The New Foundation: How the Standard iPhone 17 Aims to Redefine Apple's Baseline Experience

In the shadow of its more glamorous siblings, the standard iPhone model has often been perceived as the iterative, safe choice. For 2025, however, Apple is poised to dismantle that notion with the iPhone 17. Far from being a mere incremental update, rumors suggest the standard iPhone 17 will receive some of the most significant upgrades in a non-Pro model's history, establishing a new, elevated baseline for the entire smartphone market. The most transformative change is the widely-rumored adoption of a 120Hz ProMotion display. For years, this fluid-scrolling, high-refresh-rate technology has been a key differentiator and a primary reason for users to splurge on a Pro model. By bringing ProMotion to the standard iPhone 17, Apple is not only erasing a major feature disparity but also fundamentally improving the daily user experience for a much larger segment of its customer base. Every interaction, from scrolling through social media to playing games, will feel smoother and more responsive. Display analyst Ross Young, a reliable source for screen-related leaks, has repeatedly pointed to 2025 as the year this feature finally trickles down, enabled by more mature and cost-effective LTPO panel production from suppliers like BOE. Beyond the refresh rate, the display itself is expected to grow, with some reports indicating a modest increase from 6.1 to 6.3 inches, achieved through slimmer bezels. This would offer more screen real estate without a substantial increase in the phone's overall footprint. Underpinning these enhancements is a rumored shift in processing power. While Apple is likely to maintain its tiered chip strategy, the iPhone 17 is expected to be powered by either the A18 Pro chip from the iPhone 16 Pro or a new standard A19 chip. In either scenario, it represents a significant leap in performance, providing more than enough horsepower for the advanced AI and computational photography features expected in iOS 19. Speaking of photography, the camera system is also slated for a major overhaul. The front camera is expected to see a resolution jump to 24 megapixels across all models, a first for Apple. This will result in dramatically sharper selfies and higher-quality FaceTime calls. The rear camera system, while not expected to match the Pro models' triple-lens setup, will likely see the main wide sensor upgraded to a 48-megapixel unit, similar to the one found in current Pro models. This allows for more detailed photos and enables high-quality 2x lossless zoom by cropping the sensor, adding a layer of photographic versatility previously absent from the base model. Common upgrades like an Apple-designed Wi-Fi 7 chip are also expected, promising faster speeds and lower latency. By combining a ProMotion display, a more powerful chipset, and a significantly upgraded camera system, the standard iPhone 17 is shaping up to be more than just an entry point. It represents a strategic move by Apple to raise the bar, making premium features standard and creating what might be the most compelling base-model iPhone in generations.