The iPhone 17 is just weeks away, but many of its most talked about features are not exactly new. Android phones have already rolled them out, sometimes years in advance. While Apple fans are buzzing about leaks, Android users have been living with these upgrades for a while.
iPhone 17 Air is not the first thin flagship
One of the biggest rumors is a slimmer model called the iPhone 17 Air. Early shots suggest it is almost as thin as its own buttons. It sounds bold, but Samsung has already done this. The Galaxy S25 Edge, released earlier this year, followed the same design logic. Side by side, the resemblance is hard to ignore.
A wider camera bump is nothing new
The iPhone 17 may ship with a horizontal camera bump spanning the back of the phone. Case renders hint at a return to aluminum frames as well. But this design idea is old news for Android users. The Google Pixel 9 already sports a full width bar, and similar setups have appeared on other Android flagships.
iPhone 17 Vapor chamber cooling is years old on Android
Leaks suggest Apple is finally tackling heat with vapor chamber cooling. This tech relies on liquid evaporation and condensation to keep devices cool. The catch, Android phones like the Razer Phone 2 had it in 2018. Since then, Samsung and Google have refined it, with the Pixel 10 adopting it just a month before Apple.
120 Hz displays across the lineup
The full iPhone 17 family may finally support 120 Hz refresh rates. Until now, Apple limited the feature to its Pro models. Android has treated high refresh rates as standard since at least the Galaxy S20 series in 2020. Even budget models like Google’s Pixel 9a run at 120 Hz.
iPhone 17’s 12GB of RAM is late to the party
Apple is rumored to boost the iPhone 17 to 12GB of RAM, the most ever in an iPhone. The push comes as iOS 26 leans on AI tools that need more memory. But Android phones have offered 12GB for years. Samsung even hit 16GB with the Galaxy S21 Ultra before scaling back. Some Chinese makers now push 24GB.
Bigger batteries are old news too for iPhone 17
The Pro Max may pack a 5,000 mAh battery for the first time in iPhone history. That is a nice leap, but Android crossed that mark years ago. The Galaxy S20 Ultra shipped with a 5,000 mAh cell in 2020, and many Android devices have since matched or exceeded it.
iOS 26 refresh trails Android’s design shifts
Apple has not overhauled iOS since iOS 7 in 2013. That changes with iOS 26, which brings a bold new look. Still, Android has had several major refreshes since then, from Material Design in 2014 to Material You in 2021 and Material 3 Expressive this year. Android users are used to fresh looks more often.
Why this matters
Apple may be late, but it tends to polish features until they feel seamless. That is why the iPhone 17 will likely shine despite trailing Android on paper. Still, for users who want more RAM, bigger batteries, or 120 Hz displays right now, Android continues to lead the way.
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