The iPhone 17 line continues to bring great success to Apple when it quickly became the three best-selling smartphones globally in Q1/2026. Besides impressive sales, many users still expressed disappointment with a series of problems arising during use, from hardware durability to performance and battery life.
Immediately after opening for sale, many videos appeared on social networks reflecting the fact that iPhone 17 Pro is prone to scratches on the back and camera cluster. Apple believes that many cases are actually dust or materials from MagSafe accessories clinging to the glass surface. However, the company also admits that the aluminum camera part may be dented when hit and considers this a common phenomenon of wear and tear during use.
Some users of iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max cosmic orange versions also reflect the phenomenon of anodized aluminum frame changing color from orange to pink after a short period of use. To date, the specific cause has not been announced by Apple and no official solution has been put forward.
Apple's shift from titanium to aluminum frames on the Pro line also caused much controversy. The company affirmed that the new design with a curved metal frame combined with Ceramic Shield 2 glass layer helps increase overall durability. However, many actual tests show that aluminum frames are still prone to dentures and scratches when falling, raising concerns about the device's ability to maintain its price in the future.
Besides the appearance issue, battery life continues to be a point that users complain about. The situation of battery drain quickly or the device heating up after iOS updates is no longer unfamiliar to long-time iPhone users. However, on the iPhone 17 line, some new errors have appeared, making the experience more seriously affected.
Many users said that the device emits a dull sound when used during charging. Some other cases reflect that the device cannot be charged by cable after the battery drains to 0%, causing no small inconvenience during daily use.
The performance of iOS 26 has also become a controversial topic. Despite being equipped with a new generation of mobile chips, many iPhone 17 users still reflect phenomenon of image stuttering, slow response and instability when using this operating system.
Recent leaked information indicates that iOS 27 will focus heavily on improving stability and optimizing performance to overcome the shortcomings of iOS 26. This is considered a necessary step in the context that Apple has continuously had to release minor updates to fix bugs since iOS 26 was launched.
iPhone 17 Air also became the focus of discussion because of the changes due to its ultra-thin design, only equipped with a rear camera, single speaker and significantly smaller battery than other iPhone models in the same product line.
Despite mixed opinions, analysts believe that Apple is likely to continue to develop the Air line and launch a successor version in the first half of 2027.