Apple has officially unveiled the much rumoured iPhone 17 series at its September "Awe Dropping" event.
It has launched a quartet of new smartphones, with the standard model, Pro and Pro Max models being joined by a super-slender new device.
We're focusing on the standard iPhone 17, as well as the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max; however, you can find everything iPhone Air-related here.
These new devices take the baton from the five-star iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro, with upgrades to the internal components, design and, most importantly, displays.
In true Apple fashion, the company hasn't shouted from the rooftops about the new AV capabilities of these phones, instead opting to focus on cameras, AI and the new A19 processors.
That being said, we're experts at reading between the lines to decipher what new upgrades are coming to these iPhones to make them even better portable devices for movies and music.
iPhone 17
Apple gave the base model iPhone a fairly substantial upgrade last year with the iPhone 16, so we're not surprised to find that the iPhone 17 is a fairly modest update in comparison. It looks almost identical to the model it's replacing on the outside, but Apple has thankfully made some under-the-hood improvements.
While the 6.3-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display remains the same size as the iPhone 16, it features thinner bezels. It finally gets Apple's ProMotion display tech too, which allows for an adaptive 1Hz to 120Hz refresh rate; something that has been previously reserved for the Pro-series iPhones.
Furthermore, this display is considerably brighter at 3000 nits. The iPhone 16's peak of 2000 nits is considerably lower.
Audio-wise, Apple is keeping things simple with Dolby Atmos support over the phone's stereo speakers, as well as via Bluetooth headphones, including the newly announced AirPods Pro 3.
Inside the iPhone is the new A19 processor, which is developed in-house at Apple and is set to enhance day-to-day performance, improve battery life and support Apple's growing AI suite.
Apple Intelligence has been a bit of a bust until now, but the company promises that the iPhone 17 will usher in a new era of AI features.
Charging and battery life are also hugely upgraded on the iPhone 17, with a claimed eight hours more battery life compared to the 16 when it comes to video playback. Furthermore, just 20 minutes of wired charging will supposedly top the battery up by a staggering 50 per cent.
Software-wise, the iPhone 17 is running Apple's latest iOS 26 operating system, which redesigns the software with a new Liquid Glass look, complete with transparent elements and a new look for all icons and user interface elements.
The camera also gets a boost with a new 48MP main lens that promises crisp and detailed pictures, and it's paired with a 48MP ultra-wide lens, which widens the shots without scaling back picture quality, according to Apple.
Selfies also get a boost with a front-facing centre stage camera that utilises a new sensor that lets you hold onto the device in a portrait orientation to take landscape-style selfies.
Elsewhere, you'll find a tougher Ceramic Shield 2 coating for three times better scratch resistance, and Apple now bonds this coating to the display glass at an atomic level. There's also a new seven-layer anti-reflectivity coating on the display glass, which should reduce pesky glare.
Interestingly, Apple won't be offering a Plus variant of its standard iPhone this year, leaving the iPhone Air with its 6.5-inch display to fill in this role. However, it is bumping the base storage up to 256GB.
The iPhone 17 is available in five finishes – White, Black, Sage, Misty Blue and Lavender – and it launches on the 19th of September, starting at £799 / $799 / AU$1399.
iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max
Apple has also uncovered its expected duo of Pro-series iPhones.
We'll start with the smaller of the two devices, which appears to be quite different from its processor. The Award-winning iPhone 16 Pro served up a stellar picture experience with its 6.3-inch OLED display, and the iPhone 17 Pro appears to carry that forward with a similarly specced display.
This year, the size remains the same, and it continues to support Dolby Vision HDR. Apple's ProMotion adaptive refresh rate technology also returns, which allows the display to adapt from 1Hz to 120Hz.
The iPhone 17 Pro Max scales up to a 6.9-inch display; however, the rest of the display specifications remain the same as the standard-sized iPhone 17 Pro.
Both devices feature an all-new aluminium unibody design, which is a interesting walk back on the titanium frames that Apple has championed for the last two generations of Pro-level iPhones.
According to Apple, this is all due to heat dissipation, which should result in better battery life and performance. The rear glass has also been swapped out for the new Ceramic Shield 2 material, which makes it more durable. Apple claims that this strategy has worked, as it allows for 39 hours of video playback on a single charge.
However, in a confusing twist made by Apple, that figure only relates to the eSIM-only models, with the traditional SIM-tray style devices dropping two hours of battery life.
The new design also incorporates a new "extended plateau" design, which is a raised bar that houses the camera system, which is comprised of three 48MP lenses, including an improved telephoto lens for even better zoom performance. This camera array allows users to record video in Dolby Vision HDR up to 120fps.
Inside the Pro and Pro Max is the new A19 Pro processor, which is set to allow for slicker day-to-day operation, AI interactions, and gaming performance. Base storage has also been increased to 256GB, with a new 2TB model available for those wanting to store unwieldy amounts of photos, music and movies.
The iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max launch on the 19th of September, and come in three new shades: Silver, Deep Blue and Cosmic Orange. Pricing starts at £1099 / $1099 / AU$1999 for the 17 Pro, and £1199 / $1199 / AU$2199.
MORE:
Read our full iPhone 16 review
As well as our iPhone 16e review
And check out our picks for the best iPhones
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