iPhone 17 Pro vs iPhone 17 Air: What Should You Expect from Apple’s Upcoming 2025 Phones

Apple’s 2025 iPhone lineup is shaping up to be a significant upgrade over previous models. It is expected to feature a new Air model instead of Plus, a faster chip, a major camera redesign in years, and a flurry of new Apple Intelligence tools. While the improvements will likely come to the entire lineup, the two models that would stand out are the iPhone 17 Air and the iPhone 17 Pro.

Both models are expected to launch in September, and even though they will cater to different user preferences, they will showcase Apple’s biggest innovation in its most-selling product category this year. Here is a comparison to help you decide which model would align with your needs after they go official in September later this year.

Design

iPhone 17 Pro: Rumours suggest the Pro models would feature a robust aluminium frame, replacing the previous titanium design. The camera bump may use a rectangular design instead of the old square setup on a new hybrid glass-aluminium back panel. However, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman also claims Apple may continue with the single material design instead. The Pro models are also expected to be slightly thicker than their previous counterparts to accommodate enhanced cooling systems and a larger battery.

iPhone 17 Air: An entirely new model, the iPhone 17 Air is expected to be Apple’s thinnest smartphone in years. It would be approximately 5.5mm thick — about half the size of the Plus model. It will likely use an aluminium frame, making it lightweight. The Air may also feature a single camera as a tradeoff for the sleek design.

Performance

iPhone 17 Pro: Apple may pack the iPhone 17 Pro with a new A19 Pro chip, expected to be built on the 3nm process. Rumours suggest the change in the fabrication process might result in improved speed and efficiency. The Pro model may also pack 12GB of RAM for better AI and multitasking capabilities.

iPhone 17 Air: The Air model is also expected to bring the new chip, but it would just be the standard A19, also on the 3nm process. The iPhone 17 Air may pack 8GB of RAM, which will support Apple Intelligence services but not resource-intensive multitasking capabilities.

Cameras

iPhone 17 Pro: Anticipated to come with a triple camera system, the iPhone 17 Pro may include a 48MP wide sensor, a 48MP telephoto sensor with 3.5x optical zoom, and a 48MP ultrawide sensor. The front camera may also house a 24MP sensor, up from the 12MP sensor.

iPhone 17 Air: The Air is expected to pack a single 48MP camera on the back and a 24MP front camera. The slim design of the Air may limit the number of sensors on the back, but it should still offer high-quality photos on par with the Pro model.

Battery

iPhone 17 Pro: Apple may bump up the battery capacity of the iPhone 17 Pro, alongside its charging capabilities. It is expected to retain MagSafe charging support.

iPhone 17 Air: Rumours suggest the iPhone 17 Air may pack a 3000mAh battery with 35W fast charging, alongside MagSafe charging.

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