iPhone 14 Pro vs. Rumored iPhone 17 Air: Upgrade or Downgrade?

[MacRumors]

After hanging on to my iPhone 14 Pro for a few years, I will likely upgrade to an iPhone 17 model this year. Typically, I only consider the Pro models, but the rumored iPhone 17 Air sounds intriguing. After reflecting on rumors, I have realized that upgrading to this device might not have as many compromises as I first thought.

Of course, the iPhone 17 Air is not yet official. Apple should announce the device in September, and rumors could change between now and then. Below, I have compared the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 17 Air as things currently stand.

Display

The iPhone 17 Air is rumored to have a 6.6-inch OLED display, which would be considerably larger than the iPhone 14 Pro's 6.1-inch OLED display.

ProMotion, the feature that enables a variable refresh rate up to 120Hz for smoother video and scrolling, has been limited to the Pro models since it debuted on the iPhone 13 Pro models. However, the iPhone 17 Air is also rumored to support ProMotion, so going down to a non-Pro model would no longer require giving up 120Hz.

Like the iPhone 14 Pro, the iPhone 17 Air is expected to have Face ID and a Dynamic Island, so you would not have to settle for a notch again.

A bonus with the iPhone 17 Air: It should have significantly thinner bezels around the screen.

Thickness and Weight

The main selling point of the iPhone 17 Air should be its ultra-thin, aluminum design. According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the device will measure just 5.5mm at its thinnest point, which would make it the thinnest iPhone ever.

iPhone 14 Pro models are among Apple's heaviest iPhones, having not yet benefited from the newer titanium design with tapered edges introduced on the iPhone 15 Pro models. Users upgrading from an iPhone 14 Pro to an iPhone 17 Air should notice a remarkable improvement in thinness, lightness, and pocketability.

Battery Life

Okay, but that ultra-thin design means that battery life will take a considerable hit, right?

Not necessarily.

While exact battery life specs remain to be seen, remember that the iPhone 17 Air is rumored to be equipped with a 6.6-inch display, which would make the device physically larger than the iPhone 14 Pro. That means more internal space for a larger battery, so the iPhone 17 Air's battery life might not be as bad as one might think.

Also keep in mind that the iPhone 14 Pro is a few years old now. Not only did Apple make power efficiency improvements on the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 models, but even further advancements are likely with the iPhone 17 models.

Cameras

If photography is important to you, the iPhone 17 Air's rear camera system will likely be one of its biggest downsides. The device is rumored to be equipped with only a single 48-megapixel rear camera, with no dedicated Telephoto or Ultra Wide cameras.

That said, upgrading from an iPhone 14 Pro to an iPhone 17 Air might not be all that bad in this department. While it may lack a Telephoto camera, it will likely have Apple's so-called "Fusion" camera, which enables a 2x "optical-quality" Telephoto option. "Optical-quality" is not true optical zoom, but it is meaningfully better than blurry digital zoom.

There will undoubtedly still be a lot of advanced camera features that remain limited to the Pro models, but the iPhone 17 Air will likely be a perfectly fine choice for casual users who mostly take point-and-shoot photos.

One plus is that the iPhone 17 Air is rumored to have a 24-megapixel front camera, whereas the iPhone 14 Pro has a 12-megapixel front camera.

Apple Intelligence

Whether you think Apple Intelligence is useful or overhyped, the iPhone 17 Air is expected to support it, whereas the iPhone 14 Pro does not.

That means you will have access to tools that can help you to write, summarize your notifications, create custom emoji, automatically remove objects from the backgrounds of photos, and more. A variety of Siri enhancements are also coming in iOS 18.4, including on-screen awareness, understanding of personal context, and deeper per-app controls.

Other Specs

Beyond having a larger display and a thinner design, the iPhone 17 Air is rumored to have many other upgraded specs compared to the iPhone 14 Pro:

• A19 chip (vs. A16 Bionic chip)
• USB-C port (vs. Lightning port)
• 8GB of RAM (vs. 6GB)
• Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7 (vs. Wi-Fi 6)

On the other hand, the iPhone 17 Air's single speaker would be a downgrade.

While this has yet to be rumored, the iPhone 17 Air is also likely to have an Action button, in place of the iPhone 14 Pro's Ring/Silent switch. It is less clear if the iPhone 17 Air will have a Camera Control button, but given that the feature is available on all four iPhone 16 models, it seems like there is a decent chance that it will.

One more thing to keep in mind is that the iPhone 17 Air is rumored to be eSIM-only, with no physical SIM card slot. If you purchased your iPhone 14 Pro in the U.S., this won't matter, as that model is already eSIM-only there. In other countries, it is a change to take into consideration, but note that the entire iPhone 17 lineup might be eSIM-only in more countries regardless. It is a change that you will have to face eventually.

Article Link: iPhone 14 Pro vs. Rumored iPhone 17 Air: Upgrade or Downgrade?

 

[Apple_Robert]

That question can't be answered until the iPhone 17 is released. And furthermore, the question is subjective and depends on the needs and wants of the individual. I think the article is premature.

 

[xxFoxtail]

I’m a bit undecided if I want to upgrade or not. Other than Apple Intelligence, it's just going to be the same experience as my 14 Pro in a slimmer package. It's nice seeing the 14 Pro compared specifically to the 17 Air though.

 

[Joe Rossignol]

That question can't be answered until the iPhone 17 is released. And furthermore, the question is subjective and depends on the needs and wants of the individual. I think the article is premature.

The title and intro clearly reflect that it's an early comparison of iPhone 14 Pro specs vs. iPhone 17 Air rumors.

I recognize that this article might not interest you, but there is no harm in posting this on a Saturday in January for iPhone 14 Pro users like me who might be curious.

We can always publish another article in September that officially compares the two devices.

 

[Apple_Robert]

The title and intro clearly reflect that it's an early comparison of iPhone 14 Pro specs vs. iPhone 17 Air rumors.

I recognize that this article might not interest you, but there is no harm in posting this on a Saturday in January for iPhone 14 Pro users like me who might be curious.

We can always publish another article in September that officially compares the two devices.

The new phone is of interest to me.

I realize you are doing you job and certainly don't fault you for that. I just thought it is hard to speak of such a comparison given the lack of confirmed information. I will leave it at that and thank you for taking the time to respond. I appreciate the feedback.

 

[H.E. Pennypacker]

I’m a bit undecided if I want to upgrade or not. Other than Apple Intelligence, it's just going to be the same experience as my 14 Pro in a slimmer package. It's nice seeing the 14 Pro compared specifically to the 17 Air though.

Apple intelligence is absolutely worthless. It’s gimmicky and underwhelming. IMHO I wouldn’t decide on which phone based on AI alone.

 

[Corefile]

Make it thicker so increase battery size. I don't know why they don't grasp this easy upgrade.

 

[drsox]

Personally I'm content to move sideways in features as I'm more interested in weight and size than Camera, AI etc. My iPhone 12 is getting close to being unable to run the latest OS, so I'm going to move in the next 2 years.

One thing that bothers me is the blob surrounding the camera. After making such an apparent effort to thin the case it seems a copout to spoil the appearance by adding the blob. Maybe I'll wait for next years's version when the blob might be gone.

 

[Realityck]

After hanging on to my iPhone 14 Pro for a few years, I will likely upgrade to an iPhone 17 model this year. Typically, I only consider the Pro models, but the rumored iPhone 17 Air sounds intriguing. After reflecting on rumors, I have realized that upgrading to this device might not have as many compromises as I first thought.

I haven’t upgraded my iPhone 14 Pro’s for similar reasons. The bump to 12 GB ram being of importance with the iPhone 17 Pro’s. Why get the 8 GB ram iPhones when again they are increasing onboard ram. I know this is concerning the iPhone 17 air in this article and this remain with 8 GB ram but it’s a another thing to reflect on while waiting for September.

 

[techfreak23]

Still holding out on an upgrade until they release another purple Pro or my 14 Pro becomes unsupported.

 

[t0rqx]

Apple SE is a new jacket.

 

[Lioness~]

I stay with my mini 13 as long as possible, and at least hope for something smaller then what Apple sell today. Not that I think Timmy will release a mini, but maybe foldable's?
Hopefully next CEO will be kinder to us who love the smaller phone!?

 

[nathansz]

Comparing a real device to a device that doesn’t exist, may never exist, and if it does we don’t actually know anything about…

 

[Daalseth]

Apple intelligence is absolutely worthless. It’s gimmicky and underwhelming. IMHO I wouldn’t decide on which phone based on AI alone.

Agreed, that’s why I have been leaving it disabled. It’s also, I suspect, why Apple is defaulting it to ON with the next update. A lot of us have recognized that Apple Intelligence is useless and a waste of battery, RAM, and storage and are not enabling it. But they are going to try and force us to use it if we want it or not.

 

[oink_oink]

I want an affordable lightweight smartphone with a flush camera and NO notch/hole-punch/dynamic island or GARBAGE Apple (Un)intelligence.

 

[sw1tcher]

Thickness and Weight

The main selling point of the iPhone 17 Air should be its ultra-thin, aluminum design. According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the device will measure just 5.5mm at its thinnest point, which would make it the thinnest iPhone ever.

iPhone 14 Pro models are among Apple's heaviest iPhones, having not yet benefited from the newer titanium design with tapered edges introduced on the iPhone 15 Pro models. Users upgrading from an iPhone 14 Pro to an iPhone 17 Air should notice a remarkable improvement in thinness, lightness, and pocketability.

Battery Life

Okay, but that ultra-thin design means that battery life will take a considerable hit, right?

Not necessarily.

While exact battery life specs remain to be seen, remember that the iPhone 17 Air is rumored to be equipped with a 6.6-inch display, which would make the device physically larger than the iPhone 14 Pro. That means more internal space for a larger battery, so the iPhone 17 Air's battery life might not be as bad as one might think.

You recognize that the thinness of an iPhone 17 Air won't necessarily mean a hit to battery life because it will be "equipped with a 6.6-inch display, which would make the device physically larger than the iPhone 14 Pro," thus allowing more space for a larger battery, yet at the same time you fail to recognize that the larger size of an iPhone 17 Air (with its larger battery) will negate some of the benefits of its thinner design, but still think we'll see a "remarkable improvement" in lightness.

 

[xxFoxtail]

Apple intelligence is absolutely worthless. It’s gimmicky and underwhelming. IMHO I wouldn’t decide on which phone based on AI alone.

I wouldn't either, but it's the only major software change I can think of that would differentiate the 14 Pro and the 17 Air. Having used it on my iPad and Macbook, I can't see myself ever using Apple Intelligence regularly day to day. Disabled it almost immediately after trying it.

 

[Daalseth]

Your point about the battery makes sense. That coupled with improved efficiency might very well mean there is little to no hit to time between charges.

 

[kiranmk2]

A key issue for me would be being a guniea pig for a 1st gen Apple product. Unknowns on the Apple modem (efficiency, performance), physical durability (another bendgate?) and battery life (larger area battery with the large screen, but thinner).

 

[Joshuaorange]

I think over the 14 pro it’s definitely an upgrade overall. But that will be a 3 year old phone when this releases. I think it will be a hit.

 

[ThisIsMike]

what about video? there would be potentially significant compromises there vs the 14pro, wouldn’t there? or no?

 

[G5isAlive]

Comparing a real device to a device that doesn’t exist, may never exist, and if it does we don’t actually know anything about…

So people will say this is Mac RUMORS..room for speculation, but I hear you. The author put a lot of thought into the comparisons, and I will be interested in what they say in September when the comparison is reality. In the meantime we can expect at least 30 more variations on this theme. Is what it is.

 

[npmacuser5]

Thin vs Fat foldable would be a more interesting comparison.

 

[jz0309]

I mean, assuming it actually will get released and the specs are what meets your needs - go for it.

My 13PM still does what I need, battery still good and I will actually wait until I can read the specs on Apples website and make a decision then. Lenses are importantly for me being a hobby photographer so going with anything than the PM model (also need the screen size) is highly unlikely for me, except a foldable

 

[now i see it]

After hanging on to my iPhone 6s Plus for 10 years, I will likely not buy any iPhone 17