This has been one of the most complete phone launches for Apple in recent years. The company took to the stage a few weeks ago to unveil four new phones, each with a clear different purpose.
Unlike in some recent years, each new phone also has significant upgrades over previous models. Each also has a clearer purpose and target market, and thanks to a whole new form factor, there’s also more variety in screen size than ever before.
I’ve used all four of Apple’s new iPhone models, and while I love three of them, there’s one I don’t recommend at all. That’s not to say it’s bad and there’ll be many people who love it, but it’s not the iPhone I’d recommend this year. Here’s why.
The iPhone 17 is the best iPhone for most people
There’s no doubt in my mind that the iPhone 17 is the best iPhone this year for most people. In fact, I’ll go further and say that it’s likely the best phone for most people.
As I previously wrote, the iPhone 17 is a wonderful phone, but I couldn’t tell you why. This is especially prescient as the changes aren’t as flashy as its siblings. Yet, this is exactly what makes it an incredible smartphone and the perfect iPhone for most people.
The display is now identical to the iPhone 17 Pro, meaning the differences between the two devices are fewer than ever before. The iPhone 17 is essentially the ideal phone for those who want the iPhone 17 Pro experience, but don’t use the zoom feature in a camera.
It’s particularly noteworthy that I have often picked up the iPhone 17 by accident when I meant to pick up the iPhone 17 Pro, and only realized when I launched the camera or turned the phone over. If you want 90% of the iPhone 17 Pro experience at 70% of the price, look no further than the iPhone 17.
The iPhone Air is my favorite iPhone this year
Then there’s the new iPhone Air, and this is my favorite iPhone this year. My main SIMs are in the iPhone 17 Pr, but the iPhone Air is the iPhone I enjoy using the most. In many ways, the iPhone Air is the most enjoyable iPhone in years.
I previously wrote that the iPhone Air finally delivers on Steve Jobs’s original vision of a revolutionary internet communicator. It’s the perfect iPhone for the times I want to scroll, browse, or talk, and only falls short when I need a powerful camera.
The tradeoffs have repeatedly proven worth it, as the iPhone Air also has one key advantage: its size, in more ways than one.
First, there’s the obvious Air feeling as it measures just 5.64mm thick. This makes it feel incredible in the hand, even when paired with a case. However, the second advantage is its display size: at 6.5 inches, it’s the first iPhone in six years to feature a screen this size. It’s slightly bigger than the iPhone 11 Pro Max (which was 6.46 inches) and of higher quality, making it the perfect screen size for everyday usage.
The iPhone 17 Pro is the Pro phone I wanted
I’ve used the iPhone 17 Pro and past Pro iPhones for almost a decade as one of my two daily devices, and Apple has finally delivered the Pro experiences I was looking for.
The upgrades this year fixed a few problems that have given the best Android phones an upper hand over other phones in the past few years. The battery is even larger, but the optimizations in the A19 Pro chipset and software mean the smaller iPhone finally delivered true multi-day battery life.
In the past, my Pro iPhone would need charging before the end of the day, but now, it reliably gets me through the night with around 20% to spare. This is the battery upgrade that I’ve been waiting for.
The switch from titanium to aluminum also has two benefits. First, it’s solved past thermal concerns, and the iPhone 17 Pro runs extremely cool thanks to the new vapor chamber. Second, it’s allowed Apple to adopt bold iPhone 17 Pro colors, like the new Cosmic Orange.
I just can’t handle the iPhone 17 Pro Max size
However, there’s one key downside to this switch as well: the new phones are heavier. In the case of the iPhone 17 Pro, this isn’t a large problem, but it does make the iPhone 17 Pro Max too unwieldy, especially when using a case.
The vastly improved battery life in the iPhone 17 Pro also means that the iPhone 17 Pro Max has significantly less appeal to me. Still, it’s worth noting that the iPhone 17 Pro Max remains the most elusive of the four models based on available pre-order dates, which suggests that I’m in the minority in this opinion.
Regardless, I can’t wait to see what Apple does next year, especially with the rumored iPhone Fold. There’s never been a better time to buy an iPhone.
