Apple today unveiled its new iPhone 17, which boasts a larger 6.3-inch Super Retina XDR display that uses ProMotion technology, a first for a non-Pro iPhone model.
The iPhone 17’s display uses ProMotion technology to provide an adaptive refresh rate of 1Hz (for an always-on display) up to 120Hz. The iPhone 17 uses the 1HZ option to provide an always-on display that can show the time, widgets, and more when the device is not in active use.
The new handset’s display uses Ceramic Shield 2, which uses a new coating that provides 3x better scratch resistance than the previous generation while also reducing glare. The display achieves 3,000 nits peak outdoor brightness, with 2x better outdoor contrast.
The new iPhone’s cameras are new, both front and rear. The Center Stage front camera, which is the first square front camera sensor ever on an iPhone, which provides a wider field of view and a resolution of up to 18MP for photos. This allows users to capture photos or videos in either portrait or landscape orientation while holding their device vertically, automatically expanding the field of view and rotating from portrait to landscape to include everyone in the photo or video.
Ultra-stabilized 4K HDR video recording and simultaneous recording on both front and rear cameras are also features.
The iPhone 17’s rear camera system includes two camera lenses, both with 48MP sensors for the first time. A 48MP Fusion Main camera shoots sharp detail, and with an integrated optical-quality 2x Telephoto, while a new 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide camera captures up to 4x the resolution compared to the previous generation.
Improved Photographic Styles allow users to customize their photos by adjusting color, highlights, and shadows in real time with a better understanding of skin tones. A new Bright style will be available with iOS 26 to brighten skin tones and add “a pop of vibrance” to the image.
Video recording with the back camera supports 4K 60fps Dolby Vision with features including Cinematic mode and Action mode. The iPhone 17 also captures Spatial Audio for immersive listening, and Audio Mix allows users to adjust sound after capture to boost voices and reduce ambient noise.
The iPhone 17 has received a performance boost from its A19 chip, which is built on TSMC’s third-generation 3-nanometer technology. The 6-core CPU is 1.5x faster than the A15 Bionic in iPhone 13, while the 5-core GPU is more than 2x faster than A15 Bionic, says Apple. Neural Accelerators are built into each GPU core to support on-device generative AI models.
Battery life has been improved, providing up to 30 hours of video playback, eight additional hours of viewing over the iPhone 16. When the device does need a charge, it is capable of reaching 50% charge in 20 minutes using an optional high-wattage USB-C power adapter.
Apple’s new N1 custom-made wireless networking chip provides Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread connectivity, improving the performance and reliability of features like Personal Hotspot and AirDrop.
The iPhone 17 will ship with 256GB base memory, with a 512GB option available. The device is available in five colors: black, lavender, mist blue, sage, and white.
The iPhone 17 starts at $799 (U.S.) and pre-orders will begin on Friday, September 12, and it will hit store shelves Friday, September 19 in more than 63 countries and regions. It will become available in 22 additional countries and regions beginning Friday, September 26.
eSIM-only models will be available in select regions including Bahrain, Canada, Guam, Japan, Kuwait, Mexico, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, the U.S., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
