iPhone 17 in 5 questions: What are the biggest innovations?

2. WHAT DOES THE “CENTER STAGE” REVOLUTION IN CAMERA DO?

The iPhone 17's front camera features an all-new sensor that uses a square format instead of the traditional 4:3 aspect ratio. This allows the camera to support Center Stage during selfies, keeping the user centered during video calls and live broadcasts.

According to Apple 's announcement, you will now be able to take horizontal selfies without having to turn your phone sideways.

Additionally, artificial intelligence can automatically frame photos and offer 4:3 portrait, 16:9 landscape or square options.

The iPhone 17 Pro can also record video simultaneously from the front and rear cameras, making it much easier for creators to shoot unboxing videos, demo videos, or vlogs.

The tech giant is keeping the triple setup in its new camera system, but there's a significant upgrade: For the first time this year, all three cameras come with 48MP sensors.

The telephoto lens, in particular, has been retrofitted with a 56 percent larger sensor than last year's 12MP sensor. Offering a maximum image size of 18MP, the sensor is a significant improvement over the 12MP on the iPhone 16. It also offers 8x optical quality zoom, the longest optical quality zoom ever. The event featured major camera changes along with hardware and software improvements, and the phrase "8 Pro lenses in your pocket" was used.

Apple added a surprise to the event to highlight its new camera features. It was revealed that the entire event and demos were shot with the iPhone 17 Pro. This was a welcome twist, considering Apple has been shooting with its own equipment for some time now.

3. IS IT THE BIGGEST IPHONE BATTERY EVER?

Apple has announced significant improvements in battery performance for the first time in a long time, both in its new phone models and smartwatches.

The 17 Pro models return to aluminum and boast the largest battery yet. The iPhone 17 Pro Max offers 39 hours of video playback, compared to 33 hours on the 16 Pro Max. However, this only applies to eSIM versions; models with a physical SIM last two hours less.

These improvements are made possible thanks to a new camera island, which Apple calls a "full-width camera plateau." According to The Verge, this design is reminiscent of the camera bar on the Google Pixel, and Samsung is expected to adopt a similar design next year.

According to Apple's introduction, this new "plateau" design on the camera module, which runs horizontally along the body, provides space for a larger battery, which in turn contributes to the device's usage time.

Another notable innovation in the iPhone 17 Air is its "high-density battery" technology, which enables the device's thinness. Apple describes the device's battery life as "all-day use." However, what really makes this claim clear is the Slim MagSafe Battery Pack, which offers up to 40 hours of video playback.

Thanks to fast wired charging support, it is also possible to play video for up to 8 hours with just 10 minutes of charging.

On the smartwatch side, the Series 11 came with an increased battery life from 18 hours to 24 hours.

4. WILL THE A19 PRO CHIP INCREASE PERFORMANCE?

The phones have the new A19 Pro chip inside.

It is claimed to be the “fastest smartphone processor ever” with a 3nm manufacturing process, a 6-core CPU, and a 5-core GPU.

According to the introduction, the A19 Pro chipset can provide up to 40 percent better performance than the 16 Pro.

The technology giant announced that it also uses the new A19 chip in the iPhone 17 model.

Offering higher performance, the chip is specifically designed to support the device's advanced display technology and better run artificial intelligence (AI) Apple Intelligence features.

The new processor will deliver faster and more efficient performance in AI-focused applications. Significant improvements are also expected in the gaming experience. ProMotion display technology will be particularly prominent in high-performance games.

5. WHAT MATERIAL CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE?

Apple also made significant material changes in its new models.

The iPhone Air, in particular, is breaking records for its use of recycled materials. The device uses 80 percent recycled titanium, meaning 35 percent of the device's total weight is made from recycled material. The new Apple Watch models also use a high percentage of recycled content.

The Pro and Pro Max models also stand out with their large camera units and single-piece aluminum body design, which uses glass only in certain areas. Apple touts the new model as "the most powerful iPhone ever."

The front and back surfaces of the 17 Pro (6.3-inch) and 17 Pro Max (6.9-inch) models are coated with scratch-resistant "Ceramic Shield." This technology provides an anti-reflective coating and is three times more scratch-resistant than the previous generation.

The new design offers advantages, particularly in terms of thermal management; the vapor chamber technology used in the device helps prevent overheating, as in gaming phones. ProMotion displays also support a 120Hz refresh rate.

The new aluminum alloy is said to make the devices more efficient. It also comes in three colors: silver, dark blue, and a striking orange called "Cosmic Orange."