Apple this month introduced iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max with a striking new design that delivers a dramatic leap in performance. Both models feature A19 Pro, the most powerful and efficient chip for iPhone yet, enabling the advanced camera systems, next-level mobile gaming, and Apple Intelligence. Built with an Apple-designed vapor chamber that is laser-welded into a strong, light, and thermally conductive aluminum unibody, iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max deliver Apple’s best-ever performance and an enormous leap in battery life. Three 48MP Fusion cameras — Main, Ultra Wide, and an all-new Telephoto — offer the equivalent of eight lenses, including the longest optical-quality zoom ever on iPhone at 8x, and the innovative 18MP Center Stage front camera takes selfies to the next level. With new industry-first video features built for pro filmmakers and content creators, including ProRes RAW, Apple Log 2, and genlock, iPhone integrates even more seamlessly into the largest and smallest of productions. Both models feature the Ceramic Shield 2 front cover with 3x better scratch resistance, and for the first time, Ceramic Shield protects the back of iPhone.
Austin Carr for Bloomberg News:
For almost three years, I’ve been part of the silent consumer resistance. I’ve stuck with my iPhone 14 Pro not because I didn’t need an upgrade, but because Apple wasn’t truly offering me one. Even with a handset that’s been through the ordeal of a cracked screen, I held on, because it seemed wrong to give Apple four figures for another in a growing list of lackluster products released in the Tim Cook era.
Last year’s flagship model, the iPhone 16, was hyped as the first “built from the ground up for Apple Intelligence,” its native AI system. That turned out to be wildly misleading. The iPhone 16’s hardware specs weren’t all that special for processing such workloads. And Apple’s initial AI features were underwhelming while additional enhancements, such as for Siri, faced embarrassing delays.
The iPhone 16 was the model I was due for with my usual upgrade cycle, but there was no way I was buying a dud that Apple pretended was a delight. As someone who mostly relies on ChatGPT and other third-party AI services, I didn’t really even care that Apple Intelligence was uninspired. The bigger problem was that nothing else was especially enticing…
Which is perhaps what made me excited for the new iPhone 17 unveiling last week. Watching the launch event, I saw glimmers of the magic once common for Apple. Instead of airy AI promises, we got hard numbers on better battery life, heat dissipation and performance. The design changes in the Pro models were functional — and the iPhone Air gave those who want a radically thin gadget something to desire too.
MacDailyNews Take: iPhone 17 Pro Max is certainly a worthy upgrade – even from last year’s flagship iPhone 16 Pro Max.
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