I love my iPhone 12. It might not boast the most powerful chip or the best cameras in 2025, but it's still pretty advanced – or at the very least, dependable – as far as phone technology goes.
It was the first phone I owned with MagSafe, which has been a charging game-changer and enabled me to utilize camera continuity mounts. I'm also super grateful for its durable ceramic display shield, because I drop my phone, on average, at least once per day.
I get that the iPhone 12 is now five years old, but there's been little in subsequent iPhone releases to tempt me into an upgrade. My processor is more than capable of dealing with everything I throw at it, and the dual 12MP camera system captures family pics in great detail and quality. I’ve not felt lured by software improvements, notch changes, or USB-C charging.
I will admit, though, that with each new iPhone release, the temptation to upgrade grows stronger – and I'm now thinking that the iPhone 17 could be the phone to do tip me over the edge. I’ve been keeping a keen eye on release rumors, and if Apple were to introduce the following features and hardware improvements, then I’ll definitely be raiding my piggy bank.
120Hz refresh rate
My iPhone 12 has a static 60Hz refresh rate. This has been fine most of the time, but where I’ve begun to really notice its limitations is when playing fast-paced games. I could have upgraded to any Pro or Pro Max model since the iPhone 13 Pro to gain access to Apple's ProMotion technology, but I’ve never felt like that feature alone is worth the price premium.
That’s why I was incredibly happy to read widespread rumors that the standard iPhone 17 could finally feature a 120Hz display. The higher the refresh rate, the smoother a phone display feels, and so a 120Hz screen would make a noticeable difference to the experience of scrolling, swiping, and gaming on this year's model.
The iPhone 17's display could well be brighter, too. I wouldn’t see this as a reason to upgrade, but it would certainly be nice to have if the upgrade investment was on the cards anyway.
Vastly improved Wi-Fi support
The iPhone 17 is expected to utilize Apple’s own Wi-Fi 7 chips as the company finally makes the shift away from third-party manufacturers.
This change is likely to lead to better integration and efficiency with the iPhone's hardware and software. As my work requires a rock-solid connection, the promise of faster speeds, lower latency, and more reliable connections has me thinking that it might be time to invest in this year's new model.
Wi-Fi 7 serves up 46 Gbps compared to 9.6 Gbps with Wi-Fi 6. Improved reliability comes in the form of wider 320 MHz channels, Multi-Link Operation (MLO), and advanced MU-MIMO for better interference handling.
These are geeky numbers and features, but they're set to deliver tangible improvements to the experience of using an iPhone, and I want in.
Superior AI performance
2025 is not going to be the year that we see Siri becoming the digital companion Apple promised it would be back in 2024. With Samsung and Google already pushing the boundaries of AI on smartphones, Apple is in danger of falling out of the race completely, especially after the announcement that Siri’s AI improvements won’t appear until 2026.
All of these delays are frustrating, but it doesn’t mean you can’t get yourself hardware-ready so that you’re all set when Apple's complete AI package does finally come along.
For me to do that, though, it’s looking likely that I’ll need to make the even bigger jump, not from the iPhone 12 to the iPhone 17 but to the iPhone 17 Pro. Of course, I'll need to weigh up the cost implications of this decision, but I know I really want to be ready to experience the full force of Apple Intelligence when it lands.
Thankfully, there’s a strong chance that the iPhone 17 Pro will feature a new A19 chip, which is expected to be built on a more advanced 3nm process. My A14 Bionic chip isn’t bad for everyday tasks, but it can't deliver the CPU, GPU, and Neural Engine performance that AI requires.
This new A19 chip is believed to include a Neural Engine designed to handle heavier on-device AI workloads, which is essential for supporting Apple Intelligence features. The iPhone 17 Pro will also likely include more RAM, maybe up to 12GB, which would be a major improvement on the iPhone 16 series. This upgrade would enhance the phone's ability to handle multitasking and new AI features in iOS 26.
Will these upgrades come to fruition?
With all of the disappointment and delays surrounding Apple Intelligence, I suspect that Apple wants to smash it out of the park with the iPhone 17 lineup.
As an iPhone 12 user, I’m torn between a potential upgrade to the iPhone 17 Pro versus waiting for the iPhone 18. By that point, Apple should have realized its already announced AI plans, and the 18th iteration of the company's flagship phone will be perfectly set up for these new features.
In reality, this is all hearsay. I’ll be keeping a close eye on TechRadar for the latest iPhone 17 coverage when it lands on September 9 – only then will I know whether it's time to say goodbye to my trusty iPhone 12.
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