Apple event 2025: Four key upgrades the iPhone 17 needs to beat the Samsung Galaxy S25

Apple has confirmed that its annual September showcase will take place on 9 September, with the spotlight almost certain to fall on the iPhone 17 line-up. This year’s roster is expected to include the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max, with the Air model tipped to replace the outgoing Plus variant.

While the standard iPhone 17 may be the quietest of the bunch in terms of upgrades, competition is fiercer than ever. Samsung’s Galaxy S25, widely regarded as a step ahead of the iPhone 16 in hardware and features, will be the main rival until the Galaxy S26 arrives. According to a Techradar report, here are four ways iPhone 17 can catch up with the Samsung Galaxy S25.

A higher refresh rate display
One of the most glaring omissions in Apple’s base models remains the lack of a 120Hz screen. With Samsung offering high-refresh OLED panels across its flagship range since 2020, a 60Hz display in 2025 feels outdated. If Apple wants the iPhone 17 to be considered good value, ProMotion needs to make its way beyond the Pro tier.

A telephoto camera for all
Apple has long kept optically zoomed lenses exclusive to its Pro models, while Samsung has fitted its standard Galaxy S series with a telephoto camera since 2019. With mobile photography now a major selling point, the addition of optical zoom on the iPhone 17 would feel both overdue and logical, especially as Apple refines camera-focused features like the capacitive shutter button.

More memory for multitasking and AI
Samsung equips the Galaxy S25 with 12GB of RAM, compared to 8GB in the iPhone 16. While Apple’s software efficiency goes some way towards closing the gap, the growing demands of multitasking and artificial intelligence make a stronger case for more physical memory. Apple’s AI initiative, Apple Intelligence, is still finding its footing, and additional RAM could give it more room to evolve.

A speedier chipset
Performance has never been Apple’s weakness, but Samsung’s Galaxy S25 has raised the bar with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy. The iPhone 17 is expected to debut with the new A19 chip, though Apple traditionally reserves its most powerful “Pro” variant for the higher-end models. Even so, a meaningful jump from the A18 would help Apple keep pace with its Android rival.

Apple has surprised sceptics before with unexpected innovations, and the 9 September event could yet deliver more than incremental upgrades. But with Samsung setting the standard in displays, cameras, memory and raw power, the iPhone 17 must prove it can compete head-to-head in 2025.