The launch of a new iPhone is easily one of the highlights of the tech calendar. There's no denying how important Apple's smartphones have been throughout the years, and the release of a brand new model is an event all in itself. But while the iPhone 17 family might be the most advanced iPhones Apple has made, I'm not so sure that they're worthy of being named the greatest iPhones. I suspect some of you will agree.
Think about that for a second. iPhone 17 Pro Max may have the best specs, but does it have the same wow factor as some of the older iPhones had? Does it conjure up the same level of excitement you felt when you first used Touch ID on the iPhone 5s? Or the experienced the iPhone X's edge-to-edge OLED display?
Notable iPhones Through the Years
- iPhone (2007): The original, introducing multi-touch and adding full browser and iPod into a phone
- iPhone 3G (2008): Adding faster 3G data speeds and third-party apps via the App Store
- iPhone 4 (2010): Debut of the flat back and edged design, alongside an LED flash and HD video capture
- iPhone 4S (2011): First iPhone with Siri, iCloud and iMessage
- iPhone 5 (2012): The first iPhone with a Lightning port and FaceTime
- iPhone 5s (2013): Debut of Touch ID
- iPhone 6 & 6 Plus (2014): Debut of Apple Pay, and the first iPhone with a Plus-sized variant
- iPhone 6s (2015): Debut of 3D Touch and 4K video capture, the longest running iPhone with 7 years of iOS support
- iPhone 7 (2016): First iPhone with dual cameras, IP water resistance and haptic feedback. Also the first model without a headphone jack
- iPhone 8 (2017): Debut of wireless charging, glass back panel and the True Tone display
- iPhone X (2017): The first full-screen iPhone, alongside an OLED display and the launch of Face ID
- iPhone 11 Pro & Pro Max (2019): First triple camera iPhones, and the debut of ultrawide cameras
- iPhone 12 & 12 mini (2020): First iPhones with MagSafe wireless charging and Ceramic Shield glass. First year all iPhone models had OLED displays
- iPhone 14 (2022: Launch of Emergency SOS via satellite feature
- iPhone 15 Pro (2023): Debut of USB-C charging port, titanium frame, Apple Intelligence and customizable Action Button
- iPhone 16 (2024): Added Camera Control button and Visual Intelligence
- iPhone 17 Air (2025): Thinnest ever iPhone, with a more durable titanium design
Every iPhone has something special to offer, but some of them are more special than others. The iPhone 4 saw the debut of the flat, round-edged design that is now heaped with nostalgia. iPhone 12 included MagSafe, which changed our idea of what wireless charging could be.
Heck, the iPhone 6s was kept around for seven whole years before Apple decided to pull the plug on iOS updates. If that doesn't put it in the running for the title of greatest iPhone, I don't know what will.
Personally, I have a soft spot for the iPhone 3G. It made great strides at fixing the myriad of issues faced by the original iPhone and arguably paved the way for Apple's future dominance. Don't believe me? Without righting those wrongs early on, we could easily be talking about the latest BlackBerry or Nokia smartphone right now.
But which iPhone deserves to be called "the greatest"? That's where you come into the equation. We want you to weigh in with your chosen model, argue your case, and help settle the debate over which iPhone genuinely deserves to be held in the highest esteem. What is the greatest iPhone Apple has ever made?
Let us know in the comments below, and be sure to tell us why.
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