Apple has officially launched the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max at its Awe Dropping event. The Pro models join the standard iPhone 17 and the new iPhone 17 Air in Apple’s 2025 lineup. Announced by CEO Tim Cook during a livestreamed keynote, the Pro series brings massive camera upgrades, new design features, and the powerful A19 Pro chip running on iOS 26.
iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max Price and Availability
- iPhone 17 Pro price: $1,099 (256GB)
- iPhone 17 Pro Max price: $1,199 (256GB)
- Color options: Cosmic Orange, Deep Blue, and Silver
Pre-orders begin September 12, with global availability starting September 19.
New Design and Build Changes
Unlike recent generations, the iPhone 17 Pro models feature an aluminum build, while the new iPhone 17 Air gets a titanium body. Apple has introduced a unibody design with a full-width camera plateau, giving the Pro models a refreshed look.
The iPhone 17 Pro comes with a 6.3-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with ProMotion up to 120Hz, while the Pro Max gets a 6.9-inch display. Both offer 3,000 nits peak brightness and improved Ceramic Shield 2 protection, said to be three times more scratch-resistant than before.
Vapour Chamber Cooling and A19 Pro Chip
For the first time, Apple has equipped its flagship iPhones with a vapour chamber cooling system, designed for sustained high performance during demanding workloads.
The A19 Pro chip powers both models, offering:
- Up to 40% faster sustained performance than previous chips
- A six-core CPU and six-core GPU architecture
- Neural accelerators built into each GPU core
Apple calls it its “most capable iPhone chip ever.”
Major Camera Upgrades
The iPhone 17 Pro series introduces a triple 48MP rear camera system:
- 48MP main camera (f/1.6, OIS)
- 48MP ultrawide lens with macro support
- 48MP telephoto lens with 8x optical zoom and 40x digital zoom
This marks the first time all three iPhone Pro cameras share the same resolution. The telephoto sensor has been massively upgraded from 12MP to 48MP and is now 56% larger than before.
On the front, an 18MP Centre Stage camera dynamically frames subjects during selfies and video calls.
Apple Intelligence and iOS 26 Features
Running on iOS 26, the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max include the new Liquid Glass UI and full support for Apple Intelligence features. These include:
- Live Translation in Messages, FaceTime, and Phone apps
- Upgraded Visual Intelligence for real-time image and object recognition
- Advanced call and message screening tools
Bigger Battery and Faster Charging
Thanks to the new unibody design, both models house larger batteries. Apple claims the iPhone 17 Pro Max offers the “best battery life ever in an iPhone.”
Charging is also improved:
- 50% charge in just 20 minutes with Apple’s high-wattage USB-C adapters
- Enhanced power efficiency via the A19 Pro chip
Key Highlights of iPhone 17 Pro Series
- Aluminum unibody design with full-width camera plateau
- 6.3-inch (Pro) and 6.9-inch (Pro Max) OLED displays
- Ceramic Shield 2 with 3x scratch resistance
- A19 Pro chip with vapour chamber cooling
- Triple 48MP rear cameras with 8x optical zoom
- 18MP Centre Stage front camera
- Apple Intelligence AI features with iOS 26
- Best-ever battery life with 50% charge in 20 minutes
