Apple's iPhone 17 introduces several enhancements over the iPhone 16, including a larger display, upgraded cameras, and improved battery life, while maintaining the same starting price. The iPhone 17 begins with 256GB of storage compared to the iPhone 16's 128GB base model. With the iPhone 16 now discounted by $100, buyers must decide if the upgrades justify the cost.
The iPhone 17 and iPhone 16 share many similarities, but key differences in display, camera, processor, and battery set the newer model apart. Both launch at $829, or $799 with carrier activation, though the iPhone 16 is currently available for $100 less.
In terms of display, Apple reduced the borders on the iPhone 17, increasing the screen size to 6.3 inches from 6.1 inches on the iPhone 16 without changing the phone's overall dimensions. The iPhone 17 features Ceramic Shield 2, which Apple claims offers three times better scratch resistance. It also includes a 120Hz refresh rate for smoother scrolling and an always-on display, unlike the iPhone 16's 60Hz panel. Additionally, the iPhone 17 has an anti-reflective coating and reaches a peak brightness of 3,000 nits, compared to 2,000 nits on the previous model, improving visibility in sunlight.
Camera upgrades are notable on the iPhone 17. While both phones have a 48-megapixel wide-angle lens, the ultrawide camera jumps to 48 megapixels from 12 megapixels. The front camera increases to 18 megapixels from 12 megapixels and gains a Center Stage feature that automatically switches between portrait and landscape orientations for group selfies. Both models include a Camera Control button for quick access and Apple's Visual Intelligence tool.
Under the hood, the iPhone 17 uses an A19 chip, an upgrade from the A18 in the iPhone 16, and starts with double the base storage at 256GB. Both support the Apple Intelligence AI features, such as writing tools and image generators.
Battery performance sees gains with the iPhone 17 rated for up to 30 hours of video playback, versus 22 hours on the iPhone 16. In tests, the iPhone 17 retained 98% charge after 45 minutes of mixed use and 89% after three hours of streaming, slightly outperforming the iPhone 16's 97% and 86%. Anecdotally, both last over a day with typical activities like photos, social media, and emails. An upcoming iOS 26 update brings AI-powered Adaptive Power to both, adjusting performance to save battery.
Design-wise, both have aluminum frames. The iPhone 17 comes in black, white, mist blue, sage, and lavender, while the iPhone 16 offers black, white, pink, teal, and ultramarine.
