iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max with A19 Pro chipset and iOS 26 launched: Price, specs, features and more
Apple has introduced the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max at its annual September showcase, branded this year as the ‘Awe Dropping’ event. The launch also included the standard iPhone 17 and a new iPhone 17 Air, which are expected to reach markets in the coming days.
The Pro models are equipped with the company’s A19 Pro processor, its latest high-performance chipset, and ship with iOS 26. According to Apple, both handsets will provide full support for the Apple Intelligence suite of artificial intelligence features.
iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max: Pricing
The iPhone 17 Pro begins at 256GB of storage and extends to 1TB. The Pro Max matches these capacities but adds a 2TB tier for the first time. US pricing starts at $1,099 for the Pro and $1,199 for the Pro Max.
iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max: Specifications
Display
Speaking of the display, two display sizes are available, 6.3 and 6.9 inches, continuing Apple’s separation between the Pro and Pro Max models. Both use Super Retina XDR OLED technology, with peak outdoor brightness now reaching 3,000 nits, a jump from the 2,000-nit ceiling on the iPhone 16 Pro series. Outdoor contrast is also said to have doubled.
For protection, the Ceramic Shield 2 is used in both devices, an updated material coating both the front and, for the first time, the back of the phone. Apple says this new generation offers three times the scratch resistance and four times the crack resistance compared to the back glass used previously. The displays retain ProMotion refresh rates up to 120Hz and Always-On capability.
Processor, battery and design
Alongside this physical redesign, Apple has introduced a new vapour chamber system designed to regulate temperature and support sustained performance.
This chamber, laser-welded into the chassis and filled with deionised water, distributes heat away from the A19 Pro chip. The larger chassis space, combined with power efficiencies in the A19 Pro and iOS 26, allows the iPhone 17 Pro Max to claim the longest battery life of any iPhone to date, claims the company.
At the core of the new devices is the A19 Pro processor, which Apple describes as its most efficient smartphone chip so far. The CPU remains six-core but is optimised for faster sustained speeds, while the GPU is equipped with six cores as well, each integrating dedicated neural accelerators. This hardware supports real-time ray tracing, AAA-grade gaming performance, and local execution of large language models.
The chip is supported by a new 16-core Neural Engine for machine learning tasks, as well as the N1 wireless networking component. N1 brings compatibility with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, and enhances features like Personal Hotspot and AirDrop reliability.
In terms of battery, charging has also been accelerated, with both models able to reach 50 per cent capacity in 20 minutes when paired with Apple’s new 40W USB-C adapter.
(This is a developing story; check later for more updates)
