Apple has launched the latest iPhone lineup during its September 9th keynote. Four models have been announced: the standard iPhone 17, the new iPhone Air, the iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
The iPhone 17 maintained the $799 pricing from previous generations, but the 17 Pro launched at $1,099—$100 above the iPhone 16 Pro's release price. All of the models have received exciting new features like A19 series processors and an updated Center Stage selfie camera system.
Here's everything we learned about the iPhone 17 series.
iPhone 17 release date
The iPhone 17 series will be available for pre-order Friday, September 12. Phones will ship and be available in stores on September 19.
iPhone 17 prices and models
The iPhone 17 series pricing has gone through some changes from the previous year's iPhone 16 series. Prices increased for the iPhone 17 Pro and this year saw the introduction of the iPhone Air, Apple's newest handset.
The iPhone 17 series pricing looks like this:
- iPhone 17: From $799
- iPhone Air: From $999
- iPhone 17 Pro: From $1,099
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: From $1,199
Other factors contribute to device pricing, including storage capacity and carrier pre-order deals. Here's the full iPhone 17 price list for all storage models.
iPhone 17 series pricing
| Storage | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone 17 | 256GB 512GB |
$799 $999 |
|
| iPhone Air | 256GB 512GB 1TB |
$999 $1,199 $1,399 |
|
| iPhone 17 Pro | 256GB 512GB 1TB |
$1,099 $1,299 $1,499 |
|
| iPhone 17 Pro Max | 256GB 512GB 1TB 2TB |
$1,199 $1,399 $1,599 $1,999 |
What is the iPhone Air?
Image: Apple
The iPhone Air is Apple's newest iPhone model. It's the thinnest iPhone ever created at just 5.6mm thick, but it still offers an excellent 48MP camera and the powerful A19 Pro processor. Apple claims that the processing capabilities of this device are powerful enough to rival a MacBook Pro.
Think of the iPhone Air as a companion to the MacBook Air. It's a thinner device with a lower price point than Pro models, but still offers powerful capabilities.
iPhone 17 features
Apple unveiled a slew of new features for all models of the iPhone 17 series. Some of the biggest developments were a redesigned selfie camera, the A19 processor, storage upgrades, and a longer battery life.
iPhone 17 design, display, and colors
Image: Apple
The base model iPhone 17's design is mostly a continuation of the iPhone 16. The display is slightly larger at 6.3 inches, but it otherwise keeps the same Action button, Camera Control button, and dual-camera design. The display itself has earned some significant upgrades, including adaptive refresh rates up to 120Hz and a peak brightness of 3000 nits when outdoors. The iPhone 17 comes in five colors:
- Lavender
- Sage
- Mist Blue
- White
- Black
Image: Apple
iPhone Air design, display, and colors
The biggest change this year is the elimination of the iPhone Plus model and the introduction of the new iPhone Air. It's the thinnest iPhone ever developed with a 5.6mm width, and it offers a large 6.5-inch display. The display's capabilities are similar to the iPhone 17. Because of the slim profile, Apple also had to adjust the design of the phone, so it only includes one camera lens and has a raised camera bump that stretches the width of the device. The iPhone Air comes in four distinct colors:
- Sky Blue
- Light Gold
- Cloud White
- Space Black
Image: Apple
iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max design, display, and colors
The iPhone 17 Pro models maintained the sizing of the previous generation, so the 17 Pro offers a 6.3-inch display and the 17 Pro Max offers a 6.9-inch display. The design of the phone, including buttons and the camera array, has also not changed. However, Apple has updated the material used in the phone and no longer uses titanium. Instead, the iPhone 17 Pro models are made with an aluminum unibody design with a small Ceramic Shield on the back instead of glass. The iPhone 17 Pro models come in three colors:
- Cosmic Orange
- Deep Blue
- Silver
iPhone 17 cameras and Center Stage selfie feature
The iPhone 17 retains the dual-lens camera system of the iPhone 16, but has received some notable upgrades. Both the main camera and ultra-wide camera are now 48MP Fusion cameras that offer enhanced details in your photographs. Otherwise, the camera array includes the same 2x optical zoom, spatial photos, and macro photography as the iPhone 16 series.
Image: Apple
The selfie camera received the biggest update in years and is now standard across all four new models. It's now called the Center Stage front camera and it comes with an 18MP lens. This new feature allows the selfie camera to easily transition between landscape and portrait-style selfies. It also uses AI to automatically zoom in or out to ensure everyone in your selfie is in the shot. Finally, it also offers improved stabilization features for recording videos and FaceTime calls.
The iPhone Air's main camera is a single 48MP Fusion camera. However, it's the same fusion camera of the iPhone 17, so it's still capable. It basically offers the same performance as the iPhone 17, except for things like spatial images and macro photography that require an ultra-wide lens.
Image: Apple
The iPhone 17 Pro models also received some improvements. While they maintained the triple-camera design of the previous series, all three lenses are now 48MP. That means the iPhone 17 Pro's camera system includes:
- 48MP fusion main camera
- 48MP fusion ultra-wide
- 48MP fusion telephoto
This upgrade has led to some solid improvements for the iPhone 17 Pro's camera system. It includes an 8x optical zoom and a 56% larger sensor. Apple claims it's like having eight different lens sizes in your pocket, from macro to 200mm.
iPhone 17 storage
Apple has officially eliminated the 128GB storage size for the iPhone 17. All devices now start at 256GB, which is a welcome improvement for the base model iPhone 17. Since it also retained the starting price of the 128GB iPhone 16 at $799, you're actually getting double the storage amount for the same price, which is a solid deal.
On the other end of the storage sizes, the iPhone 17 Pro Max received a new maximum storage size of 2TB. That's the equivalent of 2,000GB, so roughly eight times larger than the starting storage size of the phone. That massive storage space allotment also comes with a premium price of $1,999.
A19 processor
Apple has given all of its new devices processors from the A19 chip series.
The iPhone 17 offers the base A19 processor, with a 6-core CPU and 5-core GPU. It helps run Apple Intelligence faster and provides a better experience during processor-intensive tasks like mobile gaming.
The iPhone Air received the A19 Pro chip with a 6-core CPU and 5-core GPU. The iPhone 17 Pro models also received the A19 Pro processor, but a slightly more advanced version with a 6-core CPU and 6-core GPU. Apple claims this is the most powerful processor ever put in a smartphone and offers 40% better performance than the A18 Pro chip of the iPhone 16 Pro series.
iPhone 17 battery
Each model in the iPhone 17 series saw battery improvements, and the iPhone Air offers a respectable battery life despite being an ultra-thin phone.
The maximum battery life for each phone is typically measured in video playback. For the iPhone 17 series, these battery capacities are:
- iPhone 17:
- Video: Up to 30 hours
- iPhone Air:
- Video: Up to 27 hours
- iPhone 17 Pro:
- Video: Up to 33 hours
- iPhone 17 Pro Max:
- Video: Up to 39 hours
iPhone 17 eSIM
U.S. iPhone models haven't used a physical SIM since the iPhone 14, instead relying on eSIM to connect to a phone carrier and plan.The iPhone 17 continues that trend, and the iPhone Air even eliminated the physical SIM slot for models worldwide, so make sure to activate your phone on an eSIM-friendly phone plan.
iPhone 17 5G
The iPhone 17 family will naturally have 5G connectivity, which is becoming as widely available nationwide as 4G LTE networks. You can compare coverage from all of the major U.S. carriers on our interactive coverage map below. For 5G coverage specifically, make sure that only the 5G checkbox is ticked.
To see which network offers the strongest 5G coverage near you, enter your address in our plan comparison tool under "Coverage check." This map will show you what kind of coverage you have in your area, including 4G LTE and 5G.
iPhone 17 plans and providers
Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile are all offering pre-order deals for the iPhone 17 line-up and iPhone Air. Here's a breakdown of the major benefits you can expect each provider to offer.
Major carriers
Verizon iPhone 17 plans
Verizon has long been the king of coverage in the U.S., offering the most reliable 4G LTE network in the country. Verizon's plans are some of the priciest on the market, but they do offer access to a host of perks, including unlimited premium data and discounted perks like Disney+.
Verizon also features buy one, get one (BOGO) deals more frequently than other carriers, making them a good choice if you're thinking of getting new iPhone 17s for the whole family.
AT&T iPhone 17 plans
AT&T provides robust 4G and 5G coverage across the country to support your new iPhone 17, along with excellent internet plans for those interested in bundling phone and internet service. The downside: AT&T doesn't offer perks with its plans, making them fairly expensive without much additional benefit to justify the cost. That said, many of AT&T's plans are still cheaper than options from Verizon and T-Mobile, especially with a family plan.
AT&T also has some of the best trade-in deals on the market, making it the best option if you need to swap your old iPhone for a new iPhone 17. AT&T's trade-in deals are so generous you can sometimes get the newest iPhone for free even if trading in a device that's several years old.
T-Mobile iPhone 17 plans
T-Mobile has built the country's broadest and fastest 5G network, putting them miles ahead of both AT&T's and Verizon's 5G coverage footprints. And where Verizon offers perks at a discounted price, T-Mobile is the only carrier that includes them outright in some of their plans. You can get free Apple TV+ and Netflix with T-Mobile's Experience More and Experience Beyond plans, plus T-Satellite coverage for free with the latter.
Like Verizon, T-Mobile also often offers BOGO deals in addition to trade-in discounts when you're ready to upgrade to the iPhone 17. That said, T-Mobile's best deals are often tied to its most expensive plans, making this carrier one of the most expensive options for customers.
MVNO carriers
Typically when the brand-new iPhones come out, MVNO carriers don't offer the steep discounts or preorder deals that the major carriers do. In fact, you may have to wait a few weeks for the iPhone 17 to become available from smaller carriers. But, switching to an MVNO will still help you save massively on the long-term cost of your phone plan.
For example, where an AT&T unlimited plan starts at $65.99/month, an unlimited plan from Mint Mobile starts at just $30/month, and one from Visible starts at just $25/month. This is without sacrificing network quality or reliability—Mint operates on T-Mobile's network, and Visible operates on Verizon's, both using the exact same towers to bring the exact same coverage.
You're wasting money by not switching carriers
A quick bit of trivia for you: The average American overpays for their cell phone bill by $1,500 per year. That's a lot of cash that could go toward your grocery bill, your kids' sports and activities, or even your next vacation.
We're big fans of MVNO carriers here at WhistleOut—they offer the exact same coverage as the major carriers but at half the price (or less!). Unlimited plans start around $25–$30 per month, instead of the $65–$80 that you'll pay with one of the Big Three.
We've got more on how to switch to an MVNO (and why you absolutely should).
As we'll explain more below, we actually think the iPhone 17 launch is the perfect time to upgrade—not to the latest iPhone, but to one just a year or two older, such as the iPhone 16. It's still an excellent device and has many of the same features as the newest phone. Carriers like Mint, Visible, and U.S. Mobile will offer the iPhone 16 for much cheaper, plus you get the added benefit of not overpaying on your cell phone plan.
Some of the most popular MVNO plans are listed below; if you want a little help, jump over to our guide to the best cheap phone plans to see our reviewed picks.
|
#1
|
Visible
$25 Visible Plan
$25.00/mo
Taxes & Fees included
|
|
#2
|
Mint Mobile
Unlimited Data Plan
$25.00/mo
$75.00 upfront payment for 3 months (equals to $25.00/month). Intro pricing for new customers only.
|
|
#3
|
XFINITY Mobile
Mobile Select Plan
$0.00/mo
(for the first year of service) <br>Regular rate of $30/mo. thereafter
|
|
#4
|
US Mobile
Unlimited Starter Plan
$25.00/mo
$20/mo. for 6 months; $25/mo. thereafter
|
|
#5
|
Cricket
Supreme Unlimited Plan
$55.00/mo
with AutoPay; $60 for the first month.
+ $9.99 Upfront
|
iPhone 16 discounts
We've been covering the wireless industry since 2018, and we've seen the same pattern every year: As soon as the new iPhone drops, previous years' models go on major sale. That means the iPhone 16 is about to get a major price drop to the tune of $100.
We actually don't recommend upgrading every single year to the latest phone models. There are rarely such drastic improvements between yearly launches that are worth dropping $800 to $2,000 outright for. This is especially true of the base model iPhone 17, which didn't get many upgrades this year over the iPhone 16. Plus, there are often way more features on your current iPhone that you don't even realize you aren't using to their full potential. The only exception to this rule is the iPhone Air, which is a brand-new model with no previous options for discounts.
What we do recommend is upgrading to a newer-to-you device. In this case, the iPhone 17 launch is an excellent time to upgrade to the iPhone 16 instead. The 16 series—particularly the Pro models—already have nearly all of the features you'll find on the newest devices, especially if you're looking at the base-model 17.
Here are the latest deals for each iPhone 16 model and storage capacity.
iPhone 16 128GB
- 6.1 inch display
- Rear Cameras: 48MP, 12MP
- Front Camera: 12MP
iPhone 16 Plus 128GB
- 6.7 inch display
- Rear Cameras: 48MP, 12MP
- Front Camera: 12MP
iPhone 16 256GB
- 6.1 inch display
- Rear Cameras: 48MP, 12MP
- Front Camera: 12MP
iPhone 16 Plus 256GB
- 6.7 inch display
- Rear Cameras: 48MP, 12MP
- Front Camera: 12MP
iPhone 16 Pro 128GB
- 6.3 inch display
- Rear Cameras: 48MP, 48MP, 12MP
- Front Camera: 12MP
Max McCaskill
Sr. Staff Writer
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