Apple has unveiled the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, featuring a redesigned aluminium unibody, new A19 Pro chip, upgraded camera systems and improved durability. The devices will be available in Singapore from Sep 19, with pre-orders starting Sep 12.

The company described the iPhone 17 Pro series as its “most powerful” models to date, with a new internal architecture designed to improve thermal performance and battery life. Prices start at S$1,749 for the iPhone 17 Pro and S$1,899 for the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

A19 Pro chip and vapour chamber cooling

Both models are powered by the A19 Pro processor, which Apple says delivers up to 40 per cent better sustained performance compared with last year’s iPhone 16 Pro. A new vapour chamber cooling system, integrated into the aluminium frame, is designed to keep the phone cool during intensive tasks such as gaming and video editing.

The iPhone 17 Pro Max offers Apple’s “best-ever battery life”, while both devices support 50 per cent charging in 20 minutes with Apple’s new 40W Dynamic Power Adapter, sold separately.

New camera system with 8x optical zoom

The iPhone 17 Pro series features three 48MP rear cameras — wide, ultra-wide, and a new telephoto lens — offering the equivalent of eight focal lengths. The telephoto camera supports up to 8x optical zoom at 200mm, the longest yet on an iPhone.

On the front, Apple has introduced a new 18MP Centre Stage camera with a wider field of view, designed for selfies, video recording and calls. It can automatically adjust framing during group shots and video calls.

Video capabilities have also been expanded, with support for ProRes RAW, Apple Log 2 and genlock, a professional video synchronisation technology.

Display and durability upgrades

The Super Retina XDR display is available in 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch sizes, offering peak outdoor brightness of 3,000 nits. Both models are protected by Ceramic Shield 2, which Apple claims offers three times better scratch resistance than before. For the first time, Ceramic Shield also covers the back of the device.

iOS 26 and Apple Intelligence

The iPhone 17 Pro lineup ships with iOS 26, which introduces Apple Intelligence — the company’s suite of AI features. Functions include live text and audio translation, on-device AI for privacy-preserving tasks, and new productivity tools across apps such as Messages, Maps and Wallet.

Availability in Singapore

The iPhone 17 Pro comes in deep blue, cosmic orange and silver, with storage options starting at 256GB. The Pro Max model is also available with a new 2TB option.

Pre-orders open at 5am PDT (8pm Singapore time) on Sep 12, with sales beginning Sep 19 across more than 60 countries, including Singapore, Malaysia, Japan and the United States. A wider rollout to 22 more regions will follow on Sep 26.

Apple continues to position the Pro series as its flagship devices aimed at power users and content creators. The launch underscores growing competition in premium smartphones, particularly in Asia where rivals Samsung and Huawei have also recently introduced high-end devices.