The iPhone 17 is about to celebrate its first birthday. Apple will unveil the new iPhone 18 series models on September 9. However, unlike the previous year, the standard model is not expected to be replaced. The iPhone 18 is rumored to launch in March. The company is reportedly focusing on high-end phones this year, including the iPhone 18 Pro models and the first foldable iPhone. Reports also indicate that Apple will increase starting prices for the iPhone 18 Pros in response to rising RAM and storage costs. Buying an older model of iPhone just before Apple unveils the next generation would not be advisable in a regular cycle. But given all these developments, buying the iPhone 17 in September 2026 makes a lot of sense, especially since the smartphone has aged much better than its predecessors.
Last September, Apple made a massive upgrade to the standard iPhone, turning the device into almost an iPhone 17 Pro. This prompted us to recommend pre-ordering the $799 iPhone 17 instead of more expensive models. We also explained in our iPhone 17 review why the handset offers incredible value. Indeed, the phone was a success from the start. The standard iPhone 17 was sold out for months, according to our weekly checks in late 2025. Out-of-stocks lasted from late September to December.
The biggest upgrade the iPhone 17 received is to the screen. Although the handset features the same overall design as the standard iPhone 16, Apple has given the device a 6.3-inch AMOLED display that offers the same performance as the iPhone 17 Pro’s 6.3-inch display. The iPhone 17 supports dynamic refresh rates from 1 to 120 Hz, always-on functionality, and the same Ceramic Shield 2 protective glass. Everything else is the same: 2622 x 1206 resolution and up to 3,000 nits of brightness.
iPhone 17 still delivers premium performance
In a highly competitive mobile landscape, it’s not just the iPhone 17’s screen that favors the handset. After all, many Android competitors feature 120Hz AMOLED panels that offer increased brightness, high resolution, and always-on support. New devices like the Galaxy S26 series and Pixel 11 also feature premium displays. Similarly, phones launched in China and select international markets, such as the Honor Magic 8 Pro and Xiaomi 17 series, support premium screen experiences.
The iPhone 17 features Apple’s A19 chip, which is even faster than the A18 Pro that Apple uses for the iPhone 16 Pro models. To put things in perspective, Apple also used the A18 Pro in the budget MacBook Neo laptop released in March 2026, a device that received positive reception from consumers. The MacBook Neo scores 3,555 (single-core) and 9,003 (multi-core) points in the Geekbench 6 tests. The iPhone 17 scores 3,783 and 9,534 in the same Geekbench 6 CPU tests. The GPU upgrade is even more significant, with the A19 scoring 37,713 points in the Metal tests, compared to 31,530 for the A18 Pro. The A19 Pro which equips the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air models obtains higher scores: 3,930 and 10,171 in the Geekbench 6 CPU tests and 46,431 for Metal.
On Android, the new Pixel 11 series, featuring the Tensor G6 chip, achieves 2,575 and 6,027 points in Geekbench 6, making the iPhone 17 the much faster option of the two. The Galaxy S26 Ultra, released in February, offers a speed in Geekbench 6 almost similar to that of the iPhone 17: 3,698 and 11,093 points. In other words, the iPhone 17 can still deliver peak performance, holding its own against newer Android flagship phones.
Will iPhone 17 get cheaper when iPhone 18 Pro launches?
In addition to the premium display and the A19 chip, the iPhone 17 has a few other advantages. The phone comes with 256GB of storage, which matches Android alternatives like the more expensive standard Pixel 11 ($899) and Galaxy S26 ($899.99). The handset also has dual 48-megapixel cameras on the back (wide and ultra-wide). The Pixel 11 has 48-megapixel (wide), 13-megapixel (ultra-wide), and 10.8-megapixel (telephoto) lenses on the back. The Galaxy S26’s triple-lens camera includes 50-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (ultra-wide), and 10-megapixel (telephoto) lenses. On the front, the iPhone 17 features Apple’s new 18-megapixel lens that can take portrait and landscape images without rotating the phone, a distinctive selfie camera feature in the industry. Finally, the iPhone 17’s battery can last significantly longer than the iPhone 16 (30 hours of video playback instead of 22 hours) and supports faster wired charging (up to 40W) in addition to MagSafe support.
The only uncertainty is the price. Every September, Apple offers a discount on the base iPhone belonging to the previous generation when a replacement arrives. This year, it seems unlikely that the iPhone 17 price will reach $699. On the contrary, there are rumors that Apple may increase the price of the iPhone 17 when the iPhone 18 Pro models arrive to compensate for rising manufacturing costs.
Buying the iPhone 17 before the iPhone 18 Pro event shouldn’t be a problem. Carrier deals, trade-in offers, and Apple’s rental program can make purchasing the handset easier. The same considerations apply to getting an iPhone 17 after September 9, even in a scenario where Apple increases the starting price, as carriers will likely continue to offer free iPhone 17 promotions, a deal seen throughout the year.
