The iPhone 17 was a win, but Apple needs to keep buffing up the base model in 2026

The iPhone 17 was a win, but Apple needs to keep buffing up the base model in 2026 Features The iPhone 17 (left) lacks the third camera and A19 Pro chipset of the iPhone 17 Pro (right), but was overall a bigger upgrade from its predecessor.(Image credit: Apple / TechRadar) The Google Pixel 10 adds a 5x telephoto camera to Google's standard flagship, and with the Samsung Galaxy S25 boasting a 3x zoom lens the iPhone 17 is now the odd one out(Image credit: Blue Pixl Media) Jamie Richards published Or 2027, depending on when the iPhone 18 arrives When it comes to US and UK smartphone sales in 2026, Apple is going to win. According to Counterpoint Research , Apple achieved half of all mobile shipments in the US in Q3 2025. In the UK, Uswitch reports that Apple had a market share of 48.5% in September 2025. And while Apple’s lead might fluctuate, it has been constant in both countries for years, and is overwhelmingly likely to continue. Despite this near-certainty, Apple spent 2025 pushing the iPhone forward in multiple ways - some overdue, and some surprisingly forward-thinking. The iPhone 17 is the best base-model iPhone in years, the iPhone 17 Pro Max has begun its reign as the best iPhone and best camera phone , and the iPhone Air made waves as Apple’s first thin and light flagship and the first real challenger to the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge . What was most interesting about the iPhone 17 series was just how much Apple invested in upgrading the hardware. The iPhone 17 series is, somehow, the first line of Apple iPhones to all have a 1-120Hz variable refresh rate ProMotion display, years after 120Hz became the industry standard for Android phones, thanks to the base-model handset finally getting the upgrade four whole years after the Pro models. The iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max got a flashy new 48MP 4x telephoto camera, while the standard iPhone 17 inherited the iPhone 16 Pro ’s 48MP ultra-wide camera. Additionally, the entire iPhone 17 series received big battery upgrades, as well as a new 18MP Center Stage selfie camera. Nice work, Apple! As mentioned, this was all especially impactful for the standard iPhone 17, which now sports two high-resolution rear cameras, Apple’s cool new selfie camera, a 120Hz refresh rate panel, and a large enough battery to power through the day confidently (performance is still spectacular thanks to the A19 chipset, but this has been the case for a few generations now). In other words, after years of leaning on the smoothness and familiarity of iOS, the iPhone 17 has finally caught up to the general standard of the Samsung Galaxy S25 and Google Pixel 10 when it comes to hardware. Now, as discussed, Apple doesn’t really have a business imperative to keep up with Samsung and Google 's mobile hardware (beyond following the needs of the average user) - but I wouldn’t be doing my job if...

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