Stunning completely nobody, Apple has unveiled the brand new iPhone 17 sequence, together with the iPhone Air, which CEO Tim Prepare dinner mentioned on the launch occasion right now freed the corporate as much as make the Professional handsets probably the most Professional ever. Is that declare true or principally hyperbole? Right here at Apple Park, I used to be in a position to take a excessive pace hands-on demo of the iPhone 17 Professional, and although clearly I can't reply that query primarily based on a short preview of the brand new telephones, I'm actually intrigued.
I made a beeline for the brand new Cosmic Orange mannequin, which by the way in which jogs my memory strongly of the Motion Button on the Apple Watch Ultras. I'm already very taken with the way in which the iPhone 17 Professional seems and feels, and I don't even thoughts the brand new digicam plateau, however perhaps that's simply because I'm a sucker for change.
This isn't only a shiny new factor, to be clear. Removed from it. The iPhone 17 Professional that I performed with was the orange model and it has a type of matte end and a obscure "comfortable contact" really feel in comparison with the iPhone 16 Professional I've been utilizing for a few 12 months. I additionally preferred the blue shade possibility, which is barely richer than it seems in images. Whatever the shade, I discovered that the aluminum body and matte end across the edges lent a sturdier really feel general, and I say this as somebody whose iPhone 16 Professional has a big, nasty sequence of cracks as a result of it fell and landed on its edge.
I undoubtedly assume that although there's a slight tradeoff within the general premium vibe to the Professional telephones, the potential enchancment in sturdiness must be value it. Importantly, the again of the iPhone 17 Professional additionally options Ceramic Defend within the paler-hued rounded rectangle half, so it must be extra scratch resistant than its predecessor.
Despite the brand new unibody design, I discovered the digicam management button on the suitable nonetheless fairly simple to press, though I believe I'm extra used to the one on the iPhone 16 Professional and discover it a bit simpler to click on in the mean time.
Extra importantly, and that is one thing I'll must spend greater than an hour with an iPhone 17 Professional to confirm, the redesign ought to assist with battery life. The digicam plateau now homes many parts, releasing up area in the remainder of the iPhone's physique for the battery. That, along with the A19 Professional processor's improved energy effectivity, is meant to make the iPhone 17 Professional and Professional Max last more than earlier than.
I each detest and am appreciative of Apple's tendency to provide you with new phrases for its options, and whereas I cringed barely on the phrase "plateau" to explain the rounded rectangle module on the again of the iPhone 17 Professional, I actually discover it handy to make use of as a reference. The digicam plateau accommodates the three 48-megapixel Fusion cameras that Apple described through the keynote, and I can confirm that I noticed digicam zoom choices that went as much as 8x within the viewfinder. I examined a few of them out briefly at Apple's Observatory area, zooming up nearer to the Infinity constructing additional away. With out a lot nearer seems on the ensuing photos, I can't vouch for the standard, so all I can say is that the interface stays acquainted to make use of.
I additionally had an opportunity to shortly take a look at the brand new Middle Stage selfie digicam, and I’ve to say it now is smart why Apple needed to redesign the digicam app with iOS 26. To allow new options just like the auto-rotating facet ratio or the dual-camera video seize, you'll must dive deeper into menus by tapping buttons close to the highest of the display screen. I didn't instantly know the place to seek out these however I'm certain I'll study over time. For now, a useful Apple consultant standing subsequent to the cellphone confirmed me the place every part was.
Most of the different attention-grabbing issues in regards to the iPhone 17 Professional weren't simple to shortly check, so we'll have to attend until we are able to evaluation them to see if the claims Apple makes maintain up. That's issues like improved efficiency with the A19 Professional, higher thermal administration with the onboard vapor chamber, in addition to that touted battery life. I'd be curious to see what we study over time in regards to the redesign and whether or not it has any affect on name efficiency and repairability, too.
Although I'm fairly taken by the brand new look and shade of the iPhone 17 Execs, I’ve to confess I'm just a little envious of my colleague Sam Rutherford, who acquired to spend some arms on time with the brand new iPhone Air. Whereas the colours aren't as interesting in that line, the intense thinness is actually very seductive. Primarily based on my restricted expertise, the iPhone Air has barely extra rounded edges in comparison with Samsung's tremendous skinny Galaxy S25 Edge, however you must undoubtedly take a look at Sam's impressions for extra particulars.
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