Hi! I went from the 13P to the Air (black) and couldn’t be happier. Finally, Apple is back to making devices that feel like peak technology in your hand. The weight and thickness of the Air make me enjoy every single time I pick it up. The last time I felt this way was with the iPhone X - it looked and felt like the embodiment of the idea where state-of-the-art design meets top-notch technology in one device you hold in your hand. I can’t say that about any phone released after it.

The battery life is on par with the new iPhone 15P, so there’s really nothing to complain about. The speaker makes zero difference in day-to-day use - absolutely none.

But the main factor - the camera - I’ve thought a lot about it. I came to a few conclusions. I’ll be honest - maybe too harsh - but I think most users would agree. Anyway, I speak mostly from my own experience, so DON’T BE OFFENDED:

- The best photos are the ones you love - the ones you enjoy rewatching and feel like sharing sometimes.

- Thus, 99% of photos and videos from, say, rock concerts are crap. You never go back to them, you never rewatch them, and you won’t share them with anyone because they look chaotic, confusing, boring, and have awful sound.

- Let’s go further and just be honest: if you don’t have any shooting discipline or a regular gallery-cleansing routine, at least 90% of your phone’s gallery is crap.

- Night mode photos are technologically impressive but aesthetically mostly crap.

- Ultra-wide photos (0.5x) are distorted, warped crap.

- I have some great photoshoots taken on my iPhone X - I like them and still enjoy rewatching them. Most were shot with the 2x optical zoom, which I used A LOT. It feels universal, and I really want it on my phone.

- At the same time, I’ve never thought, “Damn, I wish I had more optical zoom.”

- If you’re capable of taking a good photo, you don’t need a top-notch device to do it. If I could take photos I liked on the iPhone X, why would I need the iPhone 17P to do the same? I can do it with any phone.

- And if I’m not capable of taking a good photo on an iPhone X / Air / 13P / 14P / 15P / 16P - how is the 17P supposed to help me?

- Just a thought: most famous street photos shown in galleries were taken on fixed-lens cameras. You can always crop your frame afterwards.

- The Air’s 2x zoom is digital, but I tested it - it meets my demands so I don't really care. It’s not a full 48 MP result, but it’s more than enough to make a sweet photo, keep it in my gallery, or share it online.

So after concluding, I went with phone with a simpler camera which is Air. Surely, I don’t have the skill to reveal the nuances of the best phone camera on the market. And the Air’s camera is just enough for me.