New year, new iPhone 17.

This year, Apple has truly focused on quality-of-life improvements. This means more battery life to tackle battery anxiety, more storage so you can keep more content on your phone and better performance so you can multitask.

If you're considering whether it's worth upgrading, here's exactly what's improved or changed with this year's models.

There’s more battery life everywhere

All iPhone 17 models have improved on battery life, except the Air which remains the same as the iPhone 16 Plus model it replaces. There's also faster charging. The 17 and 17 Pro charge to 50 per cent in just 20 mins. The Air charges to 50 per cent in 30 mins.

• iPhone 17: up to 30 hours video playback, up from 22 hours on iPhone 16.
• iPhone Air: up to 27 hours of video playback. This is less than the iPhone 17, but still the same battery life spec of the 16 Plus (the model it replaces). Given how thin it is, it's impressive. Apple has had to work on efficiency to make this possible.
• iPhone 17 Pro: up to 31 hours video playback, up from 22 hours.
• iPhone 17 Pro Max: up to 37 hours video playback, best in the lineup. This is up from 33 hours.

Cameras that give better smarts, not just bigger numbers

All models have a 48MP main rear camera. The 17 has the two cameras we've come to expect, Pro models have three and the Air has one and does not come with an ultra wide option.

Front cameras are now 18MP across all models, and they all come with Center Stage on video calls and dual capture video. Center Stage is Apple's tech that keeps your face in the centre of the screen, even if you move around

iPhone 17 adds a new 48MP Ultra Wide lens which replaces the previous 12MP. iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max both have the same three-lens system but better processing. They supports 8x “optical-quality” digital zoom, 40x max digital zoom (up from 25x), no change to optical zooms (still tops out at 5x). Pro models also get spatial video (the video system supported by Apple Vision Pro) updates and improved low-light capture.

Say goodbye to the Plus and hello to the Air

Last year's 16 line up included the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. This year, we're swapping the Plus for the Air.

In the 16 line up, the Plus was an ever so slightly larger and slightly more premium extension of the iPhone 16. Instead of this variant, in the 17 line up we have the Air, which is a thinner and lighter variant.

According to Apple it's the thinnest big screen iPhone ever. This phone has the battery life of the 16 Plus (the model it's replacing), with the brains of a 17 Pro.

Interestingly, this phone only has one camera lens compared to the two to three we're used to seeing from Apple. But Apple has said that this lens powers two cameras in one. Although, it doesn't have the option for ultra wide.

Bigger screens that scroll smoother and fight the sunlight

All 17 models have peak brightness boosted to 3300 nits. This is 1000 more than last generation of iPhones. Pro models include an anti-reflective coating added, similar to iPads and MacBooks. 120Hz ProMotion and Always-On Display now on base iPhone 17 (new) and on Pro (no change), not on Air.

As for screen size:

• iPhone 17: screen size bumped from 6.1 to 6.3 inches
• iPhone Air: 6.5-inch display, this is a new size for iPhone
• iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3 inches
• iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9 inches

A new design language for the Pro

While the iPhone 17 looks the same, the iPhone 17 Pro gets an entirely new design with a rectangular rear camera panel and a softer feel in the hand. The Pro even has a new vapour chamber thanks to the unibody design to keep it cooler for longer while doing big jobs – like taking photos in the blazing vacation sun.

Pro models have also switched from titanium to forged aluminium unibody for strength with added lightness. The Air meanwhile is an entirely new iPhone, its the thinnest and lightest big-screen iPhone ever at 5.6mm, 165g. It's a slimmer, more premium look.

The Camera Control, Action Button, Dynamic Island are standard across the full 17 line up.

Chips tuned for big jobs on the go and AI smarts everywhere

There's an A19 chip in all the new models which means faster graphics and improved AI performance. An N1 wireless chip in all models means better battery and connectivity efficiency. This was first debuted on 16e and does a great job at saving battery. The Air and Pro models also have an extra GPU core, ray tracing, faster Neural Engine.

Storage that finally feels generous

Yes, all models now start at 256GB, so you can snap more photos and store more audio and video content. But if you want even more storage, know that you can get up to 1TB on the Air and the Pro Max tops out at 2TB.

New colours and new accessories including crossbody straps

Of course there are new cases, but there are crossbody strap options too. It's an excellent option for travellers who are wanting to take photos as they walk.

And there are new colours too. Both the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max have a deep blue, cosmic orange, and silver – which are all brand new from last year.

Preorders and pricing

Preorders will open on the Apple website at 10pm AEST on 12 September 2025 and the actual phones arrive not long after on 19 September 2025.

Prices are:

• iPhone 17: from $1399 (256GB)
• iPhone Air: from $1799 (256GB), up to $2599 (1TB)
• iPhone 17 Pro: from $1999 (256GB)
• iPhone 17 Pro Max:  from $2199 (256GB)