• Source:JND
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Apple is gearing up for its “Awe Dropping” event on September 9, where the iPhone 17 series will take centre stage. The spotlight this year will be on the ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air and the high-performance iPhone 17 Pro models. While Apple hasn’t revealed anything officially, leaks over the past year have painted a fairly detailed picture of what we can expect. Here’s how the iPhone 17 Air stacks up against the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

Design and Build

Both models are rumoured to feature a horizontal camera layout, but the details differ. The iPhone 17 Air could sport a smaller pill-shaped cutout reminiscent of Pixel devices, while the Pro Max may carry a more prominent rectangular cutout stretching across the upper back.

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The Air is designed for minimalism, with a rumoured thickness of just 5.5 mm and a feather-light weight of around 145 grams. The Pro Max, in contrast, leans towards durability and performance, with a 7.75 mm thickness and a weight crossing 220 grams.

Camera Setup

On the front, both phones are expected to feature a 24MP selfie camera with support for lossless 2x zoom.

The differences emerge at the back. The iPhone 17 Air may carry a single 48MP camera with no telephoto or ultra-wide options, keeping it simple. The Pro Max, however, is tipped to receive a serious camera boost—a new 48MP telephoto sensor alongside its wide and ultra-wide lenses, potentially creating a triple-48MP setup.

Display

Both devices are expected to use Apple’s 120Hz ProMotion OLED panels. The Pro Max should feature a massive 6.9-inch display, while the Air will likely settle for a more compact 6.6-inch screen.

Performance

The iPhone 17 Pro Max is rumoured to debut with the A19 Pro chipset built on TSMC’s 3nm process, offering modest performance and efficiency gains. The Air is expected to run on the standard A19 chip.

Both models are said to support up to 12GB of RAM, enabling smoother multitasking and powering Apple Intelligence features.

Battery Life

The Pro Max could pack a 5,000mAh battery, an upgrade over last year’s 4,676mAh unit, potentially offering longer endurance. The Air, meanwhile, is expected to come with a much smaller 2,800–3,000 mAh cell, which might struggle to deliver a full day’s use.

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Expected Pricing

Leaks suggest that the iPhone 17 Air could debut at the same $899 starting price as last year’s iPhone 16 Plus. The iPhone 17 Pro Max, however, may see a slight bump due to rising component costs, possibly starting at $1,249 in the US.