Apple is giving the iPhone 17 Pro a very welcome storage upgrade, but at a cost
Apple is bringing some very welcome changes to the iPhone 17 series this year: with hardware upgrades across the board. One of these changes, as it turns out, is the iPhone 17 Pro getting a storage upgrade that Samsung users got all the way back in 2023 with the Galaxy S23 Ultra. The iPhone 17 Pro will reportedly ( translated source ) start with a storage option of 256 GB. Apple is finally retiring the 128 GB variant, something that Samsung had done with the Galaxy S23 Ultra . It seems that Apple is having to pull all the stops to really make its phones stand out this year.
This upgrade to the storage is one of the less exciting changes this year, in my opinion. For example, Apple is likely to introduce 120 Hz LTPO panels — or what it calls 'ProMotion' displays — across all iPhone 17 models. Furthermore, if supply chain shortages haven't impacted manufacturing too much, all models will get 12 GB of RAM. This is all excellent news, but there might be a cost, literally. There have been many reports that the company is planning to increase the prices of its flagship phones this year. And now, we at least know that the iPhone 17 Pro will get a $50 increase in cost.
The iPhone 16 lineup cost the same as the iPhone 15 series. | Image credit — PhoneArena These price increases will likely be blamed on President Trump's tariff policies, and Apple will be very happy if they are. However, I can't help but wonder if these prices could have been kept the same had these upgrades not happened. To be fair, I would choose better displays and more RAM for an extra $50 any day of the week.
Apple needed these upgrades too, if I had to hazard a guess. The Galaxy phones, though slightly more expensive, have had better hardware for years. Apple hasn't had a problem lagging behind its competitors, but the gap has become a bit too obvious, especially with the failures of Apple Intelligence.
The iPhone 17 Pro redesign, the new iPhone 17 Air, and the Liquid Glass overhaul in iOS 26 all point to Apple trying to make a massive leap forward in public perception. Honestly, the only thing left would be a silicon carbon battery, though Apple has made the smart decision to bulk up the iPhone 17 Pro for a bigger battery.
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