iPhone 17 Review: Apple's Incremental Steps Toward Mobile Dominance

Initial Impressions

The iPhone Air makes a striking first impression with its sleek and lightweight design, a welcome departure from the increasingly bulky flagship phones. However, this form factor introduces ergonomic challenges. The narrow frame creates pressure points, and the weight distribution feels off due to the camera bump. While a case can mitigate these issues, it arguably defeats the purpose of the Air's design.

Lingering iOS Issues

Past grievances with iOS persist, notably the infamous autocorrect and limited keyboard customization. Efficient typing is crucial for many tasks, and the lack of special character support and non-standard vocabulary remains a significant obstacle. While there are reports that Apple and Google may be collaborating to streamline platform migrations, I'll believe it when I see it.

iPhone Air: A Niche Device?

Beyond ergonomics, the iPhone Air has other shortcomings. Its mono speaker is inadequate for landscape content consumption, the single 48-megapixel camera feels restrictive, and reception issues can be intermittent. Despite its initial appeal, the Air's novelty wears off quickly, positioning it as an expensive niche device for early adopters, a sentiment seemingly echoed by reported slow sales.

The Saving Grace: iPhone 17 and Display Technology

Fortunately, the standard iPhone 17 addresses many of the Air's shortcomings. Moreover, the iPhone 17 lineup boasts impressive display technology. Corning's Ceramic Shield 2 glass offers excellent durability, while the inclusion of 120Hz adaptive ProMotion displays across the entire lineup is a welcome change. The displays are incredibly bright, reaching peak levels in HDR windows, and the ability to dim the display to a single nit is a particularly useful feature for nighttime use.

iPhone 17: The Sweet Spot

The iPhone 17 strikes a balance, offering excellent performance, a solid dual-camera system (plus a great selfie camera), and capable video recording. It also has stereo speakers, and decent storage options. The iPhone 17 emerges as the most well-rounded iPhone in years, outshining the now-discontinued Plus model.

iPhone 17 Pro Max: For the Content Creator

For those with more demanding needs, the iPhone 17 Pro Max offers additional features such as a 48-megapixel telephoto lens, faster USB 3 speeds for ProRes video recording, and extended battery life. It can also be configured with up to 2TB of storage.

Lingering Reservations

Despite the improvements, certain limitations prevent a full commitment to the iPhone ecosystem. The lack of sideloading, limited keyboard customizations, and subpar screenshot management remain significant drawbacks. Additionally, the software experience can be surprisingly buggy.

Final Thoughts

While the iPhone 17 lineup represents a step forward, these persistent issues ultimately steer me back to Android. Perhaps the future holds more compelling changes, but for now, the transition remains incomplete.