A customer holds an iPhone 17 Pro during the first day of in-store sales. Photographer: Eric Thayer/Bloomberg
Last year, industry analysts tried to spin Apple Inc.’s iPhone 16 as the start of a super-cycle fueled by its Apple Intelligence features.
The reality didn’t come close. The iPhone 16 sold decently in its opening quarter, but nothing about its performance was super. The artificial intelligence push was doomed from the start — the features were delayed, underwhelming and available on older models. Beyond the AI hype, the lineup offered little: the supposed “ground-up” redesign was false marketing spin, screen size changes were trivial and the Camera Control button proved forgettable for most users.
Twelve months later, the script has flipped. Apple has delivered a genuine standout with the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max — devices that close in on deserving mention alongside milestone models like the iPhone 4, 5, 6, X, and 12.