If you don’t want the pro iPhone this year, you’ll get more than a spec update, as Apple upgrades to the always-on display with a new selfie camera.
With two new iPhone Pro models on the way as usual, Apple also needs an iPhone for everyone, and that is largely what the standard model iPhone range is for.
Not everyone needs a pro level camera or even a telephoto lens for getting much closer, and if that’s you, your upgrades are a little better than you might expect.
Same look, new innards
Upon first glance, you probably won’t notice any changes at all. The iPhone 17 looks almost identical to the iPhone 16 we saw last year.
But gaze upon a slightly different display and some changes to the technology under the hood, and you have a totally new phone.
For starters, there’s that screen, which is now very similar to the 6.3 inch panel used on the iPhone 17 Pro… because it is.
The iPhone 17 screen is now one of the ProMotion variety, meaning it runs from 1Hz to 120Hz and can provide an always-on screen, while also making sure animations are smoother and slicker as you scroll the display.
From what we can tell, the iPhone 17 screen is basically the same screen as what’s in the iPhone 17 Pro, even beating the outdoor brightness rating on the iPhone 16 Pro, maxing out at 3000 nits compared to 2000 on last year’s Pro. That’s a win for folks who want a great screen without needing to spend up even bigger.
The screen is also more protected, too, as Apple introduces Ceramic Shield 2 to the mix, sporting more scratch resistance and improvements to glare reduction in an anti-reflective coating.
Inside, there’s a new chip, a bump from the A18 last year to the A19 this year, which boosts performance, graphics, and the AI-ready Neural Engine, and the wireless communication tech stack is also updated, supporting 5G like before and WiFi 7 with it, but now adding Bluetooth 6 to the mix, making it a little more future proof.
There are bigger changes in cameras, both on the front and back.
While you won’t find a telephoto camera in the iPhone 17 — that’s left for the Pro and Pro Max models — you will find a full 48 megapixel camera assortment for the wide and ultra-wide cameras, allowing the system to work in 24 and 48 megapixels across the range. Like last year’s 48 megapixel wide camera worked, you’ll also be able to essentially get a 2X mode working here, while the new 48 megapixel ultra-wide will provide better detail in macros.
At the front, the change is more interesting, as Apple updates the selfie camera to support “Centre Stage”, the frame adjusting technology Apple uses on its iPad cameras. That means you won’t need to orient an iPhone 17 to capture selfies in landscape mode, as the phone will shift the camera accordingly to fit more people in.
Wireless charging is still a part of the mix, sporting 25W wireless MagSafe without calling it Qi2 — it basically is, given Apple is a part of the Qi2 standard — while wired fast charging is there, as well.
Granted, it only comes in one size, as the 6.3 inch iPhone 17 becomes the only standard iPhone, and the “Plus” model disappears from the line-up (unless you want one of last year’s 16 Plus models).
Pricing and availability in Australia and New Zealand
The least expensive iPhone 17 of the range will even retain the same price tag of its predecessor, while upgrading the storage choices. Instead of a 128GB iPhone, you now get a 256GB model to start with, all while keeping the $1399 price tag in Australia.
With only two options, you’ll find both under $2K in Australia, priced at $1399 for 256GB and $1799 for 512GB, while New Zealanders across the pond will find the iPhone 17 from $1699 for 256GB and $2099 for 512GB.
Both parts of the world can expect to find the iPhone 17 in stores from September 19, 2025, with telco plans likely on the way shortly, too.
