For years, the “regular” iPhone received hand-me-downs from the Pro models. This was less so with the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus, but the trickle-down philosophy was still there to a degree. For 2025 and data-i13n=”elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Apple;elmt:;cpos:1;pos:1″ href=”https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=4130e2f0-a14f-4c5e-bdab-cd52ac7d8e79&siteId=us-engadget&pageId=1p-autolink&contentUuid=5c424396-9e98-4963-a718-4c8c91d2333b&featureId=text-link&merchantName=Apple&linkText=the+iPhone+17+%28%24799%29&custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hcHBsZS5jb20vc2hvcC9idXktaXBob25lL2lwaG9uZS0xNyIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiNWM0MjQzOTYtOWU5OC00OTYzLWE3MTgtNGM4YzkxZDIzMzNiIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hcHBsZS5jb20vc2hvcC9idXktaXBob25lL2lwaG9uZS0xNyJ9&signature=AQAAAT8eaN2J1Xn-gKAgf3zIvFRpZBKEHC1ZXAbaJZGb7a3E&gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.apple.com%2Fshop%2Fbuy-iphone%2Fiphone-17&source=engadget_article_commerce_ctrl” class=”link rapid-with-clickid etailiffa-link” rel=”nofollow noopener” target=”_blank” data-ylk=”slk:the iPhone 17 ($799);elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Apple;elmt:;cpos:1;pos:1;itc:0;sec:content-canvas”>the iPhone 17 ($799) is no longer the compromise that the base model used to be. Apple finally data-i13n=”cpos:2;pos:1″ href=”https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/apple-iphone-17-hands-on-no-plus-no-problem-192747122.html” data-ylk=”slk:blessed it;cpos:2;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas” class=”link “>blessed it with a 120Hz display and this year’s most exciting camera feature, Center Stage.
While it may seem like Apple is no longer forcing iPhone users to compromise, or at least not to the degree it used…
