Five years of progress, quirks, and surprises have reshaped the iPhone. Starting with the iPhone 13 in 2021, the device has seen revisions to its display, buttons, camera, port, and software. Features once exclusive to Pro models have migrated to base devices, and with the iPhone 18 series expected soon, more changes are ahead.

Buttons and ports saw major shifts: the Lightning port was replaced by USB-C on the iPhone 15 in 2023, and the mute switch became a customizable Action Button. The iPhone 16 and 17 added Camera Control. Displays now offer ProMotion with up to 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, Dynamic Island, and always-on display (starting with iPhone 14 Pro).

AI integration arrived late: Apple Intelligence debuted in 2024 on iPhone 15 Pro and later models, bringing Writing Tools, Image Playground, and enhanced Siri. Camera improvements include 48MP sensors on the iPhone 17 (up from 12MP on the iPhone 13), Macro photography, better zoom, Action mode, Center Stage, and Dual Capture.

Other upgrades: satellite connectivity and crash detection (iPhone 14), eSIM-only in the US, and base storage rising from 128GB to 256GB. The iPhone mini was discontinued, replaced by the iPhone Air in 2025. However, iCloud's free storage remains 5GB since 2011.