Apple news: the iPhone 17 line will arrive in Russia before the end of September

The new iPhone 17 will be available in Russian stores before the end of the month. Apple held its largest presentation in 2025, presenting a line of relevant products: smartphones, updated Apple Watch, AirPods Pro 3 and others. Izvestia figured out exactly what the flagship gadget, which Apple offers for an amount starting from $1,099 (about 91 thousand rubles), would surprise.

What surprised you at the Apple presentation

A key Apple presentation called Awe Dropping took place at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino on September 9th. The company introduced new smartphones Apple iPhone 17, Apple Watch Series 11, AirPods Pro 3, Apple Watch Ultra 3.

The main debutant, the iPhone 17 Air, turned out to be an ultrathin 5.6 mm thick smartphone (one third smaller than the iPhone 16 Pro) with a titanium frame. For this, we had to sacrifice autonomy: more space is needed to accommodate a capacious battery, so the main camera is mounted on a single sensor in a horizontal oval module. The hardware is based on Apple's proprietary A19 processor. The smartphone is equipped with a 6.5—inch display, a USB Type-C connector, and there is no physical SIM card slot (there is eSIM support). Apple's own Wi-Fi module and the C1 modem (as in the iPhone 16e) are also involved.

The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max models have updated the design for the first time since 2020: the main camera occupied the upper third of the rear surface, the lower part became a platform for wireless charging, and the frames returned to aluminum (it is lighter and dissipates heat better than titanium of previous generations).

The main improvements are the Apple A19 Pro chip, increased battery life, a 48-megapixel telephoto lens (instead of 12 megapixels in previous models) and the ability to simultaneously shoot video on the main and front cameras. The basic iPhone 17 retained its familiar design, but received a 6.3-inch display with ProMotion technology (previously available only in Pro) and Qualcomm modems. In addition, it will charge 50% in 20 minutes and last eight hours longer than the iPhone 16.

The official cost of the iPhone 17 Pro was $1,099 (about 91 thousand rubles), the Pro Max — $1,199 (about 100 thousand rubles).

Apple has also updated its accessories: leatherette cases, an iPhone 4-style case for Air, and others. Smartphones are available in new colors — Air in light blue, Pro in orange.

The Apple Watch Series 11 remained similar in design to the previous generation, but received a brighter display, additional colors, and new straps. In the SE version, the display and processor have been updated. For the Ultra 3, the screen size has been increased, an S11 chip, a 5G RedCap modem, and support for satellite emergency messages have been added to increase competition with Garmin. The introduction of medical functions for the watch was postponed, focusing on the Health+ service with an AI assistant, which is scheduled to launch in 2026.

The AirPods Pro 3 headphones have a more compact case, a built-in heart rate sensor and support for online translation in real time.

Other new products include the updated AirTag 2 with a new chip (better range and tracking accuracy), iPad Pro with an M5 chip and a second front-facing camera for portrait orientation (video calls are more convenient), Vision Pro with an M4/M5 chip and a new design/straps, Apple TV with a new processor and support for Apple Intelligence/Siri, as well as a HomePod mini with a new chip, ultra-broadband connection and improved sound.

Which iPhone models are popular in Russia

According to the Yandex Market press service, Apple is one of the top 3 popular smartphone brands on the platform. The most popular models this year were the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 15 and iPhone 13. Customers will be able to order the new product from September 10 in all seven colors. It will be possible to receive it after the 19th, on this date the worldwide start of sales is scheduled.

The cost of smartphones will vary depending on the model, the seller and the terms of delivery. So, the price for the iPhone 17 will be from 110 thousand rubles, depending on the configuration, and for the iPhone Air — from 135 thousand, iPhone 17 Pro — from 143 thousand, and iPhone 17 Pro Max — from 152 thousand rubles.

On the restore website: on August 8, a pre-interest (collection of applications without purchase) for the iPhone 17 line was opened, during its period of validity 15% more applications were registered than in the previous year, the press service of the retail chain reported.

— Traditionally in restore: the most sought-after models are the flagship Pro models with the largest amount of memory in black. Phones in color, which was not in the previous line, are also in great demand. This year, the Air model is of particular interest," the company's press service added.

The restore press service noted that the company informs customers that there is a flaw in the product - the lack of a RuStore app store and the ability to install it. Today, the manufacturer supplies smartphones and other digital devices without a legally established application.

Even if new iPhone models are released without pre-installed software, this can be fixed and necessary adjustments can be made within a certain period, for example, by the next update or in a month, says Vadim Tkachenko, lawyer, founder of the vvCube consulting group, head of the digitalization working group at the Commissioner for the Protection of Entrepreneurs' Rights in Moscow.

The new requirements, which came into force on September 1, will primarily affect the official smartphone market, the expert predicts. According to him, such restrictions may violate the legitimate interests of manufacturers. However, no one disputes the need to provide preferences to domestic developers, including through subsidies and benefits. At the same time, users who prefer iPhones will continue to purchase them in other ways — not in official stores, which are forced to label them as defective due to the inability to install the RuStore app store.

— We expect that the first iPhone 17 will be available in our stores before the end of September. Immediately after the official Apple presentation, we will open a pre-order. Last year, according to its results, the iPhone 16 model turned out to be the most popular smartphone in the line — it accounted for 54% of all pre-orders. Next are the iPhone 16 Pro (28%), iPhone 16 Pro Max (11%) and iPhone 16 Plus (7%). We expect similar figures this year," said Andrey Gubanov, CEO of the MTS retail chain.

In the press service of the company "M.Video-Eldorado clarified that new iPhone 17 smartphones will appear in Russia after September 19.