A new consumer survey suggests Apple’s iPhone 17 lineup is shaping up to be a Pro-first cycle, with most buyers eyeing the top-tier models and showing limited interest in the ultra-thin iPhone Air.
Evercore polled roughly 4,000 U.S. consumers about their purchase intentions for this year’s iPhones. A solid 56 percent said they plan to buy the iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max, citing upgrades like increased RAM and other notable hardware improvements. By contrast, less than 10 percent of respondents indicated they’re likely to pick up the iPhone Air, despite its positive early buzz.
Analysts point to two main reasons for the Air’s lukewarm interest: lingering concerns about battery life and the limited versatility of a single rear camera. That perception is surprising given Apple’s own battery comparisons, which indicate the iPhone Air lasts longer than the iPhone 16 Plus and iPhone 16 Pro. In short, the data says one thing, but many shoppers still believe another—at least for now.
It’s worth noting the survey’s limits. The responses are U.S.-only and represent a small slice of the global market, so they shouldn’t be taken as a definitive read on worldwide demand. Even so, the results line up with broader expectations: Apple is forecast to ship around 100 million iPhones this year, while the iPhone Air is reportedly slated for the lowest production volume of the lineup. That suggests Apple may be treating the Air as a carefully controlled experiment—testing a super-thin design that could inform future devices.
Bottom line: early demand appears to be clustering around the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, thanks to performance-focused upgrades like more RAM and other premium features. The iPhone Air’s challenge will be overcoming skepticism about its battery life and one-camera setup. If real-world reviews validate Apple’s battery claims, interest in the Air could rise as shoppers see how the ultra-thin design performs day to day.
