If you have a browse of our guide to the best phones, then right at the top, in pride of place, is the iPhone 17. It was released in September 2025 and is the best phone for most people on account of its A19 chip, superfast 120Hz ProMotion display, scratch-resistant Ceramic Shield 2 display cover, 256GB starting storage capacity, and outstanding feature set.
That’s before we even get to the iPhone 17’s camera hardware, which includes a 48MP main lens with 2x telephoto capabilities, a 48MP ultra-wide lens, and an 18MP selfie lens that matches the front camera upgrade on the Pro models. In all, it’s a fantastic camera system that delivers excellent results.
As impressive as the iPhone 17 is, though, there are three reasons why I won’t be upgrading from my iPhone 12 just yet. Sure, it’s now five years old – you can pick up a refurbished model for just a few hundred of your local currency – but for me, I’m happy holding onto my trusty iPhone 12 for three different reasons.
Apple Intelligence
I’m not the first person to write about the disappointment with Apple Intelligence and Apple’s failure to deliver on its AI and Siri promises. Our own John-Anthony Disotto has described Apple Intelligence as “a fever dream” that perhaps Apple might like to forget.
We are nowhere near close to seeing the full suite of transformative AI features Apple has promised, with some key functionalities being delayed or quietly dropped since their initial reveal. The Apple faithful continue to upgrade their hardware in hopes of a “smarter Siri,” for example, but have so far been left underwhelmed.
Apple Intelligence is also built on the philosophy of superior on-device processing for privacy, but this choice often results in less impressive and less versatile features compared to cloud-based rivals like Google Gemini and OpenAI’s models. The on-device approach is great for local tasks like summarization and simple photo edits, but it’s inferior to the cloud for complex image generation and sophisticated reasoning.
With continued false starts, there’s no way I’m upgrading my iPhone on the “promise” that Apple Intelligence is coming (and yes, I know it’s technically here already, but is it really?).
Software compatibility
The iPhone 12 supports iOS 26, which means I still have access to the latest, non-AI-based software developments coming from Apple. I’m enjoying the new Liquid Glass aesthetic, for instance, and while my scrolling experience might be slightly slicker with a newer iPhone, from a day-to-day functionality perspective, my iPhone 12 is completely up-to-date and consistent with what owners of the iPhone 17 are enjoying.
Critically, having access to the latest version of iOS also means I receive all necessary security updates and therefore benefit from an active defense against emerging threats. This includes vulnerabilities that are actively being exploited by hackers before a patch is even available. By running iOS 26 on my iPhone 12, the integrity of my personal data, from banking apps to private messages, is preserved.
As alluded to above, Apple Intelligence features are missing on account of my iPhone 12 only having the Apple A14 Bionic chip, but I don’t feel as though I’m missing out on anything critical just yet. My phone still handles all essential communication, entertainment, productivity, and standard camera features without issue, meaning it still meets virtually all my needs very effectively.
Of course, this isn’t a criticism of the iPhone 17 but a testament to Apple’s impressive software longevity. The fact that my five-year-old iPhone 12 can run iOS 26 without issue should leave Android manufacturers red-faced (though they, too, have improved on the software longevity front in recent years).
Display delight
The iPhone 12 was the first base model to come equipped with a Super Retina XDR OLED display, which, to this day, gives me impressive contrast, deep blacks, and excellent color accuracy. I appreciate that, side-by-side, the iPhone 17’s display is superior, but I can’t say I’ve ever wished for a sharper screen when browsing the web, watching videos, or cracking on with work.
You might point me in the direction of the iPhone 17’s 120Hz ProMotion refresh rate, which makes scrolling and gaming look smoother. But I’m not a mobile gamer, and I don’t feel as though a super slick refresh rate is a must-have when most of the time I’m simply watching videos on YouTube or Netflix.
I also love how familiar my iPhone 12’s 6.1-inch display is. Sure, the iPhone 17’s screen is only marginally larger at 6.3 inches, but my iPhone 12 is a comfortable, familiar size. My hand has gotten used to the way it feels, and changing up those dimensions isn’t something I’d consider doing lightly (especially since I’d never be able to go back to a 6.1-inch iPhone).
In summary, then, the iPhone 17 is an objectively superior handset to the iPhone 12, but Apple’s older models continue to “just work,” as Steve Jobs once put it.
The fact that I already own a phone with a premium display and up-to-date software makes upgrading to the iPhone 17 not quite as tempting as it sounds, especially when the big AI promise of that device hasn’t yet been delivered upon.
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