9 Months With the iPhone 17 Pro: What I Got Wrong (And What I’d Do Differently)

I have had the iPhone 17 Pro since it was released and did my first review of this device two months in — my first impressions, what I liked off the bat.

It’s now been nine months since I bought the iPhone 17 Pro, and I want to share where my views have changed since that first review seven months ago. This is not me going over the same points as my first review of this phone — this is me giving my honest thoughts on what’s changed since then, now that the new phone feeling has well and truly passed.

So let’s dive straight in!

The Honest Bits

Okay, so I’m going to start this off with two things I certainly wasn’t thinking about when I sat down to write my two-month review.

First up, my colour choice regret. I followed the crowd and ordered the Cosmic Orange, and at the start, I really liked it and was happy with my decision. Now, nine months down the line, I’m regretting that choice and wishing I’d gone with the silver or blue instead.

Secondly — and this one’s the real truth of the matter — my brain is trying to make a sensible choice by saying you really don’t need to upgrade. But no, that’s when FOMO comes flying in and has other ideas.

What’s Changed Since My 2-Month Review

Not a lot has really changed since I started using the phone. The battery life is still really good and sees me through the day easily, and my battery health is still showing 100% nine months in. To be honest, for the cost of these phones, I’d expect nothing less.

In terms of software, I decided to download the iOS 27 beta, and it’s handled it well — battery life has stayed great, and I’ve started using some of the Siri features that are exclusive to the Pro models. That’s really just a bonus of going with the Pro model, not something I bought it for in the first place.

The phone itself has held up really well. I do tend to have a case on but occasionally rock it without one, and I haven’t noticed any scratches or dents on the aluminium casing at all. I also made what some would call a foolish decision not to bother with a screen protector, and that decision hasn’t actually gone too badly. There are no big scratches on the screen, only a couple of micro-scratches you really have to look for — so it’s certainly lived up to the claim of a more durable screen.

Price-wise, if you’re buying through Apple, the price is the same as at launch (at the moment), but if you look on Amazon, you might find it a bit cheaper, though not by a massive amount.

For me, the real change is more about how I think about the phone and how I use it — and whether it was really worth the money. Take the camera, for instance: I use it, but no differently to how I used it on older versions.

Would I Pick the Same Colour Again?

So let’s be honest — no.

When it launched, I was excited to get the Cosmic Orange because it was different to any other Pro colour that Apple had released before. Everyone seemed to be getting it, and that’s where my friend FOMO comes in again. Now I don’t hate the colour, and to be honest, it’s really difficult to put my finger on the exact reason why I wouldn’t get it again — I just well wouldn’t.

If I were looking to get this phone again, I would go for the silver or blue, most likely silver, because it looks great and generally these colours age pretty well. They also blend in rather than shouting at people, “Look at me, I am the 17 Pro.”

Was It Worth Upgrading To?

As someone coming from the iPhone 16 Pro, I would honestly say no.

I have been using this phone for nine months now, and I genuinely am struggling to pick out something I’ve done on the 17 Pro that I couldn’t on the 16 Pro, or if I’m really honest, the base model. I use it the same way for videos and photos, all the same apps, nothing different in my day-to-day use.

So once again, FOMO got the better of me on this one. Really, there was no compelling reason for me to upgrade — I just wanted to, and it got the better of me, and will likely do again lol.

All that being said, this is my take coming from an iPhone 16 Pro, but if you’re sitting there with an older model like the 13 or 14 Pro, the answer would likely be yes. Jumping three or four generations, you’ll see more than just incremental changes that would make it worth the investment. What I’d say is: go and have a look at the features and compare them with your current model, and see if there are things it does that you really think make a difference. If not, and your phone is still working well, then don’t upgrade.

Did I Actually Use the New Features?

Not really — I may have tried them at the start, but never really continued with them.

The addition of the 8x optical zoom was talked about a lot and is a nice to have, but honestly, I still take photos the same way as before. I don’t go out of my way to use it because I don’t tend to need to. This is the same for video — I’m still shooting standard video and the original Apple Log, not the new version that came with this phone.

Then there’s the vapour chamber, a great feature for those who really max out their phones. For me, I haven’t noticed a difference — my 16 Pro never really got hot, so it’s not really something I’ve actively noticed, especially as I’m not someone who games.

Beyond that, I’m genuinely struggling to remember what else was supposed to be new, which probably tells its own story.

Has It Changed My Mind on Yearly Upgrades?

In theory, yes 🙂

Everything I’ve talked about in this post leads to one conclusion: no, you don’t need to upgrade every year. The battery is fine, and it still works as well as it did on day one. I haven’t found a new feature I couldn’t live without, or one that’s changed how I use my phone — and that’s likely to be the same with the next iteration.

But will the logical side of my brain win out when September comes around? I’d really like to say yes, but honestly, my friend FOMO is likely going to get the better of me.

The good news is, that means I get to review it for you lovely people — and then you can make the call yourself on whether it’s worth the upgrade.

Final Thoughts

Nine months on, would I buy this again?

Yes, I would — but only if I was coming from an older model, because you’d see a proper upgrade in hardware, speed, and features. Coming from the 16 Pro, the only real difference for me was the change to a camera plateau and the new colour. So really, the only reason I upgraded was the FOMO that talked me into it.

That’s really the whole post in one line: this is a genuinely good phone. It’s just not always a genuinely necessary one. Whether that gap matters to you probably depends on which side of that upgrade cycle you’re standing on when September rolls around.

I’ll be back with my take on the 18 Pro when it lands — you can decide for yourself, from the other side of my mistakes, whether it’s worth jumping in.

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