One year since its launch, the iPhone 17 remains the phone that Apple will gladly continue to market and which has continued to receive glowing reviews despite the company's upcoming flagship smartphone event.
The launch date for iPhone 17 was set on September 12, 2025, when the phone began pre-ordering.
General availability of the device started a week later, September 19, 2025, across over 60 markets, with further expansion of distribution into 22 more markets a week later.
It also came with the launch of iOS 26, which is free as an upgrade. There were four devices launched under the same name, including the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air, along with the economy iPhone 17e.
The standard iPhone 17 comes with a 6.3-inch screen, an 18MP front camera, and Apple Intelligence built into iOS 26.
For budget buyers, Apple also offers the iPhone 17e — its 2026 entry-level model. It features a 6.1-inch 60Hz OLED display, an A19 chip, 256GB base storage, a 48MP main camera, and a 12MP front camera, a solid upgrade over its predecessor.
Since the new iPhone 18 will not be released this September due to Apple's decision to unveil only the Pro model (as well as iPhone 18 Pro Max and the foldable one) at the fall event, there will not be any standard iPhones 18/18e before spring 2027.
So if you're still using an iPhone 13 or older, the iPhone 17 is your best bet right now — every other non-Pro model is at least six months away.
The retailers have been swift to clear floor space for their new flagship stores.
The current deals involving trade-ins and carrier promotions include up to $1,100 discounts on various iPhone 17s models, while the iPhone 17e has been sold free on some carriers when trading in your old iPhone and adding a new line, with up to a $600 discount for trade-ins on other carriers.
While the iPhone 17 was entering its second year of production, Apple underwent a transition in leadership.
On September 1, 2026, Tim Cook relinquished his position as CEO to become Executive Chairman, with former head of hardware, John Ternus, becoming the company's new CEO.
The September product event is thus the first keynote that takes place under the leadership of Ternus.
Speculation indicates that the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max will come at significantly higher price tags — an increase of about $100 from the starting price of the iPhone 17 Pro, which is $1,099.
Leaks further reveal that both the Pro and Pro Max models will feature the under-display Face ID and a smaller camera hole, while the folding iPhone will have a two-camera setup and Touch ID, replacing Face ID due to its slim design that doesn't support the TrueDepth camera system.
