Apple has introduced the iPhone 17 lineup, continuing its annual September tradition with four models: iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. So, what should you know about it?
For your information, while the series sticks closely to Apple’s tried-and-tested design, there are notable refinements across display, performance, and thermal management. Here’s a breakdown of what’s new:
Apple iPhone 17 – The standard upgrade
The iPhone 17 is the entry point into the new lineup. It sports a 6.3-inch OLED display with ProMotion 120Hz and Dynamic Island, making the high refresh rate available across the entire range for the first time. Under the hood, it’s powered by the A19 chipset, paired with 8GB RAM.
Moreover, the storage options range from 256GB to 512GB, covering most mainstream users. The rear cameras include a 48MP wide and 12MP ultrawide, while the front camera jumps to 24MP with a six-element lens for sharper selfies and video calls.
Interestingly, Apple says this model's camera is 4 times better than its predecessor. The new model also sports the The new model also sports the new "Centre Stage Front Camera" feature. That means, you will no longer have to rotate your camera to get a horizontal angle or image.
Additionally, the battery is around 3600mAh, could reach 50% charge in 20 minutes and features up to 30 hours of video playback. It also runs N1, Apple's own wireless networking chip that is important for running WiFI7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread.
Apple iPhone 17 Air – The new slim contender
The iPhone 17 Air replaces the “Plus” model with a thinner and lighter design. This phone is only 5.5mm thick. That makes it the slimmest iPhone in the lineup. It features a 6.6-inch OLED panel, running on the same A19 chipset and 8GB RAM as the base model.
For your information, this device features a 6.5-inch Super Retina XDR display with ProMotion support up to 120Hz. Like the vanilla variant, it runs the N1 wireless networking chip for WiFi 7 support, and Bluetooth.
The rear setup is simplified to a single 48MP camera, paired with a 18MP front shooter. Battery size is notably smaller, as it runs up to 27 hours of video playback. Afterall, the Air is aimed at users who value portability over endurance.
Besides that, the iPhone Air comes with an eSIM-only design, and does not include space for a physical SIM. So, you might want to keep that in mind if you are interested.
iPhone 17 Pro – More power, better cooling
The Pro variant steps things up with a 6.3-inch LTPO OLED display capable of variable refresh rates up to 120Hz. It runs on the A19 Pro chipset with 12GB RAM, That should give it a noticeable performance boost. As you can expect, the N1 wireless networking chip offers WiFi 7 support, Bluetooth and Thread.
In addition, both the Pro and Pro Max variant use Super Retina XDR displays with support for a 120Hz refresh rate, and brightness reaching 3000 nits. Like other models, it also comes with iOS 26 which includes the Liquid Glass interface, as well as Apple Intelligence integration through it.
Moreover, the camera system now features triple 48MP sensors (wide, ultrawide, and Tetraprism telephoto), with support for variable aperture and dual video recording. The phone also features a 24MP front camera.
Thanks to the focus on “Pro” mode, it also allows video recording in ProRes RAW, Log 2 and genlock, 4K120fps recording support. Both models also allow for battery charging up to 50% in 20 minutes using a high-power charger.
One of the most notable changes is the addition of a vapor chamber cooling system to reduce overheating during heavy use, such as gaming or 4K recording. Apple also claimed it offers 40% better continuous performance than the previous generation.
iPhone 17 Pro Max – Big screen, big battery
It shares the same tech specs as the Pro variant
The first iPhone to feature a 2TB storage configuration
At the top of the range sits the Pro Max. It features a 6.9-inch OLED panel with LTPO technology and ProMotion 120Hz. Like the Pro, it uses the A19 Pro chipset with 12GB RAM.
The rear camera setup mirrors the Pro but adds support for 8K video recording, making it the most capable iPhone for creators. Apple is also equipping it with a larger battery that offers up to 37 hours of video playback. Most notably, this is the first variant to feature storage options that go up to 2TB.
Price and configurations
Apple iPhone 17
- 8GB RAM + 256GB storage (RM3999)
- 8GB RAM + 512GB storage (RM4999)
Apple iPhone Air
- 8GB RAM + 256GB storage (RM4999)
- 8GB RAM + 512GB storage (RM5999)
- 8GB RAM + 1TB storage (RM6999)
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
- 12GB RAM + 256GB storage (RM5499)
- 12GB RAM + 512GB storage (RM6499)
- 12GB RAM + 1TB storage (RM7499)
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
- 12GB RAM + 256GB storage (RM5999)
- 12GB RAM + 512GB storage (RM6999)
- 12GB RAM + 1TB storage (RM7999)
- 12GB RAM + 2TB storage (RM9999)
If you are interested, you can pre-order the iPhone 17 from 12 September onwards. The iPhone 17 series will be available in Malaysia starting 19 September 2025. You might want to save up for it.
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