iPhone 17: Bigger Display, ProMotion, Brighter Screen, and Smarter Power

Apple’s iPhone 17 marks one of the most significant leaps for the company’s base model lineup in years, finally shaking off the reputation of being the ‘entry-level’ afterthought. Instead, it arrives with headline-grabbing upgrades that bring it on par with the industry’s top Android competitors like the Galaxy S25 and Pixel 10.

For many, this is the first iPhone that feels future-proof even without splurging on the Pro models.

The new design centers on a larger 6.3-inch OLED display that introduces ProMotion to the standard iPhone for the very first time. This means the refresh rate dynamically shifts between 1Hz and 120Hz, balancing smooth visuals with battery efficiency. Pair that with an extraordinary 3,000 nits peak outdoor brightness and you get one of the brightest panels ever placed on a smartphone. Apple has also refined durability with Ceramic Shield 2, said to be three times more scratch-resistant, while adding a seven-layer anti-reflective coating that reduces glare in direct sunlight.

At the heart of the iPhone 17 is Apple’s brand-new A19 chip, built on the advanced 3nm process, likely courtesy of TSMC’s N3P technology. The chip not only powers the display engine to handle ProMotion with ease, but also packs a beefed-up NPU to drive Apple Intelligence and other generative AI features. With higher memory bandwidth and a 6-core CPU (two performance, four efficiency) paired with a 5-core GPU, Apple positions the A19 as a clear generational jump

. Benchmarks are expected to place it comfortably ahead of Google’s latest silicon and even challenge Samsung’s Snapdragon-powered S25.

The camera system has also seen a noteworthy overhaul. Around the back, the dual setup features a new 48MP main sensor alongside a 12MP telephoto lens offering 2x optical zoom. On the front, Apple doubles the selfie resolution to 24MP using a TrueDepth sensor, promising sharper, more detailed portraits and video calls. It’s an incremental but meaningful step forward for users who rely heavily on their phone as their primary camera.

Battery life has been another pain point for past iPhones, but Apple claims the iPhone 17 delivers up to eight extra hours of video playback compared to the iPhone 16. While the exact battery size remains under wraps, the combination of display efficiency, A19 optimizations, and software tuning seems to be delivering real-world gains.

Apple has also listened to customer feedback on storage. The base iPhone 17 now starts at 256GB, retiring the outdated 128GB tier, a move that puts it on more even footing with competitors. Color options include black, white, mist blue, sage, and lavender, with the latter two expected to attract plenty of attention for their freshness. Pricing starts at $799, maintaining parity with the iPhone 16 despite all the added technology. Pre-orders open this Friday, with general availability set for September 19.

What’s striking about the iPhone 17 is not that it reinvents the wheel, but that it finally closes the gap between Apple’s base model and its Pro line. For years, buyers had to decide between affordability and access to premium features. With ProMotion, brighter screens, AI-focused silicon, and longer battery life, the standard iPhone is no longer the weak link in Apple’s lineup – it’s a serious contender in its own right.