This week, I write about my week of living with the new iPhones!
One week with the new iPhones
As I sit down to write the newsletter this week, it’s now been almost a full week since I got my hands on the iPhone 17 range. Specifically, the iPhone 17, 17 Pro and iPhone Air, which I received on launch day, and the Pro Max a few days later. I’ve spent the last several days playing with each of them as much as I possibly can, but more importantly, living with them and seeing how they fit into my day-to-day life. So I thought I’d use this week’s newsletter to share some thoughts on each device - the things I really like, the things I’m less keen on, and hopefully help anyone still deciding which of the new iPhones might be right for them.
iPhone 17
While the iPhone 17 is arguably the least exciting model in this year’s lineup, it might just be the best value iPhone you can buy right now. It offers a lot of the modern iPhone experience at a lower price point, even when compared with its more powerful (and more expensive) siblings.
In the hand, the iPhone 17 looks and feels almost identical to the iPhone 16. At a glance, you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s just a new colour variant of last year’s phone. But look a little closer and you’ll notice the device is slightly larger, with the screen getting bumped from 6.1 inches to 6.3 inches.
The real upgrades, though, are in the display. For the first time, Apple has brought two features down from the Pro line to the regular iPhone. The iPhone 17 now includes both an always-on display and ProMotion technology. If you’re unfamiliar, ProMotion allows the iPhone to dynamically adjust its refresh rate up to 120Hz, compared with 60Hz on the iPhone 16.
That means smoother scrolling, transitions and animations. For some people, this will be a subtle change, and something you don’t really notice unless you’re looking for it. But for those who care about fluidity and responsiveness, ProMotion is a huge upgrade, and one that makes the regular iPhone 17 feel much closer to the Pro experience than ever before.
You’re also getting notable improvements in other areas. Apple is claiming 30 hours of video playback on the iPhone 17, up from 22 hours on the iPhone 16 and 20 hours on the 15. I haven’t had time to truly put that to the test yet, but I can say that battery life has been excellent so far on this device. No complaints at all.
Inside, you’re getting the new A19 chip, which is of course faster and more efficient than the A18 chip from last year. You’re also getting Ceramic Shield 2 glass on the front, which Apple says offers up to three times better scratch resistance than the iPhone 16. As ever, that’s something I’ll be watching closely over time.
The camera system has also been improved. You now get a 48-megapixel Dual Fusion camera alongside the 48-megapixel main sensor from last year’s model. In simple terms, that means not only do your main photos look better, but ultra-wide shots now benefit from the same quality boost.
One of the best upgrades, in my opinion, is the inclusion of the Center Stage front camera, which is now available across the entire iPhone 17 lineup. This is a feature that genuinely makes a difference. It’s an 18-megapixel front-facing camera, up from 12 megapixels last year, and it uses software to automatically adjust the frame of your selfie, zooming and rotating in real time so that everyone fits in.
And it really works. I was out with my wife and kids on Monday and wanted to grab a quick selfie of the four of us. Normally, that means twisting the phone into landscape mode and doing all kinds of awkward hand gymnastics to get everyone in the shot. But with this, one button press and the phone just handled it, zoomed out, re-framed, and captured the moment perfectly. You can see the results above (even the best iPhone camera can't compensate for grumpy toddlers, sadly).
Beyond the changes I’ve already mentioned, the iPhone 17 is very similar to the 16 in almost every other way. But the reason I’m calling it the best value iPhone you can buy right now is because, for what you’re getting, the price is still extremely reasonable.
Here in the UK, the iPhone 17 comes in at £799, which is the same as the iPhone 16 at launch. And it’s worth remembering that Apple has now doubled the base storage across all their models, so the iPhone 17 starts at 256GB rather than 128GB.
When you factor in the new display, the camera upgrades, improved battery life, and the center stage front camera, you’re getting a significant upgrade for the same price as last year’s model. And with double the storage, I think this is the iPhone that most everyday iPhone users should be looking at this year.
It’s not the flashiest of the new models, but in terms of what you get for your money, it’s the standout pick.
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iPhone 17 Pro & Pro Max
It feels almost impossible to talk about the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max this year without comparing them to the iPhone Air. But I’m going to make a concerted effort not to do that. Judged on their own merits, these are two fantastic devices. They’re not a huge leap up from the 16 Pro models, but there are some meaningful improvements in key areas that are worth highlighting.
Let’s start with design. At first glance, you might think the only change is the new camera bump that stretches across the entire top of the phone. But pick it up and the differences become more obvious. Apple has moved away from the titanium material used in the 15 and 16 Pro and gone back to an all-aluminium unibody design. I’ll admit, I was sceptical about this at first. I really liked the titanium feel. But having used the 17 Pro and Pro Max for the past week, I can honestly say they feel incredible in the hand. The aluminium finish, paired with the added weight and new shape, makes them feel like premium Apple hardware, almost like holding a slimmed-down MacBook Pro.
Under the hood, you get the usual chip bump, the A19 Pro replaces last year’s A18 Pro, and a 6-core GPU with neural accelerators that Apple made a big deal about in the keynote. Arun from MrWhosetheboss made an interesting point about this in his video earlier in the week (linked at the bottom of the newsletter). He questioned why Apple focused so heavily on the new neural engine and vapor chamber cooling system when there’s not really anything today that demands that kind of power. His theory, which I agree with, is that Apple may be setting the stage for something bigger in 2026, possibly a new class of on-device AI features that take full advantage of this power. Because right now, it does feel a bit like driving a Formula One car around an Asda car park.
The camera system, as you’d expect, is Apple’s best yet. I don’t quite buy the “seven lenses in your pocket” marketing line, but the new 8x telephoto zoom with 48MP ProRAW is genuinely impressive. As a parent of two kids, the ability to crop in tightly on a moment while still getting a high-quality image is something I’ve always valued with the iPhone, and these Pro models take that up another level. You also get the new centre stage front camera, which I love, and so far I’ve not noticed any of the scratching issues that some users have mentioned. I’ve made a point of using the phones without a case to get as close to real-world conditions as possible.
In terms of colour, I picked up the Pro in blue and the Pro Max in orange. The orange is definitely bold, and I don’t dislike it, but I’m glad I went for blue as my daily driver. If black had been an option, that would have been my pick, but the blue is growing on me.
Choosing between the Pro and the Pro Max really just comes down to personal preference. Most people already know whether they want the larger display and bigger battery or not. But if you’re the kind of person who always wants the best that iPhone has to offer, whether for photography, performance, or the overall experience, then the Pro models are absolutely the ones to look at this year.
The iPhone Air
The iPhone Air was very much the cat amongst the pigeons for me this year. Going into the iPhone launch, I had a clear idea of what to expect. I knew this was going to be the thinnest phone Apple has ever created, and having used the M4 iPad Pro, I had a decent sense of how that kind of thinness might feel in day-to-day use. But I also expected serious drawbacks, especially when it came to battery life, display quality, and overall performance.
And to be clear, I’m fully aware that I’m in a fortunate position here. I’m able to pick up all of the new iPhones, live with them, and then decide which one suits me best. That’s a luxury most people don’t have, so I try to approach testing with that in mind. I assumed I’d unbox the Air, marvel at how thin it was, and then shelve it in favour of the iPhone Pro.
That hasn’t happened.
The iPhone Air is every bit as thin and impressive as the marketing suggests. If you get the chance to try one out in-store or from a friend, do it. It doesn’t feel flimsy or cheap, despite its size. In fact, it feels unique. Greg Joswiak (Apple VP of Marketing) described it as feeling like you’re holding just the display in your hand, and I think that’s spot on. With the extremely thin bezels and essentially full-screen design, (bar the Dynamic Island) it somehow feels like you’re closer to the content than on any other iPhone.
Apple hasn’t skimped on specs either. The display is 6.5 inches, larger than the 6.3-inch 17 Pro, and only slightly smaller than the 6.9-inch 17 Pro Max. That 0.2-inch difference genuinely matters. The app tiles feel bigger, the screen feels more immersive, and yet you don’t get the size or weight penalties of a Pro Max. It’s arguably the perfect form factor.
The display is the same Super Retina XDR tech found on the 17 Pro, complete with Always-On Display and ProMotion. You also get the A19 Pro chip, albeit a slightly binned version with a 5-core GPU instead of 6. The 18-megapixel centre stage front camera is identical to the one on the other new models too.
So with all that in mind, you might wonder why I’m not telling everyone to go out and buy an iPhone Air right now. And the answer is simple - the compromises are real, and for some people they could be deal-breakers.
Let’s talk about battery life. Apple claims 27 hours of video playback, compared to 31 on the 17 Pro and 37 on the Pro Max. That doesn’t sound too bad on paper. In fact, Apple says it’s on par with last year’s 16 Pro. But in real-world usage, I don’t think that holds up. I’m routinely hitting 50% by lunchtime, which is fine if you’re near a charger, but could be a real problem if you’re out for a full day.
Apple clearly knew this would be a concern, which is why they highlighted the MagSafe Battery Pack during the keynote. For what it’s worth, I wouldn’t buy Apple’s own pack. You’ll get better performance and price from a decent third-party MagSafe power bank. But the fact remains; if you pick up the Air, you should expect to carry a charger or power bank with you just to get through the day.
Then there’s the speaker. Or more accurately, the lack of stereo speakers. Apple designed the iPhone Air by borrowing the architecture from the iMac, with all the components packed into the camera bump. That’s what allows the device to be so thin. But it also means there’s only one speaker, placed at the top of the phone. Most iPhones for years now have included at least two speakers, giving you stereo sound when holding the phone in landscape. You don’t get that here.
The speaker isn’t terrible, but it’s noticeably worse than on the Pro models. It sounds tinny, a little weak, and if you’re someone who watches video or listens to music directly from your iPhone, that might matter to you more than you expect.
Still, both of those limitations - battery and speaker - can be worked around. The one you can’t fix is the camera.
The iPhone Air has a single rear camera. It’s a 48MP Fusion camera, not the Pro Fusion camera you get on the 17 Pro. The key difference here is the sensor. The Pro’s sensor is better, and it shows in the results. Side by side, I consistently get better images from the 17 Pro. You also lose the versatility of multiple lenses. There’s no ultra-wide, no telephoto, just digital zoom. And no accessory or app is going to solve that for you.
Now I do carry a proper camera with me, most of the time. I recently treated myself to a Sony RX1R iii, and it takes breathtaking photos, in a tiny form factor. But I don’t always have it with me. Most people don’t carry a second camera at all. And for those moments when the phone is your only option, it’s hard not to want the most capable camera system Apple offers.
So, which one have I picked?
Living with the new iPhones has created a bit of a dilemma for me this week. I’ve been trying to figure out which one I should use as my daily driver, and I’ve basically followed a process of elimination to help make that decision.
The regular iPhone 17 is a fantastic phone. In fact, I think it’s probably the one that most people should buy this year. It’s excellent value for money, and the jump from the 16 is more meaningful than it first appears. But it isn’t the phone I’m going to live with full time, purely because I’ve picked up the full set this year, and there are other models that are simply better. So it makes sense for me to choose from one of those.
The Pro Max is also out for me. I tried using the 16 Pro Max last year, and while it’s undeniably brilliant for content creation, it’s just too big for day-to-day life. It doesn’t fit well in my pockets, I don’t enjoy using it one-handed, and the size becomes more of a hindrance than a benefit for me. So that one’s off the list too.
Which brings me to the two phones I’ve been genuinely torn between all week: the iPhone 17 Pro and the iPhone Air.
Initially, I was all in on the Pro. That was the one I activated first. That was the one I had my eSIM in. And I went into the week assuming that would remain the case. But slowly, over the course of the week, I kept reaching for the Air. I found it more comfortable to carry around. It feels lighter, quicker to grab, and the size just makes it incredibly pocketable. It’s also the one that feels the most special this year, probably because it’s the most different.
But then there are the limitations. The camera system on the Air is noticeably behind the Pro in quality. And while I don’t often watch videos with the volume up on my iPhone, I did the other day - some follow-up content from the Baku F1 - and I ended up stopping it after 30 seconds and switching to the 17 Pro. The single speaker on the Air just didn’t cut it. It sounds tinny, and the mono audio really detracts from the experience.
So right now, my eSIM is still in the iPhone Air, and I’m still enjoying using it. But I don’t think it will stay that way for long. This weekend we’re heading to see family for a second birthday celebration for the twins, and it’ll be a great opportunity to properly compare the two phones in real-world use. I’m taking both with me, and I plan to switch between them as much as possible, especially for taking photos, to help finalise my decision about which phone will be my main device for the year ahead.
And I’ll leave you with this thought: if the iPhone Fold, rumoured for 2026, is anything like the iPhone Air in terms of design quality and engineering, then next year could be a very exciting year for the iPhone.
Tip of the week
Did you know, that you can add a Reminder function to Control Centre? Just head into Control Centre, long-press to enter Edit mode, then search for Reminders. Click on New Reminder, and it will be added to your Control Centre. Simply tap on it to access it.
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