At Apple Park, the new iPhone 17 Pro was unveiled, with CEO Tim Cook claiming its new design allowed the company to make it “the most Pro ever.” While it’s impossible to verify such a bold claim in a brief hands-on demo, the device’s new features and design are certainly intriguing.
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I immediately gravitated toward the new Cosmic Orange model, which has a distinct, eye-catching colour that reminds me of the Apple Watch Ultra’s Action Button. The iPhone 17 Pro has a matte finish and a “soft touch” feel, which is a noticeable departure from the more premium, but less durable, feel of its predecessor. The new aluminium frame and matte edges feel sturdier overall, a welcome change for someone who has experienced the cracked glass of older models. This slight trade-off in premium aesthetic seems to be worth it for the improved durability.
The iPhone 17 Pro features a new “camera plateau,” a term I found amusingly convenient. This module houses the three new 48-megapixel Fusion cameras. In my brief test, the camera’s zoom options went up to 8x, and the interface remained familiar. While I can’t speak to the final image quality, the new camera system looks promising.
I also had a chance to try the new Centre Stage selfie camera, which automatically adjusts its orientation as more people enter the frame. The feature worked well and without lag. However, accessing this and other new features requires navigating deeper into the updated camera app, which is something users will have to get used to.
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The new unibody design is not just for looks. By housing many components in the camera plateau, Apple has freed up space inside the phone for a larger battery. This, combined with the new A19 Pro processor’s improved power efficiency, is expected to give the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max a longer battery life. While this claim couldn’t be tested in the demo, it’s a significant improvement if it holds up.
Other features, such as the new vapor chamber for better thermal management and overall performance from the A19 Pro, will require a full review to properly evaluate. Overall, the iPhone 17 Pro feels like a substantial upgrade, but we’ll need more time with the device to see if it truly lives up to the “most Pro ever” claim.
