5 things Pro users may have to give up to switch to iPhone 17 Air

The powerful base iPhone 16 did that for some this year. But the ultra-thin, futuristic 17 Air could spark a wave of users to ditch the new Pro line. Here are five things Pro users might have to give up to get the iPhone 17 Air.

Ultra Wide and Telephoto Camera

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For years, some of the most important changes to the iPhone year after year have involved the camera system. Two rear cameras have been standard for years, and the Pro models have gone even further by offering a third camera.

But the iPhone 17 Air is expected to offer just a single rear camera. It will ditch the ultra-wide and telephoto options and only include the main Fusion camera.

Depending on your camera usage habits, this could be a big sacrifice or potentially not a big deal. Hopefully Apple has some innovative new technology coming to the Fusion camera that can at least make up for the loss of the other two cameras.

A19 Pro Chip

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Pro users have always gotten the best iPhone chip possible. For years, non-Pro models have come with the previous year's Pro chip. That changed this year, with every iPhone 16 getting the new A18 or A18 Pro chip. That change will continue into the 2025 lineup.

Reports suggest that the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air will come with the new A19 chip. But only the 17 Pro and Pro Max will get the top-of-the-line A19 Pro chip. That won't make much of a difference, but there's always the chance that Apple will beef up the Pro chip next year to make those models more appealing.

Battery life

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The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max have phenomenal battery life. Significantly better than comparable non-Pro models. And we all know that "ultra-thin" doesn't equate to "best battery life."

It would be surprising if the iPhone 17 Air had a significantly worse battery than this year's base iPhone 16, and it's unlikely that any reduction would be significant. But then again, Apple could leverage the "Pro" branding by giving the 17 Pro and Pro Max longer battery life than ever before. That would make the iPhone 17 Air's battery life sacrifice less palatable.

Additional RAM

Apple's Pro iPhone models tend to include more RAM than the base models. This is believed to be why last year's iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max could run Apple Intelligence, but the base 15 and 15 Plus could not. Only the Pro models have 8GB of RAM.

Next year, reports suggest the 17 Pro will get an upgrade to 12GB of RAM, but the 17 Air and the base 17 will only get 8GB.

Not long ago, most people didn't care much about the RAM on their iPhones. But the advent of Apple's AI and the partial obsolescence of the iPhone 15 have changed many people's minds. It's not a good idea to buy an 17 Air and miss out on some of the cutting-edge AI features a year later.

Titanium design

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This will probably make the smallest difference to most people, but the iPhone 17 Air is expected to be primarily aluminum-based, rather than titanium like the 17 Pro. I say primarily because it's likely that titanium will still be incorporated into some part of the design, just not as much as the Pro models. But how much of a difference will this make? We'll have to wait and see.

Conclude

If you're someone who's always wanted the best iPhone, 2025 will be a tough time to make a choice.

On paper, the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max will have the best specs. But the 17 Air's new ultra-slim design will make it the most appealing option for many buyers. It's too early to tell, so let's see what new details about these models emerge next year. Either way, 2025 looks like a big year for the iPhone.

Are you planning to upgrade from the Pro to the 17 Air? Which of the above features are most important to you? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Samuel Daniel

Update 04 October 2024