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iPhone 17 arrives as a surprisingly strong upgrade
Apple officially unveiled the iPhone 17, bringing flagship-level display and imaging features to the non‑Pro lineup. While the new iPhone Air and the Pro models grabbed headlines for other reasons, the standard iPhone 17 delivers a meaningful step up: a larger 6.3‑inch Super Retina XDR screen with ProMotion 120Hz, two 48MP rear sensors, and a new baseline of 256GB storage.
Display and durability
Brighter, smoother screen
The iPhone 17 introduces ProMotion — Apple’s adaptive refresh technology — to a non‑Pro model for the first time. The 6.3‑inch Super Retina XDR panel supports an adaptive refresh rate up to 120Hz and can scale down to 1Hz for Always‑On display use. That enables smooth scrolling, responsive animations, and persistent widgets and Live Activities without a major battery hit.
Ceramic Shield 2 and peak brightness
Apple also updated the front protection with Ceramic Shield 2, adding a proprietary coating that reportedly improves scratch resistance by three times and reduces reflectance for less glare. Peak brightness reaches an industry‑leading 3,000 nits on this iPhone, and Apple claims up to two times better outdoor contrast versus the iPhone 16.
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Performance, battery and charging
A19 chip and AI enhancements
Under the hood sits the A19 chip, built on a 3nm process. Apple states the six‑core CPU is roughly 1.5x faster than the A15 Bionic found in the iPhone 13, while the five‑core GPU delivers more than double the graphics performance of the A15. The device includes an improved Neural Engine and enhanced ISP and display engine to support Apple Intelligence features and on‑device machine learning.
Battery life and fast charging
Apple advertises up to 30 hours of video playback on a single charge, and the iPhone 17 can reach about 50% charge in 20 minutes when used with high‑wattage USB‑C adapters such as Apple’s 40W Dynamic Power Adapter (60W max).
Camera system and imaging features
For the first time on a standard iPhone, Apple equipped the iPhone 17 with two 48MP rear cameras: a 48MP main sensor and a 48MP ultrawide that doubles as a macro camera. The main camera supports lossless 2x optical zoom, and Photographic Styles — now with improved skin‑tone handling — lets users tune color, highlights, and shadows in real time. iOS 26 introduces a new Bright style to lift skin tones and add vibrant punch to images.
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Connectivity, storage and regional details
The iPhone 17 includes Apple’s N1 network chip with Wi‑Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread support, aimed at improving hotspot, AirDrop and general wireless reliability. Apple will sell the device with eSIM‑only activation in select markets including the US, Canada, Japan, Gulf states and several territories. The base model now starts at 256GB, with a US starting price of $799, and color options include lavender, mist blue, sage, white and black.
Comparisons, use cases and market relevance
Compared with the iPhone 16, the iPhone 17 targets users who prioritize a brighter, smoother display and stronger imaging without stepping up to the Pro models. Apple’s comparisons to the A15‑powered iPhone 13 suggest the company is courting multi‑year upgraders. For content creators and mobile gamers, the combination of A19 GPU gains, ProMotion 120Hz and improved cameras makes the iPhone 17 a compelling mid‑tier flagship alternative.
Pricing and availability
The iPhone 17 opens for pre‑order on September 12 in 63 countries and territories, ships on September 19, and expands to 22 more regions on September 26.
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