The iPhone 17 event invite is loaded with hints about what Apple is going to release

Apple has officially announced its “Awe Dropping” special event for September 9, where we’ll get our first look at the iPhone 17 lineup. As usual, the company didn’t reveal anything beyond the date and tagline, but the invitation artwork and Apple’s history of easter eggs give us a few strong hints about what’s coming.

Here are five takeaways from Apple’s event invite that just might confirm details about the iPhone 17 and beyond.

A jaw-dropping iPhone design is coming

This year’s tagline, “Awe Dropping,” seems to tease something visually striking, jaw-dropping if you will. For months, rumors have pointed to Apple introducing a new, ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air model to replace the unpopular Plus model. The iPhone 17 Air is expected to mark the most radical change in iPhone design since the iPhone X and kick off a three-year-long iPhone overhaul.

If Apple really wants to drop jaws, a radically thinner iPhone design certainly fits the bill.

The iPhone 17 lineup will have bold new color options

As reported exclusively by Macworld, Apple has planned many new colors for the iPhone 17 models, ranging from a new iPhone 17 Pro in orange to various shades of blue. If you weren’t certain of the new colors before, the event invitation artwork appears to be a clear confirmation that the rumors are right.

According to our sources, both the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air will be available in a light shade of blue. Meanwhile, the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will come in dark blue and orange. More traditional colors, such as black and white, are also expected.

Well, the Apple logo shown in the event artwork essentially features all the new colors we mentioned, which is a pretty clear sign that these are indeed the new colors for the iPhone 17 lineup. So you can start figuring out which one you want now.

The iPhone 17 Pro is getting new cooling system

According to rumors, the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature a new vapor chamber cooling system to keep the device at an optimal temperature even when running intensive activities such as games. This not only ensures greater comfort when holding the phone in your hand but also helps to sustain peak performance.

Interestingly, if you watch the Apple logo animation in the artwork, it looks suspiciously like a heat map, with shades of intense red and cool blue swirling around the edges. Could this be Apple confirming the new cooling system for the iPhone 17 Pro models?

New colorful wallpapers are coming

Sometimes, Apple’s event artwork means only one thing: new wallpapers. And that may be the case this year. For instance, the stylized Apple logo created to promote the September 2023 event was based on the wallpaper shipped with the iPhone 15 Pro.

Perhaps this year’s iPhones will feature dark wallpapers with a heat map effect, or swirling blue and orange. Or something interactive like the image on Apple.com. Go try it out—move your finger, mouse, or Apple Pencil over the Apple logo and the colors will morph and mingle with your movements.

iOS 26 and Liquid Glass are a big deal

Speaking of the interactive event logo, as you drag your finger around, it’s hard not to see that the effect looks a lot like what happens when you swipe your finger across Liquid Glass elements in iOS 26.

Apple typically releases new versions of iOS to the public the week after its September event, and this year should be no different. Perhaps the invite is nothing more than a tease for the new interface coming to everyone’s iPhones in a few weeks.

In fact, just this week, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported that Liquid Glass is more than just a 2025 redesign. It’s the start of a 3-year iPhone supercycle that will include a new folding phone and culminate with the launch of the 20th anniversary iPhone in 2027. That phone is expected to have curved glass that mimics the evolution of the Liquid Glass interface over the next three years. So Apple would definitely want to draw attention to Liquid Glass now.

Apple

Mark your calendars

Apple’s invites are always carefully designed, and this one is no exception. From new colors to the heat-map-like cooling teaser, there’s a lot hiding in plain sight. We’ll know for sure on September 9, but if history is any guide, Apple just gave us a pretty good preview of what’s coming.

Of course, Macworld will have full coverage leading up to the keynote as well and all through the event. So stay tuned!