The Apple iPhone 17 needs to be a significant upgrade to remain a popular smartphone choice in 2025 and 2026, as the incredible selection of hardware, specification, and design in the Android world threatens to further erode its appeal. What does Apple need to do with the iPhone 17 series this year, if we’re going to continue recommending it? Here’s five things the iPhone 17 needs to be a compelling upgrade.
All iPhone 17 models need a 120Hz, always-on screen
Apple made a mistake by not adding the 120Hz ProMotion, always-on screen to all the iPhone 16 models. The problem is, a high refresh rate screen is standard on almost every Android phone you can buy today, and by ignoring the non-Pro iPhone, Apple looked out of touch. What frustrates the most, is Apple’s always-on screen is one of the best you can get, and more owners should be able to experience it.
From the way it adapts your wallpaper and categorizes notifications, to how it shows live data from apps, the always-on screen is informative and attractive. The 120Hz ProMotion feature is also superb, and unlike many Android phones, it’s extremely rare to notice any adjustment to a lower refresh rate for the sake of battery life. All iPhone 17 models need the 120Hz, always-on screen, even if Apple slightly changes the features and appearance for the non-Pro models, if it really must use it as a way to upsell to Pro models.
Battery innovation
The iPhone 16 series is one of the better smartphones for battery life already, but everyone always wants the battery in their phone to last longer than it does, yet not compromise on things like device size and weight. It’s a problem Android device makers are starting to get a hold of with the introduction of silicon-carbon batteries, which are higher capacity cells without the drawback of needing to dramatically increase physical size.
The iPhone 17 series represents a great opportunity for Apple to really take the lead in mobile battery technology, and build on foundations it has in the iPhone 16 and iOS 18, whether it’s through the introduction of silicon anode batteries, graphite batteries, or something else. It needs to demonstrate a noticeable increase in battery life for most people, and then illustrate it better than Android brands. This shouldn’t be difficult as Apple is great at telling compelling stories, which leads us on to the next point.
Make me care about Apple Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is everywhere, and it’s embedded into nearly every smartphone introduced over the last few years, yet the features are all very similar and often not ones people will regularly use. Apple Intelligence, after a rocky start, is now mostly available on all compatible iPhone models, in most places where the phones are sold. When the iPhone 17 arrives, and with it iOS 19, Apple needs to explain to us why we should care about Apple Intelligence.
Samsung makes a considerable effort to show how Galaxy AI, and in particular Now Brief, can help make our lives easier. Whether it does or not isn’t the point. It gives the impression its AI features do something. It’s not really clear what Apple Intelligence does that’s different or better than other mobile AI suites, how Siri fits into the model, and why anyone should buy an iPhone to use it.
Apple is a master at taking features other manufacturers fail to effectively sell and turning them into must-haves. Apple Intelligence is the feature, but any benefits have not been effectively communicated yet, and we’ve yet to see an AI tool or feature everyone understands and can see how it fits into their lives. When it introduces the iPhone 17, Apple Intelligence is sure to be a big part of it. What Apple needs to do is show and tell us why we should care.
Slim down all the iPhone 17 phones
The iPhone 17 Air is one of the rumored models Apple may introduce later this year, and after spending time with the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, we’ve only become more excited about it. However, while a new, thinner iPhone model will be welcome, where Apple could really jump ahead of the competition is to reduce the thickness and the weight across the entire range, using techniques learned from the Air, rather than only in one, special model.
What we’re looking for is the iPhone 17 to be suitably different to the competition and for Apple to stand out again, after several years of iPhone models which look and feel very similar to each other. The iPhone 17 Air should be a big step in the right direction, but Apple would win more attention by doing something similar with the rest of the series, just in a more modest fashion. Make all the iPhone 17 models look and feel substantially different to before, not just one of them.
Be careful with the iPhone 17’s price
Our final point is, unfortunately, the one which is least likely to happen. For the last few years Apple has kept the cost of its iPhone models the same as before, when other brands such as Samsung have increased prices. Along with the iPhone’s strong residual value, the fixed price has made it less of a major financial decision for many to upgrade, even if the hardware may not truly represent a huge jump forward.
There’s every chance the iPhone 17 will be more expensive than the iPhone 16 series, potentially due to increased production costs, new technologies, and the impact of tariffs introduced by the U.S. government. Any increase in price will make potential upgraders think twice, and may also mean newcomers look more closely at the best new phones released by the competition when it’s time to buy a new one.
Even though Apple has held off increasing prices for a few years, if the cost of the iPhone 17 is more than the iPhone 16, it’s sure to generate headlines, and with them the reputation (in the minds of normal people outside of the tech space) of being the “expensive” choice. A higher price will impact new sales and upgrades, and if at all possible Apple needs to keep increases low, or avoid any entirely.
Will any of it happen?
The good news is we’ve not been unreasonable with any of this, and almost everything we’ve listed has already been linked to the iPhone 17 through rumors and speculation. All it needs is for Apple to follow through when the iPhone 17 arrives, and we’ll have one of the most exciting and compelling new iPhone announcements in years.
Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 17 series later this year, with September or October likely dates, based on its previous announcement events. We will learn more about iOS 19 during WWDC 2025 in June, and the software will be fully released to the public with the iPhone 17.
