iPhone 17 vs iPhone 16: What changed?

Apple has released enough iPhones now that comparing them feels like a part-time job But I have done it for you.

Now then, how much has changed in one generation? Well, let’s focus on the things you are most likely to notice: the screen, camera, battery, design and storage.

One quick note before we start: the main iPhone 17 line-up launched with the iPhone 17, iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. These are compared below with the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. Apple released the iPhone 16e and iPhone 17e separately, so I have covered those further down.

Model	Display	Chip	Rear cameras	Front camera	Storage	Video playback*
iPhone 16	6.1-inch OLED	A18	48MP Main + 12MP Ultra Wide	12MP	128GB, 256GB or 512GB	Up to 22 hours
iPhone 17	6.3-inch OLED, ProMotion up to 120Hz	A19	48MP Main + 48MP Ultra Wide	18MP Centre Stage	256GB or 512GB	Up to 30 hours
iPhone 16 Plus	6.7-inch OLED	A18	48MP Main + 12MP Ultra Wide	12MP	128GB, 256GB or 512GB	Up to 27 hours
iPhone Air	6.5-inch OLED, ProMotion up to 120Hz	A19 Pro	48MP Main	18MP Centre Stage	256GB, 512GB or 1TB	Up to 27 hours
iPhone 16 Pro	6.3-inch OLED, ProMotion up to 120Hz	A18 Pro	48MP Main + 48MP Ultra Wide + 12MP 5x Telephoto	12MP	128GB, 256GB, 512GB or 1TB	Up to 27 hours
iPhone 17 Pro	6.3-inch OLED, ProMotion up to 120Hz	A19 Pro	Three 48MP cameras, including 4x Telephoto and 8x optical-quality zoom	18MP Centre Stage	256GB, 512GB or 1TB	Up to 31 hours
iPhone 16 Pro Max	6.9-inch OLED, ProMotion up to 120Hz	A18 Pro	48MP Main + 48MP Ultra Wide + 12MP 5x Telephoto	12MP	256GB, 512GB or 1TB	Up to 33 hours
iPhone 17 Pro Max	6.9-inch OLED, ProMotion up to 120Hz	A19 Pro	Three 48MP cameras, including 4x Telephoto and 8x optical-quality zoom	18MP Centre Stage	256GB, 512GB, 1TB or 2TB	Up to 37 hours

*Apple’s claimed video playback figures for UK models. Real battery life depends on how you use the phone, your settings and network.

iPhone 17 vs iPhone 16

The iPhone 16 has a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display, while the iPhone 17 moves to 6.3 inches. The 17 also gets an Always-On display and ProMotion with an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz. Scrolling, animations and supported games look smoother. Its outdoor peak brightness also rises from 2,000 nits to 3,000 nits and Apple has added an anti-reflective coating.

Inside, the A18 chip becomes the A19. Both are built for Apple Intelligence and speed. The A19 adds Neural Accelerators to the GPU, giving the iPhone 17 more room for demanding games, graphics and on-device AI features.

The main rear camera remains 48MP on both models. The bigger camera change is the Ultra Wide, which moves from 12MP on the iPhone 16 to 48MP on the iPhone 17. That gives the 17 more detail in wide shots and 48MP macro photography.

The front camera also moves from 12MP to an 18MP Centre Stage, which can adjust the frame for group photos and video calls. Dual Capture can record with the front and rear cameras at the same time, which should be useful for travel videos or social content.

Apple claims you get up to 22 hours of video playback for the iPhone 16 and up to 30 hours for the iPhone 17. The 17 also starts at 256GB, while the 16 gives you a choice of 128GB, 256GB or 512GB.

Design-wise, both use aluminium, have an IP68 water and dust resistance rating and keep the Action button, Camera Control, Face ID, USB-C and MagSafe. The iPhone 17 adds Ceramic Shield 2 to the front and weighs 177g, while the iPhone 16 weighs 170g.

iPhone Air vs iPhone 16 Plus

The Air is the biggest change to the shape of the line-up. It takes the place previously held by the Plus, but it has a very different purpose.

The iPhone 16 Plus is built around a large 6.7-inch OLED screen, a dual rear camera system and up to 27 hours of video playback. It weighs 199g and is 7.8mm thick.

The iPhone Air has a 6.5-inch OLED display, measures just 5.64mm thick and weighs 165g. It is Apple’s thinnest iPhone and uses a polished titanium frame. Its display also supports Always-On and ProMotion up to 120Hz, with up to 3,000 nits of outdoor peak brightness.

The Air uses an A19 Pro chip with a five-core GPU and has one 48MP Fusion main camera. That camera still provides 1x and optical-quality 2x framing. The iPhone 16 Plus has a 48MP main camera and a separate 12MP Ultra Wide, so it remains a good fit for people who like photographing wider landscape, group and macro shots.

Both are rated for up to 27 hours of video playback. The Air starts at 256GB and goes up to 1TB, while the 16 Plus was offered with 128GB, 256GB or 512GB. One other practical difference is the SIM – the UK iPhone Air uses eSIM, while UK versions of the iPhone 16 Plus support a nano-SIM and eSIM.

Basically, the Plus gives you the largest standard iPhone 16 screen and a dual-camera setup. The Air gives you a thinner, lighter design, a 120Hz display and the A19 Pro chip. They suit two different types of buyers, which makes this part more about what you want your phone to feel like than anything else.

iPhone 17 Pro vs iPhone 16 Pro

The display sizes stay the same across the Pro models: 6.3 inches for Pro and 6.9 inches for Pro Max. All four have ProMotion up to 120Hz, Always-On displays and high-resolution OLED panels. The 17 Pro models raise outdoor peak brightness to 3,000 nits and add an anti-reflective coating.

The most obvious design change is on the back. The iPhone 16 Pro models use a titanium build with a textured matt glass back. The iPhone 17 Pro models switch to an aluminium unibody, Ceramic Shield on the back and a wider camera section across the top.

There is a practical reason for the new visuals. Apple added a vapour chamber which moves heat away from the A19 Pro chip to help the phone maintain performance during more demanding tasks. The iPhone 16 Pro uses the A18 Pro, which already supports Apple Intelligence, hardware-accelerated ray tracing and professional photo and video tools.

Camera-wise, the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max have a 48MP main, 48MP Ultra Wide and 12MP 5x Telephoto camera. The iPhone 17 Pro models use 48MP sensors across all three rear cameras. Their Telephoto camera offers 4x optical zoom and 8x optical-quality zoom, with digital zoom extending up to 40x. The front camera gets the same 18MP Centre Stage upgrade as the iPhone 17 and Air.

For battery, Apple quotes up to 27 hours of video playback on the iPhone 16 Pro and 33 hours on the 16 Pro Max. The UK iPhone 17 Pro figures rise to 31 and 37 hours respectively. The 17 Pro Max also introduces a 2TB storage option, which gives users shooting lots of ProRes or ProRAW content far more space to work with.

What about the iPhone 16e and iPhone 17e?

The ‘e’ models arrived separately from the main September launches. The iPhone 16e was introduced in 2025, and the iPhone 17e followed in 2026.

They share quite a lot: a 6.1-inch OLED display, a 48MP Fusion main camera with a 2x option, a 12MP front camera, Face ID, an Action button and up to 26 hours of video playback.

The iPhone 17e has gone from the A18 chip to the A19, added Ceramic Shield 2 with an anti-reflective coating and brought MagSafe charging at up to 15W. It comes with 256GB or 512GB of storage. The iPhone 16e was offered with 128GB, 256GB or 512GB, so it gives you another starting-storage option.

Which one should you choose?

If the display is your priority, the iPhone 17 is likely to be the most noticeable step. ProMotion up to 120Hz, the larger panel and higher outdoor brightness are things you can see every time you use the phone.

If you want a large screen and a familiar dual-camera setup, the iPhone 16 Plus still has plenty going for it. If you want something thin and light with Pro-level processing power, the Air is the interesting one.

For photography, zoom and demanding creative work, the Pro models offer the widest range of tools. The iPhone 17 Pro series adds the new 48MP Telephoto camera, 8x optical-quality zoom, improved cooling and extra battery life. The iPhone 16 Pro series gives you three cameras, 5x optical zoom, ProRAW, ProRes and the A18 Pro chip.

And if you mainly want a modern iPhone for everyday use, the regular iPhone 16 remains a strong choice. It has the A18 chip, Apple Intelligence, a 48MP Main camera, Camera Control, a bright OLED screen, MagSafe and up to 22 hours of video playback.

The verdict?

The iPhone 17 series brings its biggest everyday changes to the display, front camera, battery and storage. The Air also gives the line-up something completely new, while the Pro models focus on camera flexibility and sustained performance.

The iPhone 16 series still feels very current because so many of the important features are already there. You get Apple Intelligence, strong cameras, USB-C, 5G and regular iOS updates.

We may not have the iPhone 17 in stock, but we do have the iPhone 16 available at an attractive price. If you want a fast, modern iPhone while keeping the overall cost down, it is well worth a look.

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