As 2025 comes to a close, it’s time to reflect on Apple’s year and determine what stood out most. It was an exciting year for Apple fans, ranging from new hardware like the iPhone 17, AirPods Pro 3, and new Macs. One of those updates, however, sits above the rest.
Here’s why we decided to crown the iPhone 17 as this year’s 9to5Mac Product of the Year.
Chance Miller
This is the first year since we started awarding the 9to5Mac Product of the Year in 2020 where all possible contenders were iPhones. Apple’s 2025 iPhone lineup is the strongest lineup in a long time.
The iPhone 17 Pro is unapologetically Pro, with a new vapor chamber cooling system, longer battery life, and an impressive camera system. The iPhone Air is the most exciting new iPhone design since the iPhone X.
The iPhone 17, however, stands out to me as the best overall iPhone in years. It represents the culmination of the last five years of iPhone updates, since Apple revamped the iPhone lineup and design with the iPhone 12.
There are a few key things about the iPhone 17 that are most important to me. At the top of that list is the fact that it’s the first non-Pro iPhone to offer an Always-On display with ProMotion. It also has the same 18MP selfie camera with Center Stage as the iPhone 17 Pro, plus an upgraded 48MP Ultra Wide lens on the back.
I’ll admit I had some trouble deciding between voting for the iPhone Air or iPhone 17 this year. The iPhone Air is exciting. It represents the first step in what is set to be a major shakeup of the iPhone lineup, including next year’s rumored foldable iPhone and the all-glass 20th anniversary iPhone reportedly set for 2027.
Ultimately, the strength of the iPhone 17 is what allowed Apple to push the iPhone 17 Pro to new heights and to introduce the design-first iPhone Air.
Zac Hall
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