iPhone 17 Pro Apple Just Demoted the iPhone Pro

[Tankmaze]

Apple has clearly repositioned the Pro lineup. With the iPhone 17 Pro returning to aluminum while the upcoming Fold is expected to use titanium, the Pro models are no longer the flagship — they’re now premium middle-tier devices. The true flagship going forward will be the Fold (or possibly an Ultra).

What makes this even stranger is how Apple handles the Mac lineup. On the Mac side, aluminum has always been considered premium — both the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro use it, and nobody questions the Pro’s status. But on the iPhone side, Apple trained us to see Pro as stainless steel or titanium.

So when the iPhone 17 Pro drops back to aluminum, it doesn’t feel like “classic Apple premium” the way a MacBook Pro does — it feels like a downgrade. That’s why the Pro lineup now comes across as middle-tier, while the Fold (or maybe an Ultra) becomes the true flagship.

In fact, this whole year’s lineup feels like a stop-gap release — a holding pattern until Apple can launch the Fold next year.

 

[MarkX]

Apple has clearly repositioned the Pro lineup. With the iPhone 17 Pro returning to aluminum while the upcoming Fold is expected to use titanium, the Pro models are no longer the flagship — they’re now premium middle-tier devices. The true flagship going forward will be the Fold (or possibly an Ultra).

What makes this even stranger is how Apple handles the Mac lineup. On the Mac side, aluminum has always been considered premium — both the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro use it, and nobody questions the Pro’s status. But on the iPhone side, Apple trained us to see Pro as stainless steel or titanium.

So when the iPhone 17 Pro drops back to aluminum, it doesn’t feel like “classic Apple premium” the way a MacBook Pro does — it feels like a downgrade. That’s why the Pro lineup now comes across as middle-tier, while the Fold (or maybe an Ultra) becomes the true flagship.

In fact, this whole year’s lineup feels like a stop-gap release — a holding pattern until Apple can launch the Fold next year.

The fold hasn't released so the Pro model is still the flagship, irrespective of titanium or aluminium!

 

[JM91Six]

The fold will for sure be premium.. but it won’t be equipped with the best cameras. (My opinion, but has been the case with other folding phones to not increase price further)

It will be two different categories… and I do believe the pro will always be the premium packaged iPhone. I want a folding phone . And will probably get the iPhone fold if/when it releases… but I know there will most definitely be compromises.

 

[Adelphos33]

The way Apple’s product line has grown in recent years, it’s clear that what model is the “flagship” or not just isn’t important anymore. Buy what you want - or don’t buy anything at all

 

[TNman]

No they didn’t

 

[profets]

I don't think they've demoted the iPhone Pro. More that by having the iPhone Air to work with as the premium / future type of vision for iPhone, the Pro they can push and not be as limited by weight or thin design - push the camera system further, the processing capability, battery size, etc.

 

[seezar]

This year it seems like they focused more on making it an actual pro device and prioritized function.

Though you mentioned the MacBook Pro as "classic premium" and that these new pro phones done feel that way, but isn't the MacBook Pro also made out of aluminum?

 

[jpf293]

The Pro is easily the best phone Apple makes, but they've closed the gap by making serious improvements to the regular 17 and putting a pro chip in the Air. I think this is a good thing.

 

[JPack]

That’s just silly.

Meanwhile, the first $2,000 iPhone has arrived with the 2TB Pro Max.

 

[tomtad]

Apple has clearly repositioned the Pro lineup. With the iPhone 17 Pro returning to aluminum while the upcoming Fold is expected to use titanium, the Pro models are no longer the flagship — they’re now premium middle-tier devices. The true flagship going forward will be the Fold (or possibly an Ultra).

What makes this even stranger is how Apple handles the Mac lineup. On the Mac side, aluminum has always been considered premium — both the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro use it, and nobody questions the Pro’s status. But on the iPhone side, Apple trained us to see Pro as stainless steel or titanium.

So when the iPhone 17 Pro drops back to aluminum, it doesn’t feel like “classic Apple premium” the way a MacBook Pro does — it feels like a downgrade. That’s why the Pro lineup now comes across as middle-tier, while the Fold (or maybe an Ultra) becomes the true flagship.

In fact, this whole year’s lineup feels like a stop-gap release — a holding pattern until Apple can launch the Fold next year.

I’d say it feels more of a split. The Pro now feels more a specialist device for those who need a really good camera and the best battery life. And the Air is the phone for those who care about the aesthetics and feel of a phone.

 

[eyoungren]

Apple has clearly repositioned the Pro lineup. With the iPhone 17 Pro returning to aluminum while the upcoming Fold is expected to use titanium, the Pro models are no longer the flagship — they’re now premium middle-tier devices. The true flagship going forward will be the Fold (or possibly an Ultra).

What makes this even stranger is how Apple handles the Mac lineup. On the Mac side, aluminum has always been considered premium — both the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro use it, and nobody questions the Pro’s status. But on the iPhone side, Apple trained us to see Pro as stainless steel or titanium.

So when the iPhone 17 Pro drops back to aluminum, it doesn’t feel like “classic Apple premium” the way a MacBook Pro does — it feels like a downgrade. That’s why the Pro lineup now comes across as middle-tier, while the Fold (or maybe an Ultra) becomes the true flagship.

In fact, this whole year’s lineup feels like a stop-gap release — a holding pattern until Apple can launch the Fold next year.

Isn't that a shame?

Good thing I've always gotten the Plus models and the Pro Max models and doubly good that I don't want a fold at all. That way I don't have to experience anything you said!

 

[Andeddu]

With a starting price around $2,000, the base Apple Fold will likely be positioned as next year’s flagship; material choice aside.

 

[Adelphos33]

As of now, I have no interest in a folding phone. May will agree. Who cares whether it is the flagship or not? Buy what you want.

 

[Garethe86]

As of now, I have no interest in a folding phone. May will agree. Who cares whether it is the flagship or not? Buy what you want.

Ditto, even with Android ahead of the game, it's still a niche product, especially at current price points. I still don't really see Apple going all in on this, until they can get prices down...and even then I don't really see the practicality of the thing, I had lunch with an attorney friend a few months ago and he pulled one out, so maybe for professions like that?

 

[bandrews]

Apple has clearly repositioned the Pro lineup. With the iPhone 17 Pro returning to aluminum while the upcoming Fold is expected to use titanium, the Pro models are no longer the flagship — they’re now premium middle-tier devices. The true flagship going forward will be the Fold (or possibly an Ultra).

What makes this even stranger is how Apple handles the Mac lineup. On the Mac side, aluminum has always been considered premium — both the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro use it, and nobody questions the Pro’s status. But on the iPhone side, Apple trained us to see Pro as stainless steel or titanium.

So when the iPhone 17 Pro drops back to aluminum, it doesn’t feel like “classic Apple premium” the way a MacBook Pro does — it feels like a downgrade. That’s why the Pro lineup now comes across as middle-tier, while the Fold (or maybe an Ultra) becomes the true flagship.

In fact, this whole year’s lineup feels like a stop-gap release — a holding pattern until Apple can launch the Fold next year.

I wish people would stop conflating "professional" with "premium". The two have very different meanings. Leica is possibly the world's most "premium" camera brand but it wouldn't be the one most professionals would choose, even if they could afford it. In terms of specs, the Pro is still very much the flagship phone and for "professional" power users, the one to get.

And if anyone is more concerned that people will think you're poor because your phone is made from aluminium, well....

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

I don’t think it has anything to do with Apple demoting the pro, I just think that now that the iPhone is going more towards a “different types” type of lineup, instead of just the same thing at different specification tears, each year one of them is going to be the more “special”, the one that gets the full marketing push behind it.
Last year it was the regular 16.
This year it’s the Air.
Next year will very likely be the Fold or Ultra or whatever they decide to call it.
For the 20th anniversary in 2027, it will likely be the new completely notchless borderless Pro.

Think of it like what they used to do with the iPods every year, of course the iPod classic was the most expensive and the “big top of the line iPod” for the majority of the popularity of iPods, still each year They focused on a different one while all of them were updated.
For example, in 2009, the iPod shuffle, classic, touch and nano were all updated, but they mainly focused on the Nano, despite it and neither being the most expensive or the most important.

 

[klasma]

Apple isn’t demoting anything, because the price isn’t going down. “Premium” and “flagship” is whatever has the highest price tag.

 

[JPack]

You don't need a PhD to figure out how Apple is positioning this year's lineup. Just look at the prices.

If you don't know anything about money, just visit the webpage and look at how the products are ordered.

 

[batman75]

Until they have a more expensive lineup than the Pro, the Pro is still the flagship. A hypothetical future product doesnt demote the Pro. It is vapor ware right now.

 

[Parowdy]

So Apple just demoted the iPhone Pro… with a phone that doesn’t even exist.
Flawless logic.

If you think that moving from titanium to aluminium is a demotion, you also have to ignore the all-new unibody design that wasn’t possible without significantly increasing the price with titanium.
It's a design supposed to dissipate heat, something the PRO iPhones desperately need, especially for extended workloads, like using the display in the sun all day or recording video. Titanium is terrible for this and way too expensive to mill down. And a vapor chamber itself wouldn't have worked either.
It's a reasonable change.
Stop being silly.

Yes, this years is a stop gap, but at least its a good one, unlike the iPhone 12 generation.

 

[TechnoMonk]

This is just silly, Pro and Pro Max bring in big chunk of iPhone Revenue. Apple isn’t gonna play games with iPhone revenue demoting current Pro based on future models, which may or may not be launched.

 

[4sallypat]

Just because the material changed making the OP feel like it lost the Pro status - that's an opinion.

Material is irrelevant if one cares for the device and not drop it 100' and expect any material to survive.

Might as well have the OP phone made of solid gold ?

 

[zakarhino]

Depends on how you see it. From my perspective the prospectives for the Pro line going forward are better than ever because Apple are shifting the iPhone away from the two tiered "base model, premium model" split which forced Apple to balance too many preferences in a single product: the Pro. A lot of customers wanted even bigger batteries at the cost of overall thickness and weight, another segment want even bigger and better camera sensors which means a bigger camera bump, others think the phones are too big and bulky as is.

There are multiple definitions of "Premium"

The Air is a premium product as per the price, so Apple's upsell strategy is no longer unidirectional. The Pro is free to become even bigger and bulkier as necessary to serve those that believe 'premium' means max capability. The Air is free to become even thinner and lighter to service the 'premium means thin, elegant, and aesthetically impressive' crowd. Apple's marketing this year plays on this contrast, look at the mega thick font they use for the "PRO" vs. the thin font used for Air. This contrast will go beyond marketing and will increasingly be reflected in the product line features going forward.

When the Fold comes out that will again serve a different audience, it won't service the Pro and Air crowd and the objective won't be to replace those devices either. I strongly believe the Air is around to stay for the foreseeable future, it's not the 'yearly experiment' model that will get dropped in a generation or two (mini, Plus).

Consider the rumored specs for the Fold's display, it doesn't seem like it will follow the same form factor as most other folding phones which have a Pro Max size display when folded. Instead, it looks like the iPhone's folded state will be a lot smaller and shorter than most other phones on the market, dare I say "mini" level?

• Pro's position going forward = outdoors, rugged, creators, travel companion, replacement for your point and shoot, "unapologetically" THICK. The Camera iPhone.
• Air's position = fashion statement, jewel like, form over function but meets the minimum usability benchmark for iPhone (primarily battery life). The Fashion iPhone.
• Fold's position = urban explorer, productivity/multitasking focus, best media consumption iPhone, pocketable, "iPad mini in your pocket". The Consumption iPhone.

And those product lines will persist until it makes sense to merge them based on technological breakthroughs or market expectations.