iPhone 17 vs iPhone 16: a real upgrade or more of the same?
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Intro
The iPhone 16 brought some interesting updates like the new Camera Control button, a faster A18 chip, and slight camera improvements, but those were hardly enough to satisfy users.
With outdated 60Hz displays, similar designs, and limited AI features at launch (and still), the iPhone 16 felt more like an afterthought than a revolutionary step in the right direction.
In this comparison, we’ll explore the key differences in design, display, performance, cameras, battery life, and software between the iPhone 17 and iPhone 16 based on everything we know so far.
Now, all eyes are on the upcoming iPhone 17, which promises to finally bring bigger design changes, a much-needed display upgrade, and a sharper selfie camera. If you're wondering how the iPhone 17 will stack up against the iPhone 16 — and whether it will finally deliver a big leap forward — you're in the right place.
In this comparison, we’ll explore the key differences in design, display, performance, cameras, battery life, and software between the iPhone 17 and iPhone 16 based on everything we know so far.
Update: Add iOS 26 to the list of new things on both these phones. Apple will bring a big "Liquid Glass" design overhaul and a bunch of new software features. More on this in the 'performance' section of this article.
iPhone 17 vs iPhone 16 expected differences:
| iPhone 17 * | iPhone 16 |
|---|---|
| A19 chip (likely 3nm) | A18 chip (3nm) |
| 8 GB RAM | 8 GB RAM |
| 24 MP selfie camera | 12 MP selfie camera |
| 6.27" OLED display 120Hz ProMotion Thinner bezels | 6.1" OLED display 60Hz refresh rate Thicker bezels |
| ~3,600 mAh battery | 3,561 mAh battery |
| Similar wired/wireless speeds | 20W wired 25W MagSafe wireless |
| New spliced seamless frame | Sharper edges |
Table of Contents:
Design and Size
We might finally see 120Hz on a non-Pro iPhone
The iPhone 16 stuck closely to Apple’s familiar design formula, with minor changes like the vertical camera layout to support Spatial Video and the addition of the Camera Control button.
The Camera Control button offered pressure and touch-sensitive shortcuts for zoom and focus, but in real-world use, it felt awkwardly placed and not essential for most users.
The iPhone 17, meanwhile, is expected to introduce a more noticeable design overhaul. A new splicing process will create a smoother transition between the frame and back glass, eliminating the harsher edges of older models for a more seamless feel in the hand. Also, recent dummy unit leaks hint that the iPhone 17 will be slightly slimer than its predecessor.
Apple will also shrink the bezels significantly with the help of BRS (Border Reduction Structure) technology, making the screen feel even more immersive without growing the phone’s physical footprint.
As for colors, the iPhone 16 colors are Black, White, Pink, Teal, Ultramarine. All we know about the iPhone 17 on this front is that it might come in a new lavender (purple) color option that will allegedly be more saturated than in previous generations. This could also mean that the other colorful options will be more saturated too.
Display Differences
The iPhone 16 reused the same 6.1-inch OLED display with 60Hz refresh rate, which is becoming increasingly difficult to justify in a flagship-priced phone. Despite its solid brightness of up to 2,000 nits outdoors, the overall experience felt dated, especially when compared to rivals with smoother 120Hz panels.
The iPhone 17 is expected to change that. It will reportedly feature a 6.3-inch OLED display with ProMotion 120Hz refresh rate — the first non-Pro iPhone to offer this. Even more impressively, Apple is said to be using Samsung’s new M14 OLED material, which should result in better brightness, power efficiency, and display longevity than the M12-based panel in the iPhone 16.
The iPhone 17 is expected to change that. It will reportedly feature a 6.3-inch OLED display with ProMotion 120Hz refresh rate — the first non-Pro iPhone to offer this. Even more impressively, Apple is said to be using Samsung’s new M14 OLED material, which should result in better brightness, power efficiency, and display longevity than the M12-based panel in the iPhone 16.
Apple might also extend Always-On Display to the standard model, but that is not an upgrade we feel confident about.
Performance and Software
A19 chip brings refinements, but AI remains a question mark
The iPhone 16 introduced the A18 chip, built on TSMC’s advanced 3nm N3E process. It brought meaningful efficiency gains and formed the backbone for future Apple Intelligence features, even though those features were (and some still are) delayed after launch. The chip also included hardware-accelerated ray tracing for games and a powerful 16-core Neural Engine to support on-device machine learning.
With the iPhone 17, Apple is expected to push those foundations further using the new A19 chip. While early hopes pointed to a 2nm design, multiple reports now state the A19 will still be based on the 3nm process, though with better efficiency and improved performance for AI tasks.
RAM will allegedly remain at 8 GB, though there are ongoing rumors that Apple might bump that up to 12 GB to support heavier on-device AI features in the future.
However, the AI story remains a sticking point. The new Apple Intelligence suite, first introduced with iOS 18, still isn't ready. Its most anticipated features — especially the revamped Siri — were delayed into 2026 after internal setbacks. Apple has at least taken some accountability for the delays.
However, the AI story remains a sticking point. The new Apple Intelligence suite, first introduced with iOS 18, still isn't ready. Its most anticipated features — especially the revamped Siri — were delayed into 2026 after internal setbacks. Apple has at least taken some accountability for the delays.
On the hardware side, Apple reportedly opted not to include a vapor chamber for cooling in the base iPhone 17, unlike the Pro models. Instead, it will stick to traditional graphite and metal heat spreaders. This could mean that under sustained load such as like long gaming sessions or image/video editting, the iPhone 17 may throttle earlier than expected.
This autumn, however, the great digital turnover continues with iOS 26.
Its main selling point is a “Liquid Glass” design, the most significant visual change in a decade. You can, if you wish, ignore some of this, or you can embrace the new “Clear Look,” which makes everything glassy and transparent in a way that brings back 2006 and Windows Vista memories.
Beyond the aesthetics, there are the usual quality-of-life adjustments. The Camera app is being tidied up, hiding away the more esoteric modes (but a quick swipe left or right reveals them, so nothing to worry about). There is also a welcome promise to fix the Photos app’s famously chaotic nature from the previous iOS update with the help of buttons (who would have thought!).
Beyond the aesthetics, there are the usual quality-of-life adjustments. The Camera app is being tidied up, hiding away the more esoteric modes (but a quick swipe left or right reveals them, so nothing to worry about). There is also a welcome promise to fix the Photos app’s famously chaotic nature from the previous iOS update with the help of buttons (who would have thought!).
The really interesting bits, for anyone who enjoys a quiet life, are in the communication apps. A new Call Screening feature will finally arrive to fend off the endless tide of telemarketers, a feature that has existed on Pixels for some time but is welcome nonetheless. There's also Live Translate for calls, which looks very cool in staged demos, but we have some doubts how well it will work in real-life scenarios.
Messages also gets a few new tricks: custom backgrounds, and polls, and even typing indicators. WhatsApp should be worried.
It will all feel terribly new and perhaps a bit jarring for a week or two. And then, inevitably, it will become simply normal, but we can complain about it or praise it in the meantime, right?
Messages also gets a few new tricks: custom backgrounds, and polls, and even typing indicators. WhatsApp should be worried.
Camera
New image sensor, but for the selfie camera
The camera system between the two phones is likely to feel similar, but the iPhone 17 will offer a sharper front-facing camera and likely some other subtle improvements.
Here is a refresher on the iPhone 16 camera setup:
Here is a refresher on the iPhone 16 camera setup:
- 48 MP main camera (f/1.6, 24 MP default photos)
- 12 MP ultra-wide (f/2.2, autofocus, Macro support)
- 12 MP selfie camera (f/1.9)
And here are the cameras we expect on the iPhone 17:
- 48 MP main camera (similar sensor, possibly refined processing)
- 12 MP ultra-wide camera
- 24 MP upgraded selfie camera
We expect the iPhone 17's rear cameras to offer excellent daylight and low-light photography, just like its predecessor. However, the 24MP selfie camera should bring a substantial upgrade in the selfie-snapping department, including for video — this would be a very welcome upgrade considering how soft the iPhone 16’s selfies could look.
The new model still has no telephoto lens, so optical zoom remains reserved for the Pro line.
Battery Life and Charging
Slightly larger battery, better thermals, and easier repairability
The iPhone 16 came with a 3,561 mAh battery and performed well in real-world use, offering solid endurance for web browsing, video streaming, and gaming. It also introduced slightly faster 25W MagSafe wireless charging, though wired charging remained capped around 20W.
With the iPhone 17, Apple is making some small but meaningful changes. Battery capacity is expected to increase slightly to around 3,600 mAh, and Apple is said to introduce a new stacked battery design. This would allow for improved thermal performance and energy density, which could lead to more consistent battery life under heavy use.
Thankfully, the iPhone 17 is rumored to continue using the electric adhesive system that makes battery replacements much easier, introduced with the iPhone 16.
With the iPhone 17, Apple is making some small but meaningful changes. Battery capacity is expected to increase slightly to around 3,600 mAh, and Apple is said to introduce a new stacked battery design. This would allow for improved thermal performance and energy density, which could lead to more consistent battery life under heavy use.
Specs Comparison
Here's a quick look at the expected iPhone 17 vs iPhone 16 specs:
| iPhone 17 * | iPhone 16 |
|---|---|
| Size, weight ~ 147.6 × 71.6 × 7.8 mm | Size, weight 147.6 × 71.6 × 7.8 mm |
| Screen 6.27" OLED 120Hz ProMotion | Screen 6.1" OLED 60Hz |
| Processor A19 3nm | Processor A18 3nm |
| Versions: 8/128 GB 8/256 GB 8/512 GB LPDDR5 | Versions: 8/128 GB 8/256 GB 8/512 GB LPDDR5 |
| Cameras: 48 MP main 12 MP ultra 24 MP front | Cameras: 48 MP main 12 MP ultra 12MP front |
| Battery: ~3,600 mAh | Battery: 3,561 mAh |
| Charging: USB-C 20W wired 25W wireless via MagSafe | Charging: USB-C 20W wired 25W wireless via MagSafe |
*expected
Summary
The iPhone 17 is starting to sound like the phone that it's predecessor should have been. The smoother ProMotion 120Hz display, thinner bezels, sharper selfie camera, and more polished design could finally modernize the standard iPhone experience.
Performance upgrades will likely be modest, with the A19 chip refining rather than reinventing what the A18 already does well. Battery life and charging will also see incremental improvements rather than major shifts.
If you're using an iPhone 16 and content with its power, camera quality, and 60Hz display (although that would be hard to believe), the jump to an iPhone 17 might not feel essential. But for anyone coming from an older iPhone — or anyone tired of living without a 120Hz screen — the iPhone 17 could finally deliver the upgrade experience that's been missing the last two years.
Performance upgrades will likely be modest, with the A19 chip refining rather than reinventing what the A18 already does well. Battery life and charging will also see incremental improvements rather than major shifts.
If you're using an iPhone 16 and content with its power, camera quality, and 60Hz display (although that would be hard to believe), the jump to an iPhone 17 might not feel essential. But for anyone coming from an older iPhone — or anyone tired of living without a 120Hz screen — the iPhone 17 could finally deliver the upgrade experience that's been missing the last two years.
Still, it's sad that Apple is delaying the hyped up AI features that were supposed to be the main selling point for last year's model, and it would be even more sad if they are not ready for the iPhone 17 — especially regarding Siri 2.0.
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