Should You Upgrade to The New iPhone 17 for Videos? Maybe Not!

The date was September 9, 2025, and the stage was once again set for Apple to showcase and release a new iPhone lineup with the ‘Awe Dropping’ event. And did it deliver! There was the updated iPhone 17, the radically redesigned iPhone Air, and the ever-more powerful iPhone 17 Pro. But as we all know, we are never really into the latest iPhones for power, are we? We know it, and Apple knows it. No wonder the Cupertino giant makes it a point to focus on camera and video improvements year after year, no matter what. And this year is no different; we have all the usual updates and upgrades we have come to expect from the Apple September Keynote.

Considering a pivot to videography with a new iPhone? Let’s find out and see how to go from video clips to impactful stories by bringing a powerful video editor into the mix, and whether you should upgrade to one of the new iPhone 17 models.

Part 1. The TL; DR Analysis - Video Improvements in iPhone 17

Each year, one of the most-awaited highlights of the Apple keynote is camera and video improvements in the new lineup. What does Apple have in store for users with iPhone 17 lineup? Let’s see.

1.1. Camera Hardware Improvements

It isn’t always just software wizardry that drives photo and video quality forward, when it comes to Apple. Sometimes the company brings in more than one gun to the fight, and this is true of the new iPhone 17 lineup that has received some serious improvements when it comes to actual hardware.

More Megapixels

Historically, Apple has not fought the camera wars in megapixel terms, choosing instead to outclass its rivals through software wizardry, ostensibly to save some dollars and cents here and there. However, this year, the flagship Pro models come with 48MP main, ultrawide and telephoto lenses while the front-facing camera has received a modest upgrade to 18MP instead of the current 12MP. The design of the front camera is now squarish.

To Zoom or Not to Zoom

All iPhone 17 models come with all 48MP rear cameras. iPhone 17 does 2x optical zoom, iPhone Air does 2x optical zoom, and the iPhone 17 Pro goes all the way up to 8x optical zoom. The digital zoom is touted to be far more, but one thing to note here is that optical zoom is always far less than digital zoom, and between the two, the former is better. So, always go with how much optical zoom capability a camera system offers.

1.2 Camera Software Features

Apple might be leaving no stone unturned in trying to woo users to buy or upgrade to the newest iPhone 17 models when you see what this year’s models bring. This year the improvements are not limited to hardware; Apple is making the iPhone 17 models the best at taking videos through the following software features.

Centre Stage for Photos

The all-new 18MP square sensor on the front brings Centre Stage for Photos. It also lets you rotate and zoom, and a useful addition – everyone in the group shot is automatically included.

Dual Video Capture

It was widely expected that the Pro series will be able to shoot video using both front and back cameras simultaneously. Dual Capture Video on all iPhone 17 models – the 17, Air and the 17 Pro series - does just that. This is huge and would be game-changing for vloggers and videographers who create content for social media consumption!

1.3 Camera and Video Improvements by Model

Let’s see what each model is set to receive this year.

iPhone 17

• 18MP front camera.
• All 48MP rear camera system.
• 6.3-inch Super Retina XDR ProMotion display with 120Hz refresh rate.
• Similar vertical arrangement on the back as the iPhone 16 models.

iPhone Air

• 18MP front camera.
• 6.5-inch Super Retina XDR ProMotion display with 120Hz refresh rate.
• Redesigned camera bar on the back.
• Ultra-thin 5.6mm design.
• A19 Pro chipset.

iPhone 17 Pro, Pro Max

• 18MP front camera.
• 48MP main, ultrawide and telephoto lenses.
• 8x optical zoom.
• Redesigned camera bar on the back.
• A19 Pro chipset.
• 6.3-inch (Pro) and 6.9-inch (Pro Max) Super Retina XDR ProMotion display with 120Hz refresh rate.

1.4 Other Improvements

Battery Life

The iPhone Air, being thinner, boasts of a significantly toned-down battery, whereas the Pro Max, being the largest iPhone, gets the largest iPhone battery ever. Apple does not release battery figures, but it does release battery life estimates. iPhone Air is said to last up to 27 hours during video playback, the iPhone 17 up to 30, the 17 Pro up to 33 hours, and the 17 Pro Max, the longest at up to 39 hours.

Charging

Apple has brought faster wired charging to the iPhone 17 models by way of a new 40W adapter that charges the iPhone 17 models to 50% in 20 minutes and the Air to 50% in 30 minutes.

Display

Always-on Display finally comes to models other than the Pro, making AoD available on the entire iPhone 17 lineup. All iPhone 17 models now come with ProMotion and 120Hz display.

Chipset, RAM, and Performance

The Pro line is receiving the A19 Pro chip, and so is the Air. A vapor chamber has been introduced to cool the 17 Pro models better and improve performance. Apple introduced its in-house C1 modem with iPhone 16e, and introduced a C1X modem for the Air, alongwith an N1 communications chip, again exclusive to the Air. It stands to reason that the Pro models would receive an even better version next year, and Apple would reduce its dependence on Qualcomm chips to zero in the near future.

1.5 iOS 26

Back in June 2025, Apple revealed what was supposed to be iOS 19, and called it iOS 26. In fact, all Apple OS numbers are now streamlined into one forward-looking number. News sites have gone gaga over the forward-looking nature of the name, and you wouldn’t hear this anywhere else, but this writer thinks that the forward-looking name was approved in part because the highlight features that are revealed in June of one year are somehow only delivered sometime in the next, just as a new number upgrade is about to be unveiled. It's been happening for some years now, and maybe renaming the OS to a forward-looking number might be Apple’s way of trying to subtly guide people’s expectations. Whatever be Apple’s real reason for the change, at the end of the day it is just a number.

Liquid Glass

Liquid Glass is the highlight of the season this year; and that is also featured prominently in the interactive Apple logo as featured on the Apple website, marking the event date (September 9. 2025) when new iPhones are to be launched. There are new animations, refreshed ringtones, and a system-wide refresh that feels familiar yet new enough to keep things exciting. All Apple operating systems are getting the Liquid Glass treatment.

Photos App

The Photos app is at the heart of the iPhone experience and has received a significant refresh that makes interacting with your photos even better. If you abhorred what Apple did to Photos app with iOS 18, you’ll find things are a little like before when you upgrade to iOS 26.

Messages and Phone

The Messages app has received love, but the Phone app has received drastic changes in line with the Liquid Glass design and treatment. Your favorites can be pinned at the top now in Phone, with tiles that really showcase the photos if associated. There’s also a new Unified view. The Messages app allows users to have new dynamic backgrounds as well as custom backgrounds, and there is a new Polls feature that is sure to be helpful in groups.

Games App

There is a new Games app as well, dedicated to better your gaming experience. You can manage your games library, play with friends and family, and find new games, all in one place.

We could talk on and on about the changes, but let’s come back to point. With the new changes to camera in the iPhone 17, how can you make your videos better and how can you connect with your audience and make your videos resonate?

Part 2. The Workflow Guide – from Shot on iPhone to Edited in Filmora

If there is one thing you should know, it is that cameras shoot video, not stories. Stories are made by man, and how is that? By using a video editor. Let’s see how you can go from shooting videos on the iPhone to telling stories and making viral videos on Instagram and other social media. What does an editing workflow look like?

1. Transferring videos shot on iPhone from iPhone to computer.
2. Editing the videos and turning them into narratives and stories.
3. Sharing with friends, family, and the world!

2.1. Transferring Large Videos from iPhone

When shooting 4K, your iPhone already creates large-size videos. With the new iPhone 17, you will likely be able to shoot 8K videos, which means that file sizes are only going to increase. Did you know you can import your videos from iPhone into Filmora directly?

Filmora presents a one-click import option from several sources directly into Filmora, including from your phone. Here’s what the import options look like:

2.2. Editing Videos with Filmora

Wondershare Filmora is the perfect complement to your iPhone. Whether you have an older iPhone or the latest iPhone 17, Filmora video editor is all you need to make some magic and do justice to the high-quality video clips shot on your iPhone. Filmora is built with professional video editing in mind, so you will find tools that professional videographers will appreciate. Here are some features of Filmora you are bound to love.

HDR Color Space Support

Filmora works with HDR footage easily, supporting both import and export in HDR. Since your iPhone produces video in a lot of formats with support for HDR, you might need to select the appropriate HDR value in your editing software. To set the desired HDR color space:

Step1Go to File > Project Settings and click Color Space to see the options and set desired HDR color space.

LUT Support

LUTs are a powerful way professionals create consistent color throughout the video. Filmora makes it easy to use and apply LUTs.

Step1Simply click Effects in the Media panel or right-click the video clip in the timeline and select Edit Properties. Then, select the LUT option. There are several built-in LUTs you can use or import and upload your own.

GPU Acceleration for Blazing 4K/8K Performance

Filmora is optimized for the modern video editing requirements of professionals. To satisfy even the most demanding users, Filmora supports GPU acceleration to ensure blistering performance even when dealing with 4K/8K files. To enable GPU acceleration:

Step1Go to File > Preferences > Performance tab.

Step2Tick ‘Enable hardware acceleration for video rendering’. Once you do that, also tick ‘Enable hardware acceleration for video decoding’.

Other Notable Features

Filmora is full of features fit for both casual users/prosumers looking to create fun videos and up their social media game, and for professional users who want an easy-to-use tool to create videos with professional-grade effects.

AI tools such as Smart Cutout, Short Clips, Video Object Remover, Audio Denoise, Vocal Remover come in handy to tell your story the way you want too, whereas ones like Speech-to-Text and Social Content Planner save time for everyone.

Filmora comes with other professional tools like Keyframing, Video Stabilization, Lens Correction, Planar Tracking, Audio Ducking and Audio Syncing that demanding users will appreciate. On the other hand, those looking for a modern video editor for casual use will appreciate its vast asset library to choose from over 2 million effects, audio, transitions, templates, filters, and plugins to create a unique, stunning video that catapults you into the next social media sensation!

2.3. Sharing Your Story with The World

And now it is time to share the story you created in Filmora with the world! Filmora makes it easy to upload your content to social media directly, and you can even download your content to your devices and share with friends and family just as easily! Filmora features several ways to export your video, including ways to directly upload to social media:

AI Thumbnail Generator

At this point, you know how invaluable Filmora is to your video creation process. It saves time and is full of features that are relevant and useful to the modern video creation workflow for several purposes. One such feature is AI Thumbnail Generator that allows you to create attractive, eye-catching thumbnails for your video with the power of AI.

Step1In the export options (pictured above) click Edit to enter Thumbnail Generator.

Step2Select a thumbnail and click Edit again to select from a range of AI templates.

Step3Click Save and in the next window click Export to create the thumbnail.

Part 3. The Everlasting Question - Should You Upgrade?

Now for the burning question on everyone’s minds, year after year – should you upgrade?

3.1. Reasons to Upgrade

These are the features that would make not upgrading really hard!

• 48MP cameras all around.
• New 18MP front camera.
• Dual capture video recording.
• Much faster system performance.
• Much improved Apple Intelligence performance.
• If you prefer a thinner design, the iPhone Air is the thinnest in the market today!
• If you have a need for any of the new features in the models released.

3.2. Reasons Not to Upgrade

These are reasons why you do not really need to open your wallet just yet!

• If you have an iPhone 15 Pro or above, the models are not that big of an upgrade.
• If you shoot videos casually and infrequently, the newer photography-specific features are of little value to you.
• There’s always next year when you really need the upgrade!

Conclusion

The iPhone 17 lineup is one of the most ambitious ever – that much is beyond doubt. The Pro line features a first for iPhone – vapor chamber cooling. The rear cameras are 48MP on all models. The front camera is bumped to 18MP and supports dual capture video enabling new use cases for videographers. There is 8x optical zoom on the Pro series. All that sounds great and iPhone 17 is certainly the device you need if you are into serious videography and make money from it. Also, you need a video editor that can do justice to the videos shot on iPhone 17. We recommend Wondershare Filmora for its legendary ease of use, its rich asset library, its relevant and powerful AI tools, and for its pro-grade features designed to satisfy even the most demanding users. It really is the ultimate iPhone 17 companion if you shoot videos! Download today and take your iPhone 17 videos to the next level!