It has been 18 years since the first iPhone launched in June 2007, and technology has really come a long way since. The original iPhone had a 3.5” screen, and that’s tiny compared to today’s 6.9” display on the iPhone 17 Pro Max. The earlier iPhoneiPhs (until 2009) had a bubbly exterior, and then there was a whole decade when iPhones were curvy. When the iPhone 12 launched with a flatter, more industrial design, I remember being really excited… and this sleeker style has remained a winning formula continuing into this year’s iPhone 17 series.
The iPhone 17 looks almost identical to the iPhone 16, but with a slighter larger display as a result of a thinner bezel. The iPhone Air, on the other hand, is a whole new model that prides itself on being thin and light, with a display size that sits between those of the 17 and 17 Pro Max. But it’s the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max that has the die-hard Apple fan talking; we have the usual expected upgrades (faster chip and better camera), but what’s new and unexpected is the phone’s rear design.
DESIGN
The back of the phone has a two-tone shade, and is made from aluminium instead of the titanium from previous years; and the camera system sits on a horizontal bar. From the discussions I’ve had with friends and industry colleagues, it’s a polarising design with few sitting on the fence about it. I personally think it’s a refreshing style that changes things up from all other iPhones before it. And while the majority are snapping up the now iconic Cosmic Orange shade, I particularly like the Deep Blue that’s far more discreet (better for travelling with) yet still striking — and no, I haven’t experienced any scratches on it (hopefully I never will).
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
While setting up the iPhone 17 Pro Max, I kept it on a charger, updated to the latest iOS and installed all the many, many photo editing apps I have… the phone stayed cool throughout. The new 17 Pros are fitted with advanced cooling technology, that’s an Apple-designed laser-welded vapour chamber that works with the aluminium unibody to move heat away from the chip.
Swiping through and loading up apps on the phone is really fast; there’s an immediate difference in speed from the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
The battery went from 100% to 38% over 15 hours of normal use, which included taking photos with the camera, editing pictures, posting on social media, listening to music, messaging on WhatsApp and scrolling through videos. I’m quite confident I can go through an entire day of work without needing to charge this midway. But what’s most impressive is how much faster this iPhone chargers than previous models; with a high-wattage power adapter, it gets up to 50% in just 20 minutes.
THE CAMERA
I rely on iPhone’s camera more than the ones on any other phone I review, mainly because it’s my primary phone and always with me. It’s great that the rear cameras are now all 48MP, and this includes the longest zoom ever on an iPhone. The lens can go up to 8x optical zoom, so there’s no compromise in picture quality at this level.
The iPhone camera system has always consistently given me the most natural, true-to-life images taken by a phone, and with the iPhone 17 Pro Max, the colours are still nice and vibrant without being overly saturated, and natural bokehs are easily created in Portrait Mode.
Example photos taken with the iPhone 17 Pro Max will be rolled out on our Instagram soon.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The iPhone 17 Pro Max is as premium as it gets with a smartphone. The price tag speaks for itself, but most of us don’t need 2TB, or even 1TB worth of space. But even at its starting price of $1,749 (for the iPhone 17 Pro with 256GB), it’s still a pretty penny to shell out for a phone. For the Apple user and fan, I’m sure that individual has been saving up for this time of the year to upgrade; for the rest of us, I would definitely recommend upgrading if your telco plan is up and you can recontract and get the 17 Series at a good price.
If you do have the iPhone 17 Pro Max in your hands already and are looking for accessories, check out the ones below that the NYLON team loves.
The iPhone 17 Series is available now at Apple stores and online at www.apple.com/sg.
