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I Just Discovered a Travel Hack That Can Save You Time and Money on International Trips — And It’s Completely Free

Don’t sweat roaming charges on your next trip abroad. GigSky and Visa are offering a 15-day free eSim trial so you can access the internet on your phone worry-free.

I’ve been traveling around the world for a year and a half, and one of my favorite money-saving travel hacks is using an eSIM. 

If you’re unfamiliar with the concept of an eSIM, it’s a digital SIM installed onto your phone that lets you access a mobile network without a physical SIM card. Using an eSIM for all my mobile data abroad means I don’t have to worry about expensive roaming charges from my US mobile provider or buying a physical SIM for a local network every time I enter a new country. 

When I learned that eSIM provider GigSky was offering eligible Visa cardholders a complimentary 15-day worldwide data plan, I was curious. I hadn’t seen this offer widely discussed in the credit card rewards sphere, nor had I heard of GigSky before. Maybe this would be a useful, free benefit that I’d be adding to my list of favorite credit card perks. Maybe it’d be a two-week disaster of no data and tech troubles. 

There was only one way to find out.

Once my previous eSIM plan expired, I grabbed my trusty Chase Sapphire Preferred Card — the Visa Signature card that I’d be using to access this offer — and headed to GigSky’s website. 

What to know about the GigSky Visa offer

From now until Nov. 15, 2027, eligible Visa Signature and Visa Infinite cardholders can receive a complimentary global mobile data plan through GigSky that grants access to mobile data in more than 175 countries. 

A Visa Signature card gives you a complimentary 1GB plan valid for 15 days, while a Visa Infinite card gives you a 3GB/15-day plan. After your complimentary plan expires, you’ll also get an ongoing discount on all paid plans: 20% off for Visa Signature cardholders and 30% off for Visa Infinite cardholders. You can redeem a complimentary plan once per calendar year.

To get the complimentary data plan and the discount, you must add your card as your default payment method in the GigSky app. 

Eligible cards

All US Visa Signature and Visa Infinite cards are eligible for this offer, along with select Visa cards issued in Canada and Latin America. 

Popular Visa Signature cards include:

Popular Visa Infinite cards include: 

My experience claiming and using my free GigSky eSIM

Claiming the offer

I started off by heading to the official offer page to read through the details. I also noticed that GigSky was offering a free 100MB trial eSIM for everyone, no Visa card required. If you don’t qualify for the Visa offer, it’s worth checking this one out.

I read through the terms and conditions for the Visa offer. The terms were clear, and I didn’t see any red flags or hidden «gotchas.» Satisfied, I downloaded the GigSky app to claim the offer. 

On the app’s home page, I immediately saw a link to check my eligibility for the Visa offer. 

After clicking the link, I was prompted to enter my card number to check my eligibility. I entered my Chase Sapphire Preferred card number and was told I was eligible for a 1GB/15-day complimentary data plan and a 20% discount on all paid plans. I appreciated how they laid out the details up front so there was no confusion about what I was getting.

Following the app’s prompts, I created an account and added my Chase Sapphire Preferred as my default payment method. The app sent me back to the home page, where I now saw a link to redeem the offer tied to my specific card. I clicked it, selected the complimentary plan, made sure that the order total was $0, and checked out.

Setting up the eSIM

I’ve used a lot of different eSIMs, but GigSky was by far the easiest to set up. 

I found my new eSIM under the «My Plans» tab on the GigSky app. It wasn’t activated yet. According to the terms, you have up to one year after redeeming your complimentary data plan before it’ll automatically activate.

I clicked on the «Install eSIM» link, then clicked «yes» on the confirmation pop-up. It took about a minute for the eSIM to download. My phone then prompted me to choose a new primary SIM card (because it’s a dual-SIM phone) and restart. I was pretty surprised, because my previous eSIMs from other companies had required some extra setup steps, but it seemed GigSky could be installed with a single download.

After restarting my phone, the new eSIM didn’t immediately have a signal, which was normal. In my experience, it usually takes a few minutes for a newly installed eSIM to connect to the network. My phone restarted again, then finally managed to connect to GigSky’s network. I checked that my primary eSIM for mobile data access was set to GigSky instead of my US service provider, turned on my data, and that was it — I was online.

Using the eSIM

I used the eSIM for the full 15 days of the complimentary plan, and I had a mostly positive experience despite a few hiccups. 

I was in Hanoi, Vietnam, when I downloaded the eSIM, and it worked perfectly the first day. 

Speeds were mostly 4G/LTE or 5G, and I could access mobile data whenever I needed without issue. Web pages, Google Maps and even the occasional video loaded quickly. 

I could check how much time and data remained on the plan through the GigSky app. There, I also saw the option to purchase additional plans, with the 20% Visa Signature discount reflected in the prices. 

But a few days later, my data suddenly stopped working. My phone showed that I was connected to some «H» network — which I later learned is a type of 3G network, about one step lower on the internet speed ladder than 4G/LTE. But even though I was technically connected to data, the web page I was trying to access just wouldn’t load. After returning to my hotel, I checked the GigSky app and confirmed that my plan was still active and I had plenty of data left.

My data connection was spotty for the next two days, sometimes working and sometimes not. I tried turning the eSIM on and off, restarting my phone, and turning airplane mode on and off, but I couldn’t find a reliable fix. This on-and-off situation went on for about two days before I was again able to consistently access data every time I tried. I never figured out what the exact problem was, but I’ve had other eSIMs randomly stop working too, so I don’t think it’s an issue exclusive to GigSky. Sometimes you just have to accept that technology isn’t perfect.

I traveled from Hanoi to Cat Ba, an island on the coast of Vietnam, during the second half of my 15-day plan. Since Cat Ba is a bit more remote, I was worried about my mobile signal there. I was pleasantly surprised that everything worked perfectly. I consistently had 4G/LTE or 5G data and never had trouble connecting to the internet when I needed to.

Offer’s end

I paid special attention when my complimentary plan expired, just in case this was one of those «free trial turning into auto-renewing subscription unless you cancel» situations. (The terms and conditions suggested nothing of this sort, but in a world of subscription creep, I’ve developed a healthy vigilance.)

I’m happy to report this was not the case. When my plan ended, that was it. I could no longer access data despite the eSIM remaining on my phone, and whenever I tried, I received a notification letting me know my plan had expired. I wasn’t automatically enrolled in a new, paid plan, and my credit card was never charged. 

I could see my original plan details in the app, as well as purchase a new plan if I so desired. 

My 1GB of data lasted me till the very end of the 15-day plan. I used data sparingly, keeping my mobile data off by default and only turning it on when I needed it for navigation, web searches, or checking messages or email on the go. I used Wi-Fi whenever I could and rarely watched videos or scrolled social media using mobile data. If your habits are similar to mine, the complimentary 1GB data plan should be enough for short vacations. 

Would I recommend the GigSky eSim?

eSIMs are invaluable when you’re traveling abroad, and I’m glad Visa has partnered with GigSky to bring this benefit to cardholders. Although it’s probably not the most monetarily valuable perk from my Chase Sapphire Preferred — a 1GB worldwide data plan similar to the complimentary plan normally retails for $20 through GigSky — it’s definitely one of the more practical ones.

If you travel internationally, the complimentary plan can help you cut down on one extra cost while letting you conveniently access the internet wherever you go. GigSky’s service is as good as any other eSIM I’ve used, and I like how many options GigSky offers, including data plans in more than 175 countries and cruise packages. 

But one downside of GigSky is the cost. GigSky’s prices are on the higher end of the eSIM market, and quite a bit more expensive than the eSIM provider I’d been using previously (EscapeSIM). Because of that, I ended up not renewing my GigSky plan. I would definitely recommend the complimentary plan to any eligible Visa cardholders heading abroad for a short vacation, but if your data needs or travel timeline call for buying a paid plan beyond the trial, I’d recommend comparing costs among multiple providers before committing to any one.

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Technologies

Avengers Assemble as Marvel Cosmic Invasion Arrives Day 1 on Xbox Game Pass This December

Xbox Game Pass is adding Marvel Cosmic Invasion in December, with more titles coming in November and December.

To end the year, Microsoft assembled Earth’s mightiest heroes in a fight against Annihilus in Marvel Comic Invasion. The comic-book style beat ’em up game is a Day 1 release when it launches on Dec. 1.

Xbox Game Pass offers hundreds of games you can play on your Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Amazon Fire TV, smart TV and PC or mobile device, with prices starting at $10 a month. While all Game Pass tiers offer you a library of games, Game Pass Ultimate ($30 a month) gives you access to the most games, as well as Day 1 games, like Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, added monthly.

Here are all the games subscribers can play on Game Pass soon. You can also check out other games the company added to the service in November, including The Outer Worlds 2.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault (game preview)

Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can start playing on Nov. 19.

The Moonlighter series returns, letting players go on an adventure while also tending to their own stores. Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault is a roguelike action RPG, and players step into the role of Will, an adventurer who splits his time exploring different dimensions to find rare loot that he can sell in his shop. 

Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo

Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can start playing on Nov. 19.

Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo casts you as Kulebra, a dead but kindhearted snake who wakes up in a dreamy, Latin-flavored afterlife where souls are trapped in a never-ending day. You’ll sleuth and sneak your way through Limbo, talking to each quirky spirit, scouring for clues and using a trusty notebook to piece together their stories. 

Revenge of the Savage Planet

Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium and PC Game Pass subscribers can start playing on Nov. 19.

In Revenge of the Savage Planet, you’re dumped on the fringes of space after being one of the first to get laid off by your ridiculous, profit-obsessed employer. The mission is to explore alien worlds, poke at every weird rock and grab every upgrade you can to survive. Do all that right, and you can get your revenge on the former employer who abandoned you and head back to Earth. 

Monsters are Coming! Rock and Road

Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can start playing on Nov. 20.

Monsters Are Coming! Rock and Road puts you in charge of a mobile city that travels across dangerous terrain while monsters close in. You collect materials, set up defenses and upgrade your skills to keep the convoy moving in this tower-survivor rogue-lite on wheels. Constant movement and steady enemy waves collide, forcing careful upgrades and defense planning to keep the convoy moving toward the Ark.

The Crew Motorfest

Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can start playing on Nov. 20.

The Crew Motorfest is a massive car culture festival spanning the Hawaiian islands, featuring races, stunts and open-world driving challenges. The game features more than 700 vehicles, including cars, bikes, boats and planes, letting you pick how you want to explore the islands. Now in its third year of free updates, Motorfest adds new locations, customization options, a race creator tool and NASCAR content.

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden

Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium and PC Game Pass subscribers can start playing on Nov. 25.

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is an action RPG that pulls players into a dark, immersive world where life and death collide. Players navigate intense combat, explore mysterious environments and uncover a story filled with love, loss, and difficult choices. Every decision shapes the journey, forcing you to weigh sacrifices against survival as you uncover the truth behind the ghostly threats.

Kill It With Fire 2 

Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium and PC Game Pass subscribers can start playing on Nov. 25.

Kill It With Fire 2 expands the bug-busting chaos with a full co-op campaign where players track spiders through different eras and strange worlds. The game adds new tools, new settings and plenty of destruction as you hunt down every last arachnid in the multiverse. It also introduces a Spider Hunt mode that lets players switch sides and play as the creature they once chased.

Marvel Comic Invasion

Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can start playing on Dec. 1.

The Annihilation Wave threatens the galaxy, and the world’s great heroes need to work together to stop Annihilation. The arcade-style brawler features 15 Marvel Comics heroes, including Spider-Man, Wolverine, Captain America and Venom. Play solo or play with friends online or locally with couch co-op. 

Lost Records: Bloom and Rage

Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium and PC Game Pass subscribers can start playing on Dec. 2

Lost Records: Bloom and Rage follows a group of friends during the summer of 1995 as they film their adventures and build a bond that seems unbreakable. Those memories resurface nearly three decades later when they reunite to face the secret that ended their friendship. The story blends nostalgia with mystery as the group works through what happened and why it changed everything.

Games leaving Game Pass on Nov. 30

While Microsoft is adding those games to Game Pass, it’s also removing three others from the service on Nov. 30. So you still have some time to finish your campaign and any side quests before you have to buy these games separately.

Barbie Project Friendship

Lords of the Fallen

Octopath Traveler 

Octopath Traveler II

SteamWorld Build 

For more on Xbox, discover other games available on Game Pass now and check out our hands-on review of the gaming service. You can also learn about recent changes to the Game Pass service.

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Technologies

iPhone 17 vs. iPhone Air, 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max: Apple’s Newest Phones, Compared

How do Apple’s high-performance phones differ, and which should you pick? Here’s how to decide which iPhone is perfect for you.

Maybe your current iPhone is showing its age — slowing down, unable to update to iOS 26 or lacking cool features and cameras. With the coming holiday season’s deals and discounts, now is the perfect time to upgrade. The current lineup of the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max and the slim iPhone Air give you plenty of options to choose from, but they do serve different needs. Which of those would suit you best? Here’s how they compare side by side.

Looking to order the iPhone 17, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max or iPhone Air? Check out our iPhone 17 deals guide for ways to get it for free and other great deals.

There are a host of improvements over the iPhone 16 series, which added a handful of upgrades over its predecessors, most notably the Camera Control key. The upgrades coming to the iPhone 17 lineup are myriad, but more noticeable than the more incremental updates in previous generations. Along with the redesigned camera blocks, all of Apple’s phones get better specs, more storage and brighter displays. But the big change is the new super-thin iPhone Air, which takes the place (and price) of the larger standard Plus model.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

iPhone 17 lineup price comparison

  • iPhone 17: $799. The iPhone 17’s price remains the same as last year despite a bump to 256GB of starting storage.
  • iPhone Air: $999. The iPhone Air is slotted into the lineup where the iPhone 16 Plus was priced (as the more expensive standard model). 
  • iPhone 17 Pro: $1,099. The smaller Pro model is the only one in the lineup to get a small price hike to start at $100 above last year’s iPhone 16 Pro, though it does start at a higher 256GB of storage.
  • iPhone 17 Pro Max: $1,199. The higher-spec iPhone 17 Pro Max didn’t get a price hike despite starting at a higher 256GB of storage.

Despite concerns about tariffs potentially passing more costs on to consumers, only one model in the iPhone 17 lineup got a price hike: the iPhone 17 Pro, which now starts at $1,099, though it does have double the starting storage at 256GB as its predecessor. The other models also got their storage bumped up without suffering higher prices.

At its September event, Apple also announced new Apple Watch models, including the Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch SE 3 and Apple Watch Ultra 3, as well as the AirPods Pro 3. 

iPhone 17 lineup’s design and display changes, compared

  • iPhone 17: Camera bump redesign. The square-shaped camera bump from prior years has been replaced with a vertical pill-shaped ovoid with the usual two cameras (main and ultrawide). 
  • iPhone Air: Thinner, single-camera. The new, thin model takes the place of the iPhone 16 Plus as the larger non-Pro model, but it offers only a single main rear camera. 
  • iPhone 17 Pro: Larger horizontal camera bump. The smaller Pro model’s big changes include a new rear camera bump as well as an internal redesign with an aluminum frame.
  • iPhone 17 Pro Max: Same larger horizontal camera bump. Likewise, the iPhone 17 Pro Max gets a redesigned camera bump that extends horizontally across the entire rear width of the phone, along with internal changes.

The biggest change in the iPhone 17’s design is in a single model added to the lineup: the iPhone Air. It is indeed a thinner model of the iPhone line, akin to the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, which focuses on a slimmer, lighter body that seems to have reduced battery life as a consequence — but not by much. According to Apple’s specs (which don’t include exact capacity), the Air manages up to 27 hours of video playback, just slightly under the 30 hours for the iPhone 17, 33 for the iPhone 17 Pro and 39 for the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

The iPhone Air is 5.6mm thick, compared with 7.9mm on the iPhone 17 and 8.75mm on the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max. The thinner model is also lighter at 165 grams, compared with the iPhone 17’s 177 grams, the iPhone 17 Pro’s 206 grams and the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s 233 grams.

Despite that, the iPhone Air has a 6.5-inch OLED display (slightly smaller than the 6.7-inch display on last year’s iPhone 16 Plus). Compare that to the 6.3-inch screen on the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro (both up from 6.1 inches on their respective predecessors) and 6.9 inches for the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

All models got upgrades to their screens. The standard iPhone 17 now has a ProMotion display with a refresh rate adjusting from 120Hz down to 1Hz (from a static 60Hz on last year’s iPhone 16) and a scratch-resistant Ceramic Shield 2 coating on the top — all features that also arrive in the iPhone Air. Every new iPhone’s display also has a maximum brightness of 3,000 nits, up from 2,000 in last year’s iPhone 16 lineup, making it easier to see their screens in bright sunlight.

The three returning iPhone 17, Pro and Pro Max models have had redesigns of their rear camera bumps. In place of the diagonal arrangement in last year’s model, the standard iPhone 17’s two cameras have been vertically aligned in a raised oval bump. The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max keep their triangular triple-camera alignment, but the camera bump has been extended from a square to a rectangle that takes up the width of the phones. The iPhone Air just has a single camera.

There are bigger changes to the inside of the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, all in the name of heat management. Apple swapped their titanium frames for aluminum ones that the company says is 20 times better at conducting heat, the better to disperse it across the phone’s body. The frame is stamped in a single sheet, and layered on top is a new vapor chamber filled with deionized water running along its length to carry heat away from the phone’s chips. Apple says this redesign leads to 40% better sustained performance than the iPhone 16 Pro. Instead of just glass, the Pro models have a more durable glass-ceramic shield on the back.

In contrast, the iPhone Air has a titanium frame, the only model in the lineup to still have one — possibly to ensure maximum durability in its thinner body.

The iPhone 17 comes in five colors: lavender, light blue, dark gray, silver-white and green. The iPhone Air comes in four hues: an ethereally light blue, light gold, black and white. The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max come in a trio of colors: white, dark blue and bright orange.

Comparing iPhone 17, iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max cameras

  • iPhone 17: Better ultrawide and selfie cameras. The iPhone 17 got an upgraded 48-megapixel ultrawide camera and 18-megapixel selfie shooter.  
  • iPhone Air: Single camera. As was rumored, the iPhone Air has a single 48-megapixel main camera.
  • iPhone 17 Pro: Sharper zoom and selfie cameras. The rear 4x telephoto camera has been upgraded to 48 megapixels, while the front-facing camera is now 18 megapixels.
  • iPhone 17 Pro Max: Sharper zoom and selfie cameras. Likewise, the rear 4x telephoto camera has been upgraded to 48 megapixels, while the front-facing camera is now 18 megapixels.

The standard iPhone 17 has two cameras (48-megapixel main and 48-megapixel ultrawide), an improvement from its predecessor’s 12-megapixel ultrawide. Apple calls the 48-megapixel main camera «Dual Fusion» as it can take sharp photos at full resolution or take 2x crop-zoomed images at 24 megapixels — in fact, every camera in the iPhone 17 lineup has this fusion functionality.

The iPhone Air has only one camera, a 48-megapixel main, that seems similar to the one on the iPhone 16E. That sets the new thin phone apart from last year’s iPhone 16 Plus, which had the same two cameras as the standard iPhone 16.

The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max models also bump the ultrawide to 48 megapixels (up from 12 megapixels in their predecessors) and also improve the third telephoto camera to 48 megapixels as well (up from the 12-megapixel with 5x optical zoom of last year’s iPhones). The latter has gotten a big upgrade, and thanks to the crop focus on the fusion, the 4x optical zoom can double up to 8x at 12 megapixel resolution with an equivalent focal length of 200mm. The new maximum digital zoom goes up to 40x, up from 25x on earlier Pro models.

All four iPhones’ front-facing shooters have been upgraded to 18-megapixel cameras, up from 12 megapixels on last year’s Apple phones. They also get the Center Stage feature, which first debuted on the iPad Pro M-series models. This feature automatically keeps the focus centered on whoever’s holding the phone, even as they move around. 

This is aided by a new square-shaped sensor in the front-facing camera that’s twice the size as those in the iPhone 16 lineup from last year. Essentially, this size format has a lot more vertical room than the 4:3 ratio sensors typically found in selfie cameras, allowing not only more area for Center Stage to focus on, but also for iPhone 17 series owners to take horizontal selfies without rotating their phones. Neat!

All iPhone 17 model specs compared

  • iPhone 17: Better specs. The iPhone 17 packs the new A19 chip as its predecessor and more base storage.
  • iPhone Air: Pro chip, Apple’s modem. The thinner iPhone Air got the A19 Pro chip that’s also in the Pro models out this year, as well as a presumably improved version of the Apple-made C1, a 5G modem that debuted on the iPhone 16E.
  • iPhone 17 Pro: Better specs. The iPhone 17 Pro has a new A19 Pro chip as well as more base storage.
  • iPhone 17 Pro Max: Better specs, bigger battery. The iPhone 17 Pro Max packs the new A19 Pro chip, more base storage and a larger battery.

As is typical with the feature gap between standard and pro models, the iPhone 17 has improved specs but not to the level of the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max — or the iPhone Air.

The standard iPhone 17 packs the new A19 chip, which is 20% faster than the iPhone 16 with its A18 chip. The A19’s six-core CPU is made on a 3-nanometer process, has an improved Neural Engine with increased bandwidth to help make AI services faster, and has an updated Display Engine that helps power ProMotion and Always-On features of the display. The iPhone 17 comes in either 256GB or 512GB, an increase on the baseline 128GB storage of the iPhone 16.

The iPhone Air has slightly better specs with an A19 Pro chip, with better performance and efficiency. The chip’s graphics processing unit cores now have neural accelerators that deliver three times the peak output of the GPU on the A18 Pro found in last year’s iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max. The iPhone Air is also the only one of the lineup to get another tech advancement — an upgraded version of Apple’s C1 chip, the internally developed 5G modem that debuted in the iPhone 16E released earlier this year. The iPhone Air comes in 256GB, 512GB or 1TB storage configurations.

The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max both feature the A19 Pro chip, and combined with its redesigned thermal dissipation, reaches the aforementioned 40% better sustained performance over the iPhone 16 Pro. The iPhone 17 Pro comes in 256GB, 512GB and 1TB storage configurations, while the iPhone 17 Pro Max has those options as well as a 2TB selection, though that raises the price to $2,000.

While Apple never explicitly says how much RAM its iPhones pack, most phones require 8GB of RAM to use AI features — Given that Apple Intelligence debuted on the iPhone 16 lineup, it’s heavily suspected that those devices were given 8GB of RAM. Presumably, the iPhone 17 series has the same amount. 

Apple is similarly coy about listing battery capacity, preferring instead to suggest how long they can last playing video content. As mentioned above, the iPhone Air has the lowest at 27 hours of video playback, but not by much. The iPhone 17 has up to 30 hours, the iPhone 17 Pro reaches 33 hours, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max tops out at 39 hours of video playback — made possible thanks to internal redesigns.

All three phones pack Apple’s new N1 wireless networking chip, which connects to Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread networking for smart home appliances. 

All iPhone 17 models launch with iOS 26, the next version of Apple’s iPhone software, renamed to align with the year following its release. Among the new features are the Liquid Glass interface redesign, iMessage updates, a more transparent lock screen and a streamlined Camera app. These are just a few of the overhauls also coming to Safari, Photos and Music apps, among others.

The iPhone 17 series also packs Apple Intelligence, the company’s signature blend of generative AI features. But with no new tools or applications introduced during the event, it seems the phones will simply inherit the AI tools that debuted with last year’s iPhone 16 or those that were added in the year since.

Apple iPhone 17 vs. iPhone Air vs. iPhone 17 Pro vs. iPhone 17 Pro Max

Apple iPhone 17 Apple iPhone Air Apple iPhone 17 Pro Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
Display size, tech, resolution, refresh rate 6.3-inch OLED; 2,622 x 1,206 pixel resolution; 1-120Hz variable refresh rate 6.5-inch OLED; 2,736 x 1,260 pixel resolution; 1-120Hz variable refresh rate 6.3-inch OLED; 2,622 x 1,206 pixel resolution; 1-120Hz variable refresh rate 6.9-inch OLED; 2,868 x 1,320 pixel resolution; 1-120Hz variable refresh rate
Pixel density 460ppi 460ppi 460ppi 460ppi
Dimensions (inches) 5.89 x 2.81 x 0.31 in 6.15 x 2.94 x 0.22 in 5.91 x 2.83 x 0.34 in 6.43 x 3.07 x 0.34 in
Dimensions (millimeters) 149.6 x 71.5 x 7.95 mm 156.2 x 74.7 x 5.64 mm 150.0 x 71.9 x 8.75 mm 163.4 x 78.0 x 8.75 mm
Weight (grams, ounces) 177 g (6.24 oz) 165 g (5.82 oz) 206 g (7.27 oz) 233 g (8.22 oz)
Mobile software iOS 26 iOS 26 iOS 26 iOS 26
Camera 48-megapixel (wide) 48-megapixel (ultrawide) 48-megapixel (wide) 48-megapixel (wide) 48-megapixel (ultrawide) 48-megapixel (4x, 8x telephoto) 48-megapixel (wide) 48-megapixel (ultrawide) 48-megapixel (4x, 8x telephoto)
Front-facing camera 18-megapixel 18-megapixel 18-megapixel 18-megapixel
Video capture 4K 4K 4K 4K
Processor Apple A19 Apple A19 Pro Apple A19 Pro Apple A19 Pro
RAM + storage RAM N/A + 256GB, 512GB RAM N/A + 256GB, 512GB, 1TB RAM N/A + 256GB, 512GB, 1TB RAM N/A + 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB
Expandable storage None None None None
Battery Up to 30 hours video playback; up to 27 hours video playback (streamed).Fast charge up to 50% in 20 minutes using 40W adapter or higher via charging cable. Fast charge up to 50% in 30 minutes using 30W adapter or higher via MagSafe Charger. Up to 27 hours video playback; up to 22 hours video playback (streamed).Up to 40 hours video playback, up to 35 hours video playback (streamed) with iPhone Air MagSafe Battery Fast charge up to 50% in 30 minutes using 20W adapter or higher via charging cable. Fast charge up to 50% in 30 minutes using 30W adapter or higher via MagSafe Charger. Up to 33 hours video playback; up to 30 hours video playback (streamed).Fast charge up to 50% in 20 minutes using 40W adapter or higher via charging cable. Fast charge up to 50% in 30 minutes using 30W adapter or higher via MagSafe Charger. Up to 39 hours video playback; up to 35 hours video playback (streamed).Fast charge up to 50% in 20 minutes using 40W adapter or higher via charging cable. Fast charge up to 50% in 30 minutes using 30W adapter or higher via MagSafe Charger.
Fingerprint sensor None (Face ID) None (Face ID) None (Face ID) None (Face ID)
Connector USB-C USB-C USB-C USB-C
Headphone jack None None None None
Special features Apple N1 wireless networking chip (Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) with 2×2 MIMO), Bluetooth 6, Thread. Action button. Camera Control button. Dynamic Island. Apple Intelligence. Visual Intelligence. Dual eSIM. 1 to 3000 nits brightness display range.IP68 resistance. Colors: black, white, mist blue, sage, lavender. Apple N1 wireless networking chip (Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) with 2×2 MIMO), Bluetooth 6, Thread. Action button. Apple C1X cellular modem. Camera Control button. Dynamic Island. Apple Intelligence. Visual Intelligence. Dual eSIM. 1 to 3000 nits brightness display range.IP68 resistance. Colors: space black, cloud white, light gold, sky blue. Apple N1 wireless networking chip (Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) with 2×2 MIMO), Bluetooth 6, Thread. Action button. Camera Control button. Dynamic Island. Apple Intelligence. Visual Intelligence. Dual eSIM. ProRes Raw video recording. Genlock video support. 1 to 3000 nits brightness display range.IP68 resistance. Colors: silver, cosmic orange, deep blue. Apple N1 wireless networking chip (Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) with 2×2 MIMO), Bluetooth 6, Thread. Action button. Camera Control button. Dynamic Island. Apple Intelligence. Visual Intelligence. Dual eSIM. ProRes Raw video recording. Genlock video support. 1 to 3000 nits brightness display range.IP68 resistance. Colors: silver, cosmic orange, deep blue.
US price starts at $799 (256GB) $999 (256GB) $1,099 (256GB) $1,199 (256GB)
UK price starts at £799 (256GB) £999 (256GB) £1,099 (256GB) £1,199 (256GB)
Australia price starts at AU$1,399 (256GB) AU$1,799 (256GB) AU$1,999 (256GB) AU$2,199 (256GB)

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Technologies

Score the Apple Watch Series 10 for a Whopping Half Off This Black Friday

Walmart is selling the 42mm GPS and cellular configuration for just $250, perfect for the gift-giving season.

We’re almost in the throes of Black Friday, and plenty of early deals are available now, including at Walmart. The retailer is lowering prices on coveted Apple gear and we’ve spotted the 42mm Apple Watch Series 10 cellular model at a massive 50% off.

This brings the Apple Watch Series 10 down to just $249, which is both cheaper than its original price and the newer Apple Watch Series 11. Considering this major discount, we don’t expect this deal to last for long.

Walmart currently has the 42mm Apple Watch Series 10 GPS and cellular configurations for this price with a jet black aluminum case and black sport band or a silver aluminum case and denim sport band.

The Apple Watch Series 10 is a great fit for fitness enthusiasts who want to keep better track of their metrics. Some of the health and wellness measures you can monitor include oxygen, heart rate, sleep patters, menstrual cycle patterns and physical activity.

Along with this, you can sync this smartwatch to your phone and receive calls or texts. With a battery life of up to 18 hours with a single charge, you won’t have to worry about looking for an outlet through the day. Apple designed the Apple Watch Series 10 to be IPX6 certified, which means you won’t have to stress over rain, splashes or light swimming up to 50 meters deep.

Looking for a new smartwatch but not sure if this deal is for you? Check out our list of the best smartwatches so you can look through more options.

SMARTWATCH DEALS OF THE WEEK

Deals are selected by the CNET Group commerce team, and may be unrelated to this article.

Why this deal matters

Now that the Series 11 is widely available, savvy shoppers can save $250 on the slightly older Apple Watch Series 10 (42mm) at Walmart. This discount can score you the Apple Watch Series 10 for a massive 50% off. Though colors and sizes are limited, now is an excellent to stock up on this smartwatch.

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