Hilarious how they refuse to list memory (RAM) capacity of their phones. Probably because they are way behind other phones in that regard.
Which is weird, since they focus so much on on-device AI. I guess the very very slightly lower profit margin from including more RAM is incredible unpalatable.
Please could the apple announcements be merged together this year. I'd argue they are of little interest to a hacker spirit but they are certainly promotional... If they are going to be tolerated could they at least be tolerated in one place.
They’ve been doing this for, what, 14 years now since Jobs passed. I fail to see anything substantially new since then. They’re quite literally milking the cash cow at this point. They became the company the old Apple fans despised.
Feels like the air is the “consumer” pro iphone and the actual pro really is a proper product aimed at pros, just took them a while to feel out these lanes.
The real question is next year if they release the rumoured folding iphone if they’ll still keep all 4 of these existing categories…
Amateur photography overemphasizes megapixel count. While a 200MP phone sensor is impressive, the iPhone’s larger pixels and faster sensor deliver superior HDR, low-light, and action shots. However, I find iOS image processing poor; despite Samsung’s oversaturated photos, their processing is better. The proof of the sensor quality is in the video though: never seen video from an Android phone match that of a comparable iPhone.
The cheapest of the new phones is 7500DKK ~ 1175USD. That is just insane. I get that I can get an older models and that Apple is a "luxury" brand, but at $1000+ I don't get who buys new iPhones anymore.
Apple seems stuck in a mentality of subsidized phones, which might still be how the US does it, but it makes their product unreasonably expensive in other parts of the world. I can accept that Apple can't do a $200 phone, but that this point I'd be happy with a $500 phone.
I looked it up, and it turns out you're right. Both the iPhone 17 and the iPhone Air use USB2.
USB3 was introduced in 2008 (!!!). That is 17 years ago.
I already wasn't interested in this tech, to be fair, but I've had to support family phones synchronizing/backing up over the cable, and even at full theoretical speed for the transfer, we're talking over an hour vs just under 7 minutes. Which, considering the flash most likely suppports the read in under a minute, is crazy.
In past years, part of the new iPhone's hardware was usually coupled with a huge new software feature that was made possible by the new hardware (think of FaceTime for example that came with the front facing camera, or Dynamic Island that came from the full display).
Was there anything like that this year? It felt like the iPhone 17 Pro talk lasted 2 mins, and they spend 99% of their time just talking about the cameras. Although I only started watching parts of the event 52 mins in.
I understand that hardware has mainly reached a steady state, but have we also hit peaks of creativity from the software side, given that we have these amazing machines in our pockets?
Of course, no mention of anything AI, so Apple is either truly restraining themselves until they have something amazing, or they continue to slide into irrelevance and are missing the whole AI shift.
Have high expectations of their own modem in the new iPhone. Hopefully it makes a difference in terms of connection quality and improves battery life, especially with the cellular coverage in the US.
I was thinking about what all is new in this version, or in fact in any other versions after iPhone 10/X (I don't know)? They all look same to me.
I personally think that Apple and other smartphone companies need to do a minor and major version release like you do with software. Every 3-5 year, do a major release. This way you create significant hardware/software features every major version, a hype that is well backed up, and at the same time keeps you working and improving and still making money out of it through minor versions. Plus, you also don't have to rely on planned obsolescence as people are gravitated towards the major version release naturally.
Esim vs Physical Sim Card Analysis: By using Apple’s cellular specifications page (https://www.apple.com/iphone/cellular/) to identify model numbers and supported bands, and then checking SIM card options in the comparison tool (https://www.apple.com/iphone/compare/) for each iPhone 17 model number within a single regional Apple store, you can see which versions still include physical SIM trays and which bands they support. Pulling this information into ChatGPT makes the conclusion clear: unlike the iPhone 16, where the Canadian model number was the best choice for users who needed a SIM tray and broad U.S. band support (covering everything except mmWave), the iPhone 17 lineup in Canada is now eSIM-only. That means Canada no longer offers a model number with both a SIM tray and full U.S. carrier compatibility. The only remaining options with physical SIM trays are the non-air European and Chinese model numbers. These versions do support Verizon fully (aside from mmWave which is mostly useless anyways), but they omit key bands needed for AT&T and T-Mobile in the U.S. Becoming harder and harder to travel as China is adding esim, but will only allow phones actually purchased in China on a non tourist plan and any Chinese esim will not work the moment you leave the country while a physical sim will.
25 comments
[ 4.6 ms ] story [ 54.4 ms ] threadWhich is weird, since they focus so much on on-device AI. I guess the very very slightly lower profit margin from including more RAM is incredible unpalatable.
Just don't say the "tariff" word...
14 ProMax -> 17 Pro (roughly same size) have remarkably few tangible diffs.
Stronger CPU/GPU -> wouldn't notice. It's not a computing device for me
3x to 8x optical zoom and nice camera yeah would notice
The real question is next year if they release the rumoured folding iphone if they’ll still keep all 4 of these existing categories…
Comparisons show the S25 Ultra leading in several areas, especially the cameras. The difference in megapixel count is significant.
For years, Apple's flagships were considered superior, but Samsung appears to be pushing boundaries with the S25 Ultra.
Is Apple truly behind, or does their optimization and ecosystem integration make up for it?
Apple seems stuck in a mentality of subsidized phones, which might still be how the US does it, but it makes their product unreasonably expensive in other parts of the world. I can accept that Apple can't do a $200 phone, but that this point I'd be happy with a $500 phone.
I looked it up, and it turns out you're right. Both the iPhone 17 and the iPhone Air use USB2.
USB3 was introduced in 2008 (!!!). That is 17 years ago.
I already wasn't interested in this tech, to be fair, but I've had to support family phones synchronizing/backing up over the cable, and even at full theoretical speed for the transfer, we're talking over an hour vs just under 7 minutes. Which, considering the flash most likely suppports the read in under a minute, is crazy.
Was there anything like that this year? It felt like the iPhone 17 Pro talk lasted 2 mins, and they spend 99% of their time just talking about the cameras. Although I only started watching parts of the event 52 mins in.
I understand that hardware has mainly reached a steady state, but have we also hit peaks of creativity from the software side, given that we have these amazing machines in our pockets?
Of course, no mention of anything AI, so Apple is either truly restraining themselves until they have something amazing, or they continue to slide into irrelevance and are missing the whole AI shift.
Is the iPhone 17 supposed to be the bottom-of-the-line now, or the 16e?
I personally think that Apple and other smartphone companies need to do a minor and major version release like you do with software. Every 3-5 year, do a major release. This way you create significant hardware/software features every major version, a hype that is well backed up, and at the same time keeps you working and improving and still making money out of it through minor versions. Plus, you also don't have to rely on planned obsolescence as people are gravitated towards the major version release naturally.
Wtf??
iPhone 17
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45186023
iPhone Air
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45186015
iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45186044
iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45186044 - Sept 2025 (42 comments)
Apple Debuts iPhone 17 - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45186023 - Sept 2025 (104 comments)
iPhone Air - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45186015 - Sept 2025 (431 comments)