There's a discussion going on right now that I think is more interesting than it seems at first glance. TechRadar's phones editor Axel Metz has been using both the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air for months, and his conclusion is not obvious.
Most of us assume that Pro always wins. More features, better camera, more powerful chip — how could it not be the better choice? But Metz nuances that picture, and I thought I would do the same, but from a slightly different perspective.
What is the iPhone Air exactly?
The iPhone Air is Apple's answer to a question many of us have asked but haven't quite dared to ask out loud: what happens if we remove what we don't use and make what we do use really, really good?
It's a thinner phone. Lighter. Without the maximum camera package. Without all the Pro features that most of us never reach down to in the menu. It's a phone that's honest with what most people actually do with their iPhone — communicate, photograph everyday situations, consume content, work.
And you know what? It's okay. It's more than okay.
The camera — is it enough?
It's always the camera that gets the discussion stuck. The Pro has a more advanced optical system, better zoom, more options for those who want them. The Air has a good camera — not the best, but one that delivers excellent images in the situations most people shoot in.
I do a lot of photography. Details on fabric, leather textures, colors on yarn and patterns — materials that require the camera to handle contrast and nuance well. The Air can do it. The Pro can do it a little better. The question is whether the “a little better” is worth the price difference and the extra weight.
For me, right now, the answer is no. But I understand that the answer is yes for others.
The weight and the feeling — underestimated
Here's something I didn't talk about enough before: how a phone feels in your hand over the course of a long day actually matters.
I spend long days in the studio. My phone is always with me — to photograph the process, respond to messages, check reference images, go live. A phone that's noticeably lighter and thinner doesn't change the world, but it does change how tired my hand is at three in the afternoon.
It's a small argument, but it's a genuine argument.
Which flow suits what?
I think of this in terms of different ways of working and living.
If you do a lot of video work — traveling, documenting, creating professional visual content — the Pro is probably right for you. The camera system is genuinely superior for advanced use.
If you work primarily in text, communication, productivity apps, and everyday photography — Air is more than enough. You don't pay for features you don't have access to.
If, like me, you fall somewhere in between — creating content but not at the filmmaking level — it's an honest question. And the answer depends more on how you feel about having a light, nimble phone versus how much you value the extra camera team.
14% who wants new for the sake of design
A survey mentioned in the same newsletter found that 14 percent of iPhone owners say they would upgrade if the design changed enough — for example, to a foldable model. It's a small percentage, but it says something interesting.
We no longer upgrade because our old phone is bad. We upgrade because we want something that feels different. More exciting. More us.
It's an unusual buying behavior if you think about it. We exchange something that works perfectly for something new, not because we need it, but because we want to feel something.
I'm not judging it. I recognize it.
MagSafe and the future of foldables
Rumor has it that a foldable iPhone Ultra could resurrect MagSafe in a new way. I hope so. MagSafe is one of the features that actually changed the way I use my phone — not dramatically, but smoothly and consistently. Charging without searching for the cable. Wallet that sticks without being permanent. Small, but real.
If foldables are Apple's next big chapter, it's interesting from a design perspective. The phone that opens, the letter that folds out — there's something attractive about it. But I'll wait until I've held one before I form an opinion.
Do you have the iPhone 17 Pro or Air — and what made you choose which one you did?