iPhone 17 Air May Make Pro Users Ditch These 5 Things

Next year's iPhone 17 Air has a better chance than ever to tempt users away from the Pro models. The strong base iPhone 16 did that for some this year. But the super-thin, futuristic 17 Air could spark a new wave of users ditching the Pro line. Here are five things Pro users may have to give up to upgrade to the iPhone 17 Air.

Ultra-wide and telephoto cameras

For years, some of the biggest year-over-year changes to the iPhone have been in the camera system. Two rear cameras have been the standard for years, and the Pro models go one step further by adding a third camera.

However, the iPhone 17 Air is expected to only offer one rear camera. It will ditch the Ultra Wide and Telephoto options and only include the main “Fusion” camera.

Depending on your camera habits, this will either be a huge sacrifice or potentially not that big of a deal. Hopefully, Apple will have some innovative new tech ready for the Fusion camera that can partially make up for the loss of the other two.

The A19 Pro chip

Pro users always get the best iPhone chip possible. For years, non-Pro models have always shipped with the previous year’s Pro chip. That changed this year, when every iPhone 16 got the new A18 or A18 Pro. That change will extend into the 2025 lineup.

According to reports, 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-end A19 Pro.

How much will this matter? Maybe not much, but it’s always possible that Apple will improve the Pro chip next year to make these models more attractive.

Battery Life

This is where it could hurt the most. The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max get phenomenal battery life. Noticeably better than their non-Pro counterparts. And we all know that “ultra-thin” does not equal “better battery life.”

I’d be surprised if the iPhone 17 Air had a significantly worse battery than this year’s base iPhone 16. It’s likely that if there is a decrease, it will be minor. But Apple could once again lean harder on the “Pro” branding by giving the 17 Pro and Pro Max more power than ever. That would make the battery sacrifices for the 17 Air even more unbearable.

Extra RAM

Apple’s Pro iPhone models typically include more RAM than the entry-level models. This is widely seen as the reason why last year’s iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max can run Apple Intelligence while the base 15 and 15 Plus cannot. Only the Pro models have 8GB of RAM.

Next year, the 17 Pro line will reportedly get 12GB of RAM. However, the 17 Air and base 17 will remain with 8GB.

It wasn’t long ago that I didn’t care much about the RAM in my iPhone. But the advent of Apple Intelligence and the relative obsolescence of the iPhone 15 have changed my mind. I’d hate to buy the 17 Air only to lose some of its advanced AI features a year later.

Titanium Design

Top Comment by Nutmac

Liked by 5 people

The iPhone 17 Air is essentially a foldable Apple phone without a foldable screen.

To make each side as thin as possible, foldable phone makers like Google and Samsung often sacrifice cameras and the best display technology (like maximum brightness). And because of the larger display area, they also have shorter battery life.

So what exactly is the point of a foldable Apple phone without a foldable body? Guess we’ll find out next year.

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This will probably matter the least to most people, but the iPhone 17 Air is expected to have a mostly aluminum design, rather than the titanium of the 17 Pro line. I say “mostly” because there may still be titanium included in some of the design, just not as much as the Pro models. How much will that matter? We’ll have to wait and find out.

17 Air vs. Pro: A Summary

If you’re the type who always wants the best iPhone, 2025 will be a real dilemma for you.

On paper, the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max will have the better specs. But the 17 Air’s new, super-thin design will make it the more attractive option for many buyers. It's still early, so we'll see what new details are revealed about these models next year. Either way, 2025 is shaping up to be a big year for iPhone.

Are you planning on upgrading from the Pro to the 17 Air? Which of the features above are most important to you? Let us know in the comments.