I upgraded to the iPhone 17 in December. Coming from the iPhone 15, I definitely noticed immediate improvements, and can already declare, one month in, that this is the best upgrade I’ve received so far. Apple really outdid themselves with this one.
The very first thing I noticed about the iPhone 17 was the sound quality. It’s something I had heard so much about and was very much looking forward to. Both with playing media and just the general sound of VoiceOver, there seems to be almost this base-like quality and it’s so much easier to hear. I did notice a difference in the VoiceOver sound when I raise the volume, which takes some getting used to, but all in all I really appreciate the high-quality sound.
As someone who also uses a MagSafe wireless charger, I’ve noticed the iPhone 17 has a stronger magnetization than my iPhone 15. I’m not sure if the type of case matters — mine is a pretty slim one that didn’t come from the Apple store — but even so, it seems to stick a lot better on the charger and is impossible to accidentally bump off of the charging circle.
A feature I didn’t expect to like but am using a lot is the integration of Apple Intelligence into Siri, specifically using ChatGPT. I use Female Siri Voice 4, and it sounds more human-like than if I had Apple Intelligence turned off. Not only will you get much smarter answers, but a feature I actually read about here on the AppleVis Forums that I tried myself is “describe my screen.” I feel like maybe this would come in handy if you’re having issues with an app. I actually use it when browsing Instagram stories. It saves me from having to take a screenshot. I just say “Describe my screen,” Siri asks if I want to send the screenshot to ChatGPT, and then describes it.
The battery on the iPhone 17 is also better than I expected. I easily get a full day out of it, and very rarely is the phone actually low by the time I’m ready to put it on the charger for the night. Often times, it’s anywhere between 30 and 40 percent. Apps that used to overheat my phone, such as audiobook apps and Uber, don’t do that on this model. Some apps do drain the battery slightly faster than others, but not to the extent as on my iPhone 15.
I’ve also noticed an improvement in the camera. This is something I really didn’t expect to pay much attention to, as someone who uses the Aira or Be My Eyes app to take or send pictures rather than the native camera app. However, I’ve noticed that when using Aira, I don’t have to move my phone around as much for the agent to get a clear view. Agents do still need to use the flashlight sometimes to see better, especially if there’s dim lighting, but they don’t need to Zoom in as clearly. Even the flashlight isn’t used as often, and the AI descriptions seem to be better and less blurry. This could very well just be coincidental, but it’s an observation I’ve had. The camera on the iPhone 17 just seems to be much better quality.
While I certainly do appreciate the upgrade, my only complaint is VoiceOver’s volume on a phone call. That base-like quality I talked about earlier seems to carry over into phone calls, too. I appreciate the better sound, but the output is often so loud that I have to turn the volume down in order to hear the person on the other end more clearly, especially if I’m using apps like Aira or Be My Eyes.
All in all, even with that one complaint, I’m very satisfied with the iPhone 17. It’s the best upgrade I’ve gotten so far in the 10+ years I’ve been an iPhone user. Apple really outdid themselves with this one!