After months of rumors, the iPhone 17 Pro is here. Unveiled as part of Apple’s “awe dropping” September event, the phone will launch with the latest version of Apple’s iOS 26 software, along with rumored updates to the design and expected updates to Apple Intelligence (the company’s rival to Google’s Gemini AI).
The company is yet to announce official pricing but for reference, the iPhone 16 Pro went on sale last year starting at $999 while the larger iPhone 16 Pro Max started at $1,199. Whether Apple significantly increases the prices due to Trump’s tariffs remains to be seen.
## iPhone 17 Pro: Design and display
The rear of the phone is where you’ll notice the biggest physical change. The camera unit now stretches across the whole top of the phone, rather than simply occupying a small square in the corner. The cameras themselves are still clustered in the same location as before, so it’s unclear right now whether this expanded design is purely aesthetic or serves some deeper purpose —
The Pro models are now built from aluminum, instead of the titanium frames that debuted on the iPhone 15 Pro. It’s a unibody construction, which should make it especially durable — as should the new Ceramic Shield toughened glass on the front and back which Apple says is 3x more scratch resistant. From the front, the phones remain almost indistinguishable from previous models, with only the Dynamic Island breaking the display in the small cut out towards the top. Apple has yet to confirm the water resistance rating of the phones but it’s pretty safe to assume they’ll continue to be IP68-rated as has been the case with pretty much all iPhones since 2018.
The new range does bring some new colors however, with the vibrant-looking orange model being my personal favourite. I’ve found the Pro iPhone range to often take itself a bit too seriously with its reliance on darker or more muted tones so that new life-affirming orange color looks right up my street.
## iPhone 17 Pro: A19 Pro processor
The A19 Pro processor features an improved CPU and GPU which Apple reckons can achieve 40 percent better performance than the iPhone 16 Pro. Keeping things cool is a new thermal management system which includes a vapor chamber that utilizes de-ionized water to actively cool the phone as it gets hot. The aluminum alloy also apparently dissipates heat 20x better than the titanium design of previous models.
## iPhone 17 Pro: iOS 26
The iPhone 17 range will launch with the latest iOS 26 software on board. We’ve played around with iOS 26 in its early beta form and the biggest changes are to the look of the software. Apple’s new ‘Liquid Glass’ design leans into glass-like transparency in its menus and notification panels to achieve a brighter, more modern look.
I’m pretty keen on the style from the images I’ve seen so far and CNET’s Blake Stimac — who’s tested the beta — states “underneath it all, Liquid Glass doesn’t reinvent the wheel, and that’s a good thing” which I find encouraging. After all, I really can’t be bothered learning my way around an entirely new operating system, but I’m happy to see any tweaks that keep things feeling fresh.
The iPhone 17 Pro has been a hot topic in the rumor machine for many months. While some commentators speculated that big changes would come to the phone, others have suggested that the iPhone 17 Pro will be a more modest refresh, with bigger upgrades coming in 2026. It’s also rumored that Apple’s first folding iPhone is still a year away.
The iPhone Pro launched alongside other new Apple products including the super-skinny iPhone Air, the latest AirPods Pro 3 with live translation and the Apple Watch series 11, SE 3 and Watch Ultra 3. Don’t fancy the Pro iPhone? Apple also took the wraps off the base iPhone 17.
## iPhone 17 Pro: Battery
Apple says the iPhone 17 Pro packs the largest battery ever on an iPhone which as a result delivers the best battery life ever from any iPhone. The company hasn’t been specific about exactly how big this battery is, but as always we’ll be keen to see how it performs.
This is a developing story. Follow all of CNET’s 2025 Apple Event coverage for live updates, hands-on impressions, and more announcements as they’re revealed.
iPhone 17 Pro: Design and displayThe rear of the phone is where you’ll notice the biggest physical change.
iPhone 17 Pro: A19 Pro processorThe A19 Pro processor features an improved CPU and GPU which Apple reckons can achieve 40 percent better performance than the iPhone 16 Pro.
iPhone 17 Pro: iOS 26The iPhone 17 range will launch with the latest iOS 26 software on board.
The iPhone 17 Pro has been a hot topic in the rumor machine for many months.
Apple also took the wraps off the base iPhone 17.iPhone 17 Pro: BatteryApple says the iPhone 17 Pro packs the largest battery ever on an iPhone which as a result delivers the best battery life ever from any iPhone.
After months of rumors, the iPhone 17 Pro is here. Unveiled as part of Apple’s “awe dropping” September event, the phone will launch with the latest version of Apple’s iOS 26 software, along with rumored updates to the design and expected updates to Apple Intelligence (the company’s rival to Google’s Gemini AI).
The company is yet to announce official pricing but for reference, the iPhone 16 Pro went on sale last year starting at $999 while the larger iPhone 16 Pro Max started at $1,199. Whether Apple significantly increases the prices due to Trump’s tariffs remains to be seen.
iPhone 17 Pro: Design and display
The rear of the phone is where you’ll notice the biggest physical change. The camera unit now stretches across the whole top of the phone, rather than simply occupying a small square in the corner. The cameras themselves are still clustered in the same location as before, so it’s unclear right now whether this expanded design is purely aesthetic or serves some deeper purpose —
The Pro models are now built from aluminum, instead of the titanium frames that debuted on the iPhone 15 Pro. It’s a unibody construction, which should make it especially durable — as should the new Ceramic Shield toughened glass on the front and back which Apple says is 3x more scratch resistant. From the front, the phones remain almost indistinguishable from previous models, with only the Dynamic Island breaking the display in the small cut out towards the top. Apple has yet to confirm the water resistance rating of the phones but it’s pretty safe to assume they’ll continue to be IP68-rated as has been the case with pretty much all iPhones since 2018.
The new range does bring some new colors however, with the vibrant-looking orange model being my personal favourite. I’ve found the Pro iPhone range to often take itself a bit too seriously with its reliance on darker or more muted tones so that new life-affirming orange color looks right up my street.
iPhone 17 Pro: A19 Pro processor
The A19 Pro processor features an improved CPU and GPU which Apple reckons can achieve 40 percent better performance than the iPhone 16 Pro. Keeping things cool is a new thermal management system which includes a vapor chamber that utilizes de-ionized water to actively cool the phone as it gets hot. The aluminum alloy also apparently dissipates heat 20x better than the titanium design of previous models.
iPhone 17 Pro: iOS 26
The iPhone 17 range will launch with the latest iOS 26 software on board. We’ve played around with iOS 26 in its early beta form and the biggest changes are to the look of the software. Apple’s new ‘Liquid Glass’ design leans into glass-like transparency in its menus and notification panels to achieve a brighter, more modern look.
I’m pretty keen on the style from the images I’ve seen so far and CNET’s Blake Stimac — who’s tested the beta — states “underneath it all, Liquid Glass doesn’t reinvent the wheel, and that’s a good thing” which I find encouraging. After all, I really can’t be bothered learning my way around an entirely new operating system, but I’m happy to see any tweaks that keep things feeling fresh.
The iPhone 17 Pro has been a hot topic in the rumor machine for many months. While some commentators speculated that big changes would come to the phone, others have suggested that the iPhone 17 Pro will be a more modest refresh, with bigger upgrades coming in 2026. It’s also rumored that Apple’s first folding iPhone is still a year away.
The iPhone Pro launched alongside other new Apple products including the super-skinny iPhone Air, the latest AirPods Pro 3 with live translation and the Apple Watch series 11, SE 3 and Watch Ultra 3. Don’t fancy the Pro iPhone? Apple also took the wraps off the base iPhone 17.
iPhone 17 Pro: Battery
Apple says the iPhone 17 Pro packs the largest battery ever on an iPhone which as a result delivers the best battery life ever from any iPhone. The company hasn’t been specific about exactly how big this battery is, but as always we’ll be keen to see how it performs.
This is a developing story. Follow all of CNET’s 2025 Apple Event coverage for live updates, hands-on impressions, and more announcements as they’re revealed.
