September 9 iPhone 17 Event – Part I
Even Base iPhones Get the Most Standard Features Ever
Apple announced and previewed the new 17th-generation iPhones today. The most interesting non-product surprise was Apple’s opening quote. For us, it seemed to hint at a shift toward offering more value without nickel-and-diming users. Remember when Apple used to have models like the MacBook Pros (2007) where even the base models had top specs already? More standard features, fewer upgrade “ladders” to climb.
That was the “golden era” of Apple under Steve Jobs.
The new A19 chips inside the iPhone 17 lineup also provide a preview of what’s expected in the upcoming M5 Macs. We’ll dive deeper into the SoC in Part 2, but first let’s look at the big picture upgrades across the iPhone 17 series.
Features, Features, and Even More Features
For the first time, all iPhone 17 models support ProMotion 120 Hz refresh rates and always-on displays, making Night Stand mode genuinely useful. Apple also bumped the base display size to 6.3 inches, ensuring even the standard model feels more premium.
Every iPhone 17 now features a new front-facing 18-megapixel square sensor camera system. With the new square sensor, you don’t have to rotate your phone anymore. The Dynamic Island is slightly smaller on Pro models, offering a bit more screen real estate.
The base iPhone, similar to the iPhone Air, is equipped with a main 48-megapixel sensor camera offering fusion crop options like 28mm, 35mm, and a 2x camera at 12 megapixels.
Durability has also been standardized: Ceramic Shield 2 front glass and IP68 water resistance rated up to 6 meters for 30 minutes. Storage starts at 256 GB across the board. Charging gets a boost too. The iPhone 17, Pro, and Pro Max support up to 25 W wireless charging with Qi 2.2 or MagSafe, while the iPhone Air is limited to 20 W wireless charging.
Yes, even the regular iPhone starting at $799 now comes with all of these features. Let’s look at the model-specific highlights.
Just “Air”
The biggest addition is the new “Air” model (officially, it doesn’t include the “17” numbering). At just 5.6 mm thin, it’s Apple’s slimmest iPhone yet, featuring a single rear camera and a titanium frame. Battery life is rated at 27 hours of video playback, the lowest of the lineup but still impressive given the form factor.
While the Air’s A19 Pro SoC shares the same 6-core CPU and 5-core GPU counts as the standard A19, Apple clarified that the “Pro” chip is architecturally superior. It includes:
– Advanced CPU: improved front-end bandwidth and more advanced branch prediction.
– Larger Cache: 50% larger last-level cache for faster data access.
– More RAM: 12 GB in the Air (and Pro models), compared to 8 GB in the base iPhone 17.
– Gen 2 Neural Accelerators: integrated into each GPU core, delivering up to 3× GPU compute compared to the A18 Pro, enabling better on-device AI performance.
This positions the Air as a “Pro-performance” device in the thinnest iPhone ever, targeting users who want advanced silicon, next-gen wireless, and slim design, without the triple-camera system or vapor-chamber cooling of the Pro Max.
Pro and Pro Max
At the high end, the Pro models get one extra GPU core compared to the base A19, plus up to 9 additional hours of video playback compared to their smaller siblings. They also debut a new vapor-chamber cooling system, paired with a switch back to aluminum for up to 20× better thermal efficiency. Combined with the A19 Pro, this promises a meaningful performance leap.
For the Pro and Pro Max models, a significant upgrade is the new 4x telephoto lens, which includes a larger sensor and provides 48 megapixels across all cameras, offering a more useful 100mm full-frame equivalent for portraits. These Pro models also gain the ability to record ProRes RAW open gate video to an external drive, offering substantial flexibility in post-production. Thus, the Pro models support USB 3 transfers (up to 20× faster than USB 2) for transferring these huge files. Apple didn’t announce any changes to the other 2 lenses.
The only disappointment this year: no (space) black color option, though a striking new orange is offered.
The Pro Max, starting at $1,199, sits at the top of the line. Pre-orders open Friday, September 12, with availability beginning September 19.
Performance and Outlook
According to Apple, the A19 Pro delivers up to 20% faster CPU performance and up to 50% faster GPU performance compared to the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Battery life is also improved, with the iPhone 17 Pro offering up to 4 more hours of video playback, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max offering up to 10 more hours compared to last year’s Pro Max.
All told, Apple’s decision to make so many premium features standard across the iPhone 17 lineup has been well-received by critics and fans alike. This 2025 lineup feels less segmented by compromises and more about choosing size, materials, and performance tiers.
Pre-orders start this Friday at 5 A.M. Pacific Time. Part II: Inside the A19 SoCs
| Feature | iPhone 17 (Base) | iPhone Air | iPhone 17 Pro / Pro Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.3″, ProMotion 120 Hz, Always-On | 6.5″, ProMotion 120 Hz, Always-On | 6.7″ / 6.9″, ProMotion 120 Hz, Always-On |
| Front Camera | 18 MP square sensor, smaller Dynamic Island | 18 MP square sensor, smaller Dynamic Island | 18 MP square sensor, smaller Dynamic Island |
| Rear Cameras | Dual-camera system | Single rear camera | Triple 48 MP system (wide, ultra-wide, telephoto) |
| Buttons | Action + Camera Control | Action + Camera Control | Action + Camera Control |
| Build | Aluminum + Ceramic Shield 2 glass | Titanium + Ceramic Shield 2 glass | Aluminum + Ceramic Shield 2 glass, vapor chamber cooling |
| Durability | IP68, 6 m for 30 min | IP68, 6 m for 30 min | IP68, 6 m for 30 min |
| Storage | Starts at 256 GB | Starts at 256 GB | Starts at 256 GB, up to 2 TB |
| RAM | 8 GB | 12 GB | 12 GB |
| Charging | Up to 25 W wireless (Qi 2.2 / MagSafe) | Up to 20 W wireless (Qi 2.2 / MagSafe) | Up to 25 W wireless (Qi 2.2 / MagSafe), USB 3 wired |
| SoC | A19 (6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, Gen 1 Neural Accelerators) | A19 Pro (6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, Gen 2 Neural Accelerators, larger cache, advanced CPU) | A19 Pro (6-core CPU, 6-core GPU, Gen 2 Neural Accelerators, larger cache, advanced CPU) |
| Battery Life (Video) | ~29 hours | 27 hours | Up to 36–37 hours |
| Special Features | Mainstream performance, dual cameras | Thinnest iPhone (5.6 mm), Pro-level AI & modem, single camera | Full Pro features, vapor chamber cooling, triple cameras |
| Price | From $799 | From $999 | From $1,099 (Pro) / $1,199 (Pro Max) |
Part II: Inside the A19 SoCs