being the star of the show. Analysts anticipate that the Pro and Pro Max will continue to be best-selling models, but the Air is expected to generate significant attention due to its innovative features and design.

Apple's annual fall product event on September 9 is expected to feature the iPhone 17 line, with the iPhone 17 Air likely being the star of the show. Analysts anticipate that the Pro and Pro Max will continue to be best-selling models, but the Air is expected to generate significant attention due to its innovative features and design.

According to Evercore ISI analysts, the upcoming event will mark the beginning of a multi-year strategic shift for Apple, with the iPhone 17 Air representing the most notable design change to the iPhone in recent years [1]. The Air is expected to be Apple's thinnest handset ever, measuring just 5.55 mm thick, roughly 35% thinner than the current iPhone 16 lineup [1]. This new model will feature a hybrid titanium-aluminum frame, a single-lens 48-megapixel rear camera, and a 24-megapixel selfie camera, along with a 6.6-inch LTPO OLED display [2].

The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max models are also expected to receive significant updates. The Pro models are rumored to feature a half-glass, half-aluminum design, which will improve durability while also dissipating heat more efficiently. The camera bump will be redesigned, with three 48-megapixel lenses arranged in a triangle shape, and the flash and LiDAR sensor will be shifted to the right. The Pro Max model is expected to have Apple's biggest iPhone battery to date, bringing an increase in battery life [2].

The iPhone 17 lineup is set to include four new models, with the iPhone 17 Air being the most anticipated. The event comes at a critical juncture for Apple stock, which has underperformed the broader tech sector in 2025, falling 4.5% year-to-date (YTD). However, Apple grew iPhone sales by 13.5% year over year to $44.6 billion in fiscal Q3 of 2025 (ended in June) [1].

Apple's long-term vision extends through 2027, with plans to introduce its first foldable iPhone in the fall of 2026 and a more radical transformation in the 2027 "iPhone 20" model, featuring four-sided curved glass that eliminates bezels entirely [1]. The upcoming event represents more than a typical product refresh, potentially marking the opening phase of Apple's most ambitious hardware strategy since the original iPhone launch.

References:
[1] https://www.barchart.com/story/news/34630488/apple-s-big-event-on-september-9-could-be-a-game-changer-for-aapl-stock
[2] https://www.macrumors.com/guide/september-2025-apple-event-what-to-expect/