By Delani Beagles

On Tuesday, Sept.19, Apple introduced the new iPhone 17, the newest addition to its seemingly never-ending smartphone line, in a pre-recorded keynote from Apple Park. The new model offers a wide range of performance improvements, including a reengineered camera system and significant design changes. 

The newest iPhone is now available for purchase online and in stores as of Sept. 17. Apple’s largest claim to fame is the A19 Bionic chip, created using a 3rd generational nanometer process, which supposedly offers increased performance and efficiency over last year’s A18 found in the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro Max. According to Johny Srouji, Apple’s senior vice president of hardware technologies, “The A19 Bionic is our most advanced chip yet. It enables faster machine learning, better energy management, and an entirely new level of responsiveness for iPhone users.” The iPhone 17 also features a 6.3-inch display with ProMotion technology that allows for refresh updates up to 120Hz. To the average person this would mean smoother scrolling, better gaming experiences and more efficient power usage. According to Apple the display can reach a record breaking brightness of 3,000 nits, making it the brightest screen of any iPhone. 

The front-facing camera underwent a redesign with the introduction of Center Stage, a square sensor that enables simultaneous recording with both front and rear camera lenses. All iPhone 17 models include a 48-megapixel rear camera. According to Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing, said, “With three 48MP Fusion cameras, a new Center Stage front camera experience, and pro‑level video features, the creative opportunities are endless,” The new main fusion lens offers up to two times better quality, while the new Ultra-Wide Fusion lens offers sharper edge-to-edge imagery and significantly improves low light performance. 

Apple claims the new iPhone 17 includes up to 30 hours of video playback on one charge. The phone supports fast charging and can reach 50%  in just 20 minutes when using a 40W or higher charging cable. 

While the showstoppers of the new iPhone are on the inside, the outside is not without its own distinct changes. The device now features a thinner bezel, making the screen appear wider even without increasing the physical size of the phone. The iPhone 17 now features five new colors, including black, white, mist blue, sage, and lavender. For those thinking the newest iPhone may be too large, Apple has also released the iPhone 17 Air, featuring a titanium frame and a width of 5.6 mm, making it the thinnest iPhone to date. 

The iPhone 17 series begins at $899 for the base model with 128GB of storage, going up to 2TB of storage in the Pro Max models. With all the new features, including processing power, upgraded camera and sleeker design elements, the iPhone 17  series has a wide number of new improvements but is it really worth it?

(Courtesy of Macworld)