Recent years have brought a notable shift in Apple’s ‘Pro’-branded products, and rumors indicate the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max will continue that trend in a big way by leaning more ‘Pro’ than ever.
Apple’s ‘Pro’ branding used to mostly mean ‘better,’ but that’s changing
Not long ago, Apple’s Pro-branded products didn’t exactly mean “for professionals.”
Rather, ‘Pro’ has generally been another way for Apple to indicate “premium,” “more expensive,” or just overall “better than non-Pro.”
But that’s started changing of late.
MacBook Pro, for example, was long available in a SKU that barely exceeded the MacBook Air in power and price point. Now, the least expensive MacBook Pro starts at $1,599—heavily differentiated from the $999 (nay, $799) MacBook Air.
And on the desktop side, Mac Studio has made the Mac Pro even more niche and pro-focused than ever.
iPad Pro similarly used to be a lot closer to the iPad Air. But last year’s M4 model brought big upgrades and a huge price increase too.
For all the nice perks of the high-end model, if you want a great iPad, the M3 iPad Air is probably a better option. Only “Pro” iPad users can likely justify splurging on Apple’s more premium model.
This change started seeping into the iPhone lineup last year too.
For the first time that I can remember, last year’s base iPhone offered many of the key features that matter most to me. ProMotion was the biggest thing missing.
Some of iPhone 16 Pro’s tentpole features, meanwhile—like 4K120 fps video recording and faster ProRAW shooting—were upgrades I didn’t expect to use.
That trend sounds like it may continue this year, with Apple pushing the “Pro” angle more than ever with its iPhone 17 Pro.
Expanding iPhone 17 lineup might make the 17 Pro more limited in its appeal
The latest iPhone 17 Pro rumors indicate Apple may be planning a Pro-focused camera app, a second dedicated Camera Control button, and 8x telephoto lens. Prior reporting has claimed multi-cam video recording will be 17 Pro exclusive.
Other noteworthy features include a bigger battery than before, at least on the iPhone 17 Pro Max, plus improved cooling and possibly an anti-reflective display.
These features sound like solid upgrades. But they also don’t feel geared toward my interests and needs.
Apple’s new iPhone 17 Air, however, is rumored to pack some Pro-like upgrades that I do care about—the A19 Pro chip and 12GB of RAM—while also boasting an ultra-thin, futuristic new design.
Based on current rumors, there’s not much about the iPhone 17 Pro that excites me. And I wonder if that’s because increasingly, Apple is making its Pro line geared more toward “pros.”
If you’re a YouTuber, I suspect the iPhone 17 Pro will be a compelling upgrade. And if battery life is the most important feature, because you’re on your iPhone all day, that’s another reason to go Pro.
But as someone who uses his iPhone for the basics—photos, browsing, apps, navigation—iPhone 17 Air sounds much more like the model for me.
That’s not a criticism of the 17 Pro line. It might just mean that iPhone hardware is getting so good, the non-Pro models are finally becoming solid options for users like me.
What most excites you about rumored iPhone 17 Pro features? Are you considering iPhone 17 Air instead? Let us know in the comments.
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