Comment: iPhone 17 and Apple Watch Series 3 are class for the masses
While the tech world awaits the iPhone Pro, Apple surprises in the entry-level segment, where updates have recently been lackluster.
iPhone 17 commentary: Better than expected.
(Image: Apple/Bearbeitung heise medien)
The iPhone 17 finally gets a brighter 120 Hz display and better cameras. In addition, the entry-level price remains the same despite the doubled storage space. That's a good thing! Apple still sells the Pro well enough, as the Mac & i test shows.
The affordable Apple Watch SE 3 also benefits massively from an upgrade: a faster SoC, new health functions, and the sorely missed always-on display upgrade features that have long been reserved for the more expensive models.
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Of course, the features are not groundbreakingly new. However, their integration into the standard versions is a welcome upgrade. Apple is finally responding to the strong competition in the mid-range price segment. Android smartphones from Xiaomi or Nothing have been offering high-end features at mid-range prices for years or, like Google and Samsung, are pushing ahead with AI functions. Apple cannot simply ignore this.
The breadth of the user base is being tied back
At the same time, users are keeping their devices for longer: many iPhones and watches remain in use for five years or more because the subsequent generations hardly justify an upgrade. The iPhone 14, 15 and 16 hardly brought any added value to many loyal Apple users. If you want to motivate them to buy a new one, you have to offer more incentives than just a few cosmetic changes.
This year's updates mark a turning point: Apple is trying to win back the loyalty of a broad range of users and not just technology enthusiasts with a large budget. It remains to be seen whether this will be enough to mobilize the reluctant customer base. One thing is clear: Apple is focusing less on differentiating between Pro and non-Pro and more on differentiating between old and new.
We can only hope that this tactic is not a one-off. After all, all models – not just the premier league.
This commentary first appeared as an editorial in Mac & i 5/2025 – deserve real progress, fresh from the kiosk and in the heise shop.
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