Apple’s iPhone 17 unveiling is only days away, and rumors for the iPhone 17 Pro Max indicate it could deliver in nearly every way that recently surveyed users say they want most.
New survey reveals what matters most to users buying a phone
CNET today published a new survey of smartphone owners detailing what matters most to them in making an upgrade decision.
Out of over 2,000 adults surveyed in the US, the top five upgrade motivators were:
- Price: 62%
- Longer battery life: 54%
- More storage: 39%
- Camera features: 30%
- Display/screen size: 24%
Also noteworthy from the survey: only 11% of respondents named AI as important to them, and just 7% mentioned wanting a thinner phone.
What does this mean for Apple’s iPhone 17 lineup?
Probably that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will easily be Apple’s top seller.
iPhone 17 Pro Max has an advantage in nearly every area that motivates upgrades
Out of the top five upgrade motivators from the survey, Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro Max is expected to deliver in just about every category.
In price, Apple is now expected to keep the iPhone 17 Pro Max the same price as its predecessor.
Despite widespread expectations for price increases, spurred by tariffs and inflation, the latest analyst reporting predicts iPhone 17 Pro Max will cost just $1,199—exactly the same as iPhone 16 Pro Max.
It’s not cheap, but in the current economy, price consistency is an advantage. Plus, with the smaller iPhone 17 Pro expected to go up in price, Pro Max holding steady will seem like an even better deal.
Longer battery life is another area the new Pro Max will deliver.
Apple is reportedly making iPhone 17 Pro Max thicker than ever to pack the largest iPhone battery yet.
Storage tiers for the Pro Max are currently unknown, but we are expecting the smaller iPhone 17 Pro to have a storage tier shakeup. It’s very possible, then, that Apple’s Pro Max could get revised storage tiers too.
Cameras will be a big strength of this year’s Pro Max, with a brand new 24MP selfie camera and 48MP telephoto which could enable up to 8x optical zoom.
Finally, iPhone 17 Pro Max will continue to offer the biggest iPhone screen size at 6.9 inches. And this year, it’s rumored to include new anti-reflective technology too.
Overall, while the ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air will likely get a lot of attention from users, based on this survey at least, the iPhone 17 Pro Max is all but guaranteed to be Apple’s most popular new model.
How do your upgrade priorities differ or relate to those outlined in the survey? Let us know in the comments.
Best iPhone accessories
- AirPods Pro 2 (now only $199, down from $249)
- MagSafe Car Mount for iPhone
- HomeKit smart plug 4-pack
- 10-year AirTag battery case 2-pack
- 100W USB-C fast charging power adapter
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