iPhone 17: Whats New (Specs, Features, Colors)
Apple’s iPhone 17 refines last year’s design and doubles down on performance, battery life, and AI-powered features.
And while the usual buzz about specs and added features is making headlines, its colors are equally sparking the loudest conversation.
This year, Apple introduced a striking new debut shade called the Cosmic Orange during the iPhone 17 series announcement.
I guess the new flex would be, “What color is your iPhone?”
iPhone 17 Series Core features
The iPhone 17 lineup is pretty much as the leaks suggested—a bold new design on the Pros and a new iPhone Air.
The plus models have also been phased out.
All models start at a base capacity of 256 GB.
Camera
The iPhone 17 retains the camera module from the previous generation but features an increase in sensor resolution to 48MP.
The pro models also have a 48MP on their telephoto lens. This is an upgrade from the previous 12MP.
The iPhone Air has a single 48MP camera.
Display & Processor
The base iPhone 17 comes with a 6.3” display with thinner and symmetrical bezels, while the Pro Max comes with a 6.9” display.
For the first time in iPhone history, the base model now includes ProMotion.
This means it comes with a 120 Hz refresh rate and can be dialed down to 1 Hz for the always-on display mode, which makes the regular iPhone have a pro feel.
The iPhone Air has a 6.5” display.
Battery life comparison
We’ll have to wait until some reviews dissect these new devices to see how big the batteries actually are.
To get an idea of these batteries’ capacity, we can look at Apple’s battery claims for each device. For iPhones, Apple uses movie playback time as a measure of battery life.
Using this comparison tool, we can see the following timelines for each new iPhone:
iPhone 17: Up to 30 hours of video playback (3692 mAh)
iPhone Air: Up to 27 hours video playback (3149 mAh)
iPhone 17 Pro: Up to 33 hours video playback (3988 mAh)
iPhone 17 Pro Max: Up to 39 hours of video playback (4832 mAh)
Who’s the iPhone Air for?
From my point of view, the iPhone Air was made to persuade people to buy the Pro model.
It costs $200 more than the base model and $100 less than the Pro Max.
It’s the midpoint between the base model and the Pro Max, with a worse battery life, a negligible screen size, and a slim body that no one really cares about.
The only advantage is the A19 Pro chip, but the phone cannot run at peak performance because it uses titanium, which isn’t fully optimized for heat dissipation.
Who should upgrade?
If you own an iPhone XR and want the slim body and a lighter phone but a bigger screen size, then the iPhone Air is for you.
The iPhone 17 is also a good upgrade because it has the ProMotion display.
So if you were planning to get an iPhone 16 before, erase that thought and treat yourself to an iPhone 17.
Final verdict
Apple did not emphasize Apple Intelligence this time around. They upgraded the cameras and processor and added ProMotion to the base model.
The iPhone Air was introduced, which I believe might be Apple’s preparation for a foldable or zero-port iPhone.
What’s your take on the new iPhone release?
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