Three generations of Apple's standard iPhone are still widely sold new, refurbished and second-hand. The iPhone 15, 16 and 17 look similar, but the specification pages show where Apple actually changed things: display, ultra-wide camera, front camera, wireless and battery claims.
This comparison uses Apple's per-model specification pages, re-read on 2026-11-02. It corrects two errors in v2.0.0, which had listed USB 3 and 4K at 120 fps for the iPhone 17. All three phones use USB 2 and record 4K Dolby Vision up to 60 fps.
Key differences at a glance
- Display: 6.1-inch OLED on the 15 and 16; 6.3-inch with ProMotion up to 120 Hz and Always-On on the 17.
- Cameras: the 17 adds a 48MP ultra wide and an 18MP Center Stage front camera; the 15 and 16 have 12MP ultra-wide and 12MP front cameras.
- Unchanged across all three: USB-C at USB 2 speed and 4K Dolby Vision recording up to 60 fps.
- Wireless: Wi-Fi 6 on the 15, Wi-Fi 7 on the 16 and 17; Bluetooth 6 only on the 17.
- Battery claims: up to 20, 22 and 30 hours of video playback.
Specification comparison
| Feature | iPhone 15 | iPhone 16 | iPhone 17 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.1-inch OLED | 6.1-inch OLED | 6.3-inch OLED; ProMotion up to 120 Hz; Always-On |
| Chip | A16 Bionic | A18 | A19 |
| Main / ultra wide camera | 48MP main / 12MP ultra wide | 48MP Fusion / 12MP ultra wide | 48MP Fusion / 48MP Fusion ultra wide |
| Front camera | 12MP TrueDepth | 12MP TrueDepth | 18MP Center Stage |
| Video recording | 4K Dolby Vision up to 60 fps | 4K Dolby Vision up to 60 fps | 4K Dolby Vision up to 60 fps |
| Video playback (Apple claim) | Up to 20 hours | Up to 22 hours | Up to 30 hours |
| Port | USB-C, USB 2 (up to 480 Mb/s) | USB-C, USB 2 (up to 480 Mb/s) | USB-C, USB 2 (up to 480 Mb/s) |
| Wireless charging | MagSafe up to 15W | MagSafe up to 25W | MagSafe and Qi2 up to 25W |
| Storage | 128 / 256 / 512GB | 128 / 256 / 512GB | 256 / 512GB |
| Wi-Fi / Bluetooth | Wi-Fi 6 / Bluetooth 5.3 | Wi-Fi 7 / Bluetooth 5.3 | Wi-Fi 7 / Bluetooth 6 |
| Front glass | Ceramic Shield | Ceramic Shield | Ceramic Shield 2 |
| Water resistance | IP68 (6 m, 30 min) | IP68 (6 m, 30 min) | IP68 (6 m, 30 min) |
| Weight | 171 g | 170 g | 177 g |
Shaded cells mean the cited sources did not state the value. We do not fill gaps from memory.
Display and design
The iPhone 17 is the first standard model in this group with ProMotion, Apple's adaptive refresh up to 120 Hz, plus an Always-On display. A higher refresh rate makes scrolling and animations look smoother; adaptive refresh lets the panel slow down to save power when content is static. The 17 also grows from 6.1 to 6.3 inches and Apple lists up to 3,000 nits outdoors. The weight difference is small: 171, 170 and 177 grams.
Chips and everyday performance
Apple lists the A16 Bionic, A18 and A19. We do not quote benchmarks, but newer chips generally add headroom for photo processing, games and on-device features, and they tend to receive software updates for longer. Apple's per-model tables used here do not cover Apple Intelligence availability, so check Apple's current feature page if those features matter to you.
Cameras and video
All three have a 48MP main camera. The 17 replaces the 12MP ultra wide with a 48MP Fusion ultra wide, which matters for landscapes, interiors and macro-style shots taken with the ultra-wide lens. Its 18MP Center Stage front camera is a substantial upgrade for video calls and selfies. Video recording is listed as 4K Dolby Vision up to 60 fps on all three, so video capability is not a reason to upgrade on its own.
Charging, wireless and storage
MagSafe rises from 15W on the iPhone 15 to 25W on the 16 and 17, and the 17 adds Qi2 at up to 25W. The port is USB-C with USB 2 speed (up to 480 Mb/s) on all three, which makes cable transfers of large video files slow; many users rely on wireless or cloud transfer instead. Storage starts at 128GB on the 15 and 16 and at 256GB on the 17, which narrows the real price gap if you would otherwise buy the 256GB tier.
Strengths and limitations
iPhone 15
Strengths
- Lowest weight class among the three and 128GB entry storage.
- Mature and usually the cheapest of the three on the used market (price not verified).
Limitations
- Oldest chip; USB 2; no Apple Intelligence listed; no Camera Control.
- Slowest MagSafe rating listed.
iPhone 16
Strengths
- Adds Action button, Camera Control and Apple Intelligence over the 15.
- Same 128GB entry storage as the 15.
Limitations
- USB 2 speeds; 12MP ultra wide; shorter listed playback than the 17.
iPhone 17
Strengths
- Largest display, 48MP ultra wide, 18MP front camera, longest listed video playback and USB 3 speeds.
- 4K up to 120 fps on the main camera.
Limitations
- Base storage starts at 256GB; slightly heavier; the page does not confirm ProMotion on the base 17.
Pricing not verified
Apple's page did not render prices. Check apple.com or a retailer.
Which should you choose?
- Cheapest workable option: iPhone 15 or 16 — older hardware; check current prices
- Best camera and battery on the base line: iPhone 17 — 48MP ultra wide, 18MP front, 30-hour playback listed
Our verdict
The iPhone 17 is the clear step up in this trio on Apple's own figures: a larger 120 Hz ProMotion display with Always-On, a 48MP ultra wide, an 18MP Center Stage front camera, Bluetooth 6 and a 30-hour video playback claim. It does not change the USB 2 port or the 4K 60 fps recording ceiling.
Between the iPhone 15 and 16, the differences are the A18 chip, faster MagSafe (25W against 15W) and Wi-Fi 7. Choose an older model only when the price gap is large enough to outweigh the 17's display and camera upgrades.
Frequently asked questions
Does the iPhone 17 have USB 3?
No. Apple's iPhone 17 specification page lists USB-C with USB 2 transfer speeds of up to 480 Mb/s. The v2.0.0 version of this page was wrong on that point and has been corrected.
Can the iPhone 17 record 4K at 120 fps?
Apple's iPhone 17 specification page lists 4K Dolby Vision at up to 60 fps, the same as the iPhone 15 and 16.
Is the iPhone 16 worth buying over the iPhone 15?
The cited differences are the A18 chip, 25W MagSafe and Wi-Fi 7. If those do not matter to you and the 15 is clearly cheaper, the cameras and display are the same size and resolution class.
Which has the best battery life?
Apple claims up to 30 hours of video playback for the iPhone 17, against 22 for the 16 and 20 for the 15. These are Apple's test figures, not our measurements.
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How this was checked
Specifications compiled on 2026-11-02 from the sources below. The cited sources were re-opened and the key table values re-checked on 2026-11-02.
All three Apple specification pages re-read on 2026-11-02; table rebuilt from them.
Disclosure: AYORAHUB did not hands-on test these products or services. Nothing on this page is a lab measurement, benchmark or review score; analysis explains what the cited specifications mean in practice.
- Corrected in v2.1.0: the v2.0.0 table, read from Apple's unlabeled compare page, listed USB 3 and 4K at 120 fps for the iPhone 17. Apple's per-model specification pages (re-read 2026-11-02) state USB 2 and 4K Dolby Vision up to 60 fps for all three models.
- Apple Intelligence availability is not part of the per-model specification tables used here and is not compared.
- Battery figures are Apple's video-playback claims, not measurements.
Sources
- iPhone 17 – Technical Specifications — Apple (manufacturer/official)
- iPhone 16 – Tech Specs — Apple Support (manufacturer/official)
- iPhone 15 – Tech Specs — Apple Support (manufacturer/official)