Apple iPhone 16 vs Apple iPhone 17
It's close. Buy Apple iPhone 16 if you want to spend less. Buy Apple iPhone 17 if you want better photos.
The short answer
- CameraApple iPhone 17. Takes the better photos: camera score 7 out of 10, against 6.
- BatteryIt's a tie
- SpeedIt's a tie
- UpdatesIt's a tie
- PriceApple iPhone 16. Costs 10% less.
Overall it's close, so pick the one that wins on what matters most to you.
Side by side
| Spec | Apple iPhone 16 | Apple iPhone 17 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ₹89,900 | ₹99,900 |
| Launched | 9 September 2024 | 9 September 2025 |
| Software now | iOS 27.0.1, launched with iOS 18 | iOS 27.0.1, launched with iOS 26 |
| Rating | 7.6/10 | 8.8/10 |
| Battery | Lasts a full day for most people (about 15 hours 42 minutes in GSMArena's test), but wired charging is slow. | Comfortably lasts a day for most people, and charges to half in about 20 minutes. |
| Camera | Reliable 48MP main and 12MP wide-angle cameras with great video; no zoom lens. | Reliable 48MP main and 48MP ultrawide cameras, plus a very good selfie camera; no zoom lens. |
| Speed | The A18 chip is still fast and smooth for everything. | Fast and smooth for everything, though it warms up in long games. |
| Catch | Only a 60Hz screen, 128GB base storage, and after Apple's ₹20,000 price rise the newer iPhone 17 costs only ₹10,000 more. | No telephoto zoom camera, slow USB 2.0 cable transfers, and it can get warm under heavy load. |
| Updates | 5 years | 5 years |
Full specifications (tap to open)
Every spec side by side
| Spec | Apple iPhone 16 | Apple iPhone 17 |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED (1179 x 2556), 60Hz, 2000 nits peak, HDR10, Dolby Vision, Ceramic Shield | 6.3-inch LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz ProMotion with Always-On, 1600 nits HBM, 3000 nits peak, Ceramic Shield 2 |
| Chipset | Apple A18 (3nm) | Apple A19 (3nm) |
| CPU | 6-core: 2x performance @ 4.04GHz + 4x efficiency @ 2.20GHz | 6-core: 2x performance @ 4.26GHz + 4x efficiency @ 2.60GHz |
| Graphics (GPU) | Apple 5-core GPU | Apple 5-core GPU |
| AI chip (NPU) | 16-core Neural Engine (TOPS not officially stated) | 16-core Neural Engine (TOPS not officially stated) |
| RAM and storage | 8GB RAM, 128GB (NVMe storage; RAM type not officially stated) | 8GB RAM, 256GB (NVMe storage; RAM type not officially stated) |
| Battery | 3561 mAh | 3692 mAh |
| Charging | Wired USB-C PD (50% in 30 min), 25W MagSafe/Qi2 wireless, 4.5W reverse wired | Wired USB-C PD (50% in about 20 min), 25W MagSafe/Qi2 wireless, 4.5W reverse wired |
| Cameras | 48MP Fusion main (f/1.6, 1/1.56", sensor-shift OIS) + 12MP ultrawide (f/2.2, 120 degrees, PDAF); 12MP front (f/1.9, PDAF) | 48MP Fusion main (f/1.6, 1/1.56", sensor-shift OIS) + 48MP ultrawide (f/2.2); 18MP Center Stage front (f/1.9) |
| Water and dust | IP68 (6m for 30 mins) | IP68 |
| Size and weight | 7.8mm thick, 170g | 8mm thick, 177g |
| Software | iOS 18 at launch, iOS 27.0.1 now | iOS 26 at launch, iOS 27.0.1 now |
| Updates | 5 years promised | 5 years promised |
| 5G | Yes | Yes |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, USB-C 2.0 with DisplayPort, satellite SOS | Wi-Fi 7 (Apple N1 chip), Bluetooth 6.0, USB-C 2.0 with DisplayPort, 2nd-gen UWB, satellite SOS |
| Modem | Qualcomm 5G modem (model not officially stated) | Qualcomm Snapdragon X80 5G modem (found in teardowns) |
| Speakers and haptics | Stereo speakers (rated Very good by GSMArena, -25.5 LUFS); haptics not detailed | Stereo speakers (quieter than iPhone 16 per GSMArena); haptics not officially detailed |
| Screen flicker (PWM) | Not officially stated | Not officially stated |
| Cooling | Not officially stated | No vapor chamber; GSMArena found it heats up and throttles under sustained load |
| Colours | Black, White, Pink, Teal, Ultramarine | Black, White, Mist Blue, Sage, Lavender |
Where to buy
- Apple iPhone 16₹89,900
- Apple iPhone 17₹99,900
Store links may earn Tuvvo a small commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes our rankings.
Waiting for a better price?See it here next time you open Tuvvo if any of these phones drops in price.
Common questions
- Which is better, Apple iPhone 16 or Apple iPhone 17?
- It's close. Buy Apple iPhone 16 if you want to spend less. Buy Apple iPhone 17 if you want better photos.
- Which has the better camera?
- Apple iPhone 17 takes the better photos.
- Which has the better battery life?
- They are about even on battery.
- Which is faster for gaming?
- They are about even on speed.
- How much do they cost?
- Apple iPhone 16 costs ₹89,900, Apple iPhone 17 costs ₹99,900.
- Which gets software updates for longer?
- Apple iPhone 16: 5 years, now on iOS 27.0.1. Apple iPhone 17: 5 years, now on iOS 27.0.1.