Phone-makers promise varying lengths of long-term software and security support, ranging from just one year to as many as seven. These updates not only ensure you get many of the latest features but also keep your phone secure.
Phone cameras have gotten better in the past five years. But don’t be fooled by how many cameras a phone has. More is not necessarily better.
Phones are big in general, with the smallest ones having a 6.1-inch screen and larger models topping out at 6.9 inches. That makes visiting a store and trying a phone out before you buy it quite important.
If your family and friends are on Apple services like iMessage and FaceTime, stick with an iPhone. If you’ve been deep on Samsung, stay on Android. But know that switching between the two has never been easier.
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Apple's new iPhone 17 series and thin iPhone Air are now in stores and replace the iPhone 16 line as the company's top flagship models. We've tested and reviewed the iPhone Air, iPhone 17 and the powerful iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max and have added them to our picks for the best iPhone. In fact, the iPhone 17 is our top pick for most people. It packs an incredible amount of features for its price and has a battery life that lasts as long as the iPhone 17 Pro, which costs nearly $300 more. But between the new iPhone models, the iPhone 16E and older models like the iPhone 16, you have a lot of options when buying a new Apple phone. If you're looking for discounts, here are our best iPhone Air and iPhone 17 line deals.
What's the best iPhone right now?
The best iPhone for most people is the iPhone 17. It shares many features with Apple's pricier 17 Pro models, but at a lower $829 starting price (or $799 if you activate through a carrier). It supports the newest camera capabilities like Dual Capture and Center Stage, and at long last, it has a 1-120Hz variable refresh rate for smoother scrolling and support for the always-on display.
While it's true that the iPhone 17 shares a striking resemblance to last year's iPhone 16, there are some key updates that help it stand out. Apart from the upgraded refresh rate, the iPhone 17 also boasts a peak brightness of 3,000 nits, along with an anti-reflective display that makes it easier to see the screen outdoors.
The ultrawide camera goes from 12 megapixels on the iPhone 16 to 48 megapixels on the iPhone 17, and Apple says the iPhone 17 has up to eight hours more of video playback. Indeed, in CNET's three-hour streaming test, the iPhone 17's battery dropped from 100% to 89%, while the iPhone 16 hit 86%.
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