Apple unveils new Phone 17, upgraded AirPods and watch at annual launch

Apple on Tuesday unveiled its latest generation of iPhones, AirPods and watch at the technology company's launch event, held annually at its Cupertino, California, headquartetrs.

The iPhone 17 features a larger, 6.3-inch display and includes the new A19 chip to help power Apple's AI features. The device's front camera has also been upgraded to provide a wider field of view and new sensor allowing users to take landscape photos without having to rotate the phone.

The new iPhones are the first to be released since President Donald Trump returned to the White House and unleashed a barrage of tariffs, in what his administration says is an attempt to bring overseas manufacturing back to the U.S. — a crusade that has thrust Apple CEO Tim Cook into the hot seat.

The technology giant has taken a number of steps to mitigate the impact of Mr. Trump's steep tariffs on China. That includes ramping up iPhone production in India, where the entire iPhone 17 lineup was manufactured, Bloomberg reported.

Pricing for iPhone 17 — available in lavender, mist blue, sage, white, and black, and 256GB and 512GB storage capacities — starts at $799, defying expectations that consumers would have to pay 45% more or higher for the gadgets as a result of tariffs.

Apple on Tuesday also released the iPhone Air, its thinnest and lightest model ever, according to the company. Available in space black, cloud white, light gold and sky blue, the iPhone Air storage begins at 256GB, with 512GB and 1TB options. Pricing for the iPhone Air starts at $999.

All new iPhone models feature improved camera capabilities that let users take sharper photos and record more stable videos.

The AirPods Pro 3, the latest in the lineup, features improved noise cancellation capabilities and a live translation feature powered by Apple AI. That new functionality lets consumers use the devices to hear a speaker in one language and get an English-language translation in real time.

Priced at $249, the new AirPods have been redesigned to better fit wearers' ears, the company says.

Another new release, the Apple Watch 11, has health-related components its predecessors do not — such as the ability to alert users of signs of hypertension, a leading cause of heart attacks that impacts affects 1.3 billion adults worldwide, according to Apple's announcement. In addition to previously existing functions such as can heart rate monitoring and sleep tracking, Apple Watch 11 also includes a new sleep score feature and sleep apnea notification.

Since 2020, Apple has charged $800 for its basic iPhone and $1,200 for its top offering, but some analysts think the company may raise prices by $50 to $100 on some of the new models.

"We estimate roughly 315 million iPhone users, of 1.5 billion users worldwide, have not upgraded their phones in over four years, speaking to an upgrade opportunity on the horizon for [Apple]," Wedbush tech analyst Dan Ives said in a report.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.