This article may contain personal views and opinion from the author.
iPhone 17 Pro renders | Image Credit - @iDesigner3D on X
AI was cool when ChatGPT was first introduced. It's still cool, but not brag-worthy cool. For some reason, Google wants to milk this trend as long as it can, but it's getting a little off-putting now. That's why I am glad that the iPhone 17 will be a hardware-centric upgrade.
The Pixel 10 is forcing AI on you while slacking in the specs department
While Google should be commended for rapidly shipping innovative AI features, it's also important to remember that most people don't buy a new phone for AI features alone.
The Pixel 10's Magic Cue feature fetches important information for you, such as the address of a venue you are discussing in a chat. It can also read out translations now, attempting to make a phone conversation between two people who speak different languages smoother.
iPhone 17 Pro's 8x optical zoom over Pixel 10's 100x Pro Res Zoom any day
iPhone 17 Pro Max renders | Image Credit - @MajinBuOfficial on X
The iPhone 17 Pro is likely to offer a 48MP telephoto camera with up to 8x optical zoom. The Pixel 10 Pro maxes out at 5x optical zoom, which, in all fairness, is probably enough for most users.
The Pixel 10 Pro uses AI for clearer photos when you zoom past 30x. It allows you to reach up to 100x, using AI to imagine the details not captured by the camera. While this seems to work fine with predictable subjects, the feature trips up when faced with something it can't recognise.
The iPhone 17 Pro, on the other hand, will come with an upgraded telephoto camera with a moving element. The use of a moving lens will likely enable continuous optical zoom, with two distinct zoom ranges supported.
Apple's approach seems more practical. The iPhone 17 Pro may not let you zoom all the way to 100x; its hardware-based approach will ensure higher-quality, more authentic-looking images.
No compromise on performance
I think it's okay if your phone doesn't have the latest and greatest AI features built in, as you can almost always find apps for that. What cannot be enhanced, though, is your device's performance.
iPhones have always been one of the fastest phones around. The iPhone 17 Pro will not only come with a faster chip, but it will also have a vapor chamber system for the first time to ensure that performance isn't dialed back to keep the internal components from getting hot.
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This implies that the performance disparity between the iPhone and Google Pixel is only going to increase. And while the Pixel 10 may feel fast enough for now, it may start struggling three or four years down the road.
What's the perfect balance in this new era?
Pixel 10's approach: focus more on AI, less on hardware.
15.79%
iPhone 17's approach: hardware comes first.
36.84%
Apple would take Google's approach too, if it could nail AI.
47.37%
iPhone 17 Air will be proof that Apple doesn't always play safe
iPhone 17 Air leaked image | Image Credit - Majin Bu
I don't think you should consider buying the iPhone 17 Air unless you think a thinner device will significantly improve how you use the phone. After all, the phone is expected to have disappointing battery and camera specs.
It will still be an important device and demonstrate Apple's willingness to cater to a very specific demographic. With time, the iPhone Air model will improve enough to be recommended by most people.
Apple could have stuck to a safe formula of offering standard and Plus models like Google, but it chose to spice things up in its own little way.
Hardware reigns supreme
AI has become an indispensable tool in everyday life. Most users would rather show their private messages to you than their ChatGPT history. That's how much we have started relying on AI chatbots, even though some skeptics say AI will be the end of us.
AI hasn't changed how we use our smartphones, though. The features Google has introduced sound good in theory, but most of them will likely be forgotten after the initial ooh-aah.
The iPhone 17, on the other hand, will be a reliable piece of hardware that will keep up with your demands for the entirety of its software life. That's what I call a solid upgrade.
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Anam Hamid is a computer scientist turned tech journalist who has a keen interest in the tech world, with a particular focus on smartphones and tablets. She has previously written for Android Headlines and has also been a ghostwriter for several tech and car publications. Anam is not a tech hoarder and believes in using her gadgets for as long as possible. She is concerned about smartphone addiction and its impact on future generations, but she also appreciates the convenience that phones have brought into our lives. Anam is excited about technological advancements like folding screens and under-display sensors, and she often wonders about the future of technology. She values the overall experience of a device more than its individual specs and admires companies that deliver durable, high-quality products. In her free time, Anam enjoys reading, scrolling through Reddit and Instagram, and occasionally refreshing her programming skills through tutorials.
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