Apple just unveiled the iPhone 17, promising the fastest, brightest, toughest, and smartest iPhone yet.
For a working adult, it’s understandable why they may consider upgrading. The new features can undoubtedly improve efficiency for the adults who conduct business extensively on their phones.
For teenagers, it’s a different story. Every enhancement of the iPhone 17 is a reduction of friction. And for teens, less friction is an invitation to spend more of their lives staring at their screen.
Let’s examine Apple’s press release on the iPhone 17’s features and how they inevitably result in a reduction of friction.
A Brighter, Smoother Display
“The 6.3-inch Super Retina XDR display with ProMotion is bigger and brighter, enabling supersmooth scrolling, immersive gaming, and improved efficiency.”
This means that everything on the screen will look and feel smoother. The display will refresh up to 120 times per second, ensuring maximum engagement. Instead of tiny pauses or lag that might prompt a teen to put the phone down, the smooth motion keeps them scrolling and gaming without a second thought.
“Always-On display”
The screen is never truly “off.” Research has already shown that the mere presence of the phone decreases cognitive abilities. Now, not only is it physically present, but it is also “always on,” ensuring its user is “always on” as well.
“Ceramic Shield…for 3x better scratch resistance…”
Now that the screen is more durable and scratch-resistant, teens will see less need to treat it with the care and respect due to an $800 mini-computer.
“Easier to use outside…”
Basically, there is never a time or place where the phone cannot be used. Even when outside in God’s creation, the always-on, always-bright screen beckons teens back in.
More Efficient A19 Chip
“The 6-core CPU is 1.5x faster than the A15 Bionic chip in iPhone 13, and the 5-core GPU is more than 2x faster than A15 Bionic, unlocking stunning graphics and next-level mobile gaming.”
The iPhone 17 will run faster than any model before it. Apps will open instantly, and games will feel like they’re on a console. This frictionless access to content will engage users more deeply and entertain them for longer.
“Powerful generative AI models on the device.”
AI tools such as text, photo, and video generation run directly on the phone instead of requiring internet access. Less delay equals more engagement.
“Intelligently conserving power to help get them through the day.”
The dying phone battery, which has often been a source of friction limiting phone use, will be a thing of the past.
“Wireless networking chip that enables Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread.”
This new chip makes the phone connect faster and more reliably to the internet, wireless headphones, and smart home devices. Previously, weak Wi-Fi or glitchy Bluetooth could frustrate teens enough to stop streaming or gaming. Again, when these natural pauses and interruptions are eliminated, friction is reduced and continual consumption is increased.
A New Versatile Selfie Camera
“The Center Stage front camera features the first square front camera sensor on iPhone, offering a wider field of view and higher resolution — up to 18MP for photos — to capture more detail.”
Every selfie will look amazing — no bad angles, blurry shots, or awkward rotations. Better and more selfies and short-form videos mean more posting to gain the approval and validation of the world. The friction of a bad photo: gone.
“Adjusting color, highlights, and shadows in real time…”
You won’t capture the world as it truly is, but in a perfectly filtered way that is Instagram-worthy. The friction of post-production editing: no more.
“Spatial photos and videos help users relive memories with remarkable depth on Apple Vision Pro”
You can either live and experience a moment as it’s happening, thereby creating deep, meaningful memories. Or you can live and experience every moment with an iPhone in your hand, creating memories you can relive – alone – with an Apple Vision Pro on your head. The friction of using your brain’s natural memory storage: unnecessary.
Fresh Colors
“Available in five gorgeous colors — black, lavender, mist blue, sage, and white — iPhone 17 has a beautiful, more durable design.”
The phone isn’t just a tool; it’s a fashion accessory. These fresh colors make new phones even more appealing to teens who face social pressure to have the “right” phone or “perfect aesthetic.” Caving to this materialistic entitlement removes the friction essential to humility and wise stewardship of money.
“The Silicone Case with MagSafe can be paired with the new Crossbody Strap, giving users a hands-free way to wear the iPhone.”
The phone can be worn like a purse or cross-body bag: always in reach, never tucked away. It’s almost humorous to think that the back pocket is now considered a source of friction.
Why Teens Need Friction More than Features
Friction is not the enemy of progress. Neither is friction harmful. Friction, rather, is what leads to strength, resiliency, maturity, and hope.
A frictionless digital life denies teens the opportunity to learn the skills, habits, and discipline necessary for flourishing with these technologies when they become adults. When every difficulty, struggle, or obstacle is removed, teens learn self-reliance (or, in this case, smartphone reliance) rather than dependence on God. Notwithstanding, a life lived “online constantly” is often fraught with anxiety, radical ideologies, and self-worship.
Friction is what forms a child’s character. Romans 5 tells us that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character. Hebrews 12 reminds us that discipline, while painful in the moment, yields the fruit of righteousness. Jesus taught His followers that true life is found on the harder, narrower path (Matthew 7:13-14). That is the path with limits, struggle, and sacrifice. And it’s narrow because it doesn’t love the things of this world (1 John 2:15).
How to Add Friction
The Big Tech Companies will continue to reduce friction, as friction impedes their goal of maximum engagement. The iPhone 17 is a clear example of this.
Therefore, it is up to parents to add or create friction in the form of boundaries and limits. You must resist the allure of aesthetics, fight against consumerism, and protect your kids from entitlement.
1. Consider a landline phone like TinCan while they are young.
2. If your teen needs a smartphone:
- We recommend starting with a kid-safe smartphone such as Pinwheel.
- If that isn’t an option, repurpose an old iPhone (it doesn’t have to be compatible with the latest iOS).
- If you don’t have one to repurpose, it may mean you get the new phone (it still doesn’t have to be the 17) and hand yours down.
- Do not give them the latest and greatest iPhone 17.
3. Maintain friction in every way you know your child needs.
- Only necessary apps
- Disable push notifications
- Disable all AI features (Siri, Gemini, AI assistant)
- Check out our comprehensive ways for adding FRICTION for more suggestions.
The smartphone is a human innovation, utilizing the intelligence and resources God endowed man with. It is not, however, a neutral tool. It can be used for God’s glory and our good, but it requires wisdom, self-control, and humility. Without these, the smartphone becomes an idol—an object of worship with no power or ability to save.
