Apple kicked off its much-anticipated “Awe Dropping” event on Tuesday at Apple Park with the launch of the iPhone 17, the company’s latest standard iPhone model.

CEO Tim Cook introduced the handset as part of the Cupertino tech giant’s 2025 lineup, highlighting new hardware, deeper integration of Apple Intelligence, and meaningful upgrades to display, camera, and battery performance.

Design and display upgrades

The iPhone 17 comes with a 6.3-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display, making it slightly larger than its predecessor.

For the first time, Apple has brought its ProMotion 120Hz refresh rate technology, previously exclusive to Pro models, to the baseline iPhone.

The screen is capable of 3,000 nits peak brightness for better outdoor visibility, and it features the next-generation Ceramic Shield 2 for durability.

Apple has also enabled always-on display support, a feature long demanded by mainstream users.

Like past models, the phone retains an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance.

Camera enhancements

Photography is another area where Apple has made big strides. The iPhone 17 houses a dual 48-megapixel Fusion camera system:

A 48MP main sensor (f/1.6) with sensor-shift OIS, doubling as a 2x telephoto lens with 52mm focal length.

A 48MP Ultra-Wide lens (f/2.2) with macro capabilities.

On the front, Apple has introduced a new Centre Stage selfie camera, designed to keep subjects in focus during video calls and recordings.

A19 Chipset and Apple Intelligence

Under the hood, the iPhone 17 is powered by the all-new A19 Bionic chipset, paired with a 16-core Neural Engine for AI-driven performance.

Apple emphasized that the chip improves power efficiency, offers higher memory bandwidth, and enables more complex on-device AI inference without compromising battery life.

Running on iOS 26, the handset supports Apple Intelligence, the company’s in-house AI suite that integrates across apps like Messages, Photos, Notes, and Siri.

The goal, Apple says, is to make iPhones more “personal, proactive, and contextually aware.”

Storage and Battery

Apple is also moving away from its long-standing 128GB baseline. The iPhone 17 starts with 256GB of storage, with higher configurations available.

Battery life has received one of the most notable bumps. According to Apple, the iPhone 17 lasts up to eight hours longer than the iPhone 16.

Charging is faster as well; users can now reach 50% charge within minutes, while a 10-minute top-up is said to provide up to eight hours of usage.