Apple typically releases its new lineup of gadgets in September—right before the marathon of fashion month (New York, London, Milan, Paris)—and this year was no exception. Just ahead of New York Fashion Week, the tech giant unveiled the iPhone 17 line, along with a new surprise: the iPhone Air.
Having done the fashion-week circuit for a few years, I can confirm: it’s the ultimate stress test for any editor—and their phone. You’re on the go from 9 am to midnight, capturing photos and videos in every kind of condition (strobing lights, low light, blink-and-you-miss-it runway walks), conducting interviews with designers and celebrities, dodging rain or cold, and still expected to look presentable.
That’s why I decided to bring both the iPhone 17 Pro Max and the iPhone Air with me to the Spring/Summer 2026 shows in Paris. There’s no better testing ground for Apple’s latest than a week of fashion chaos. Of their many features, I prioritised three: photo and video quality, battery life, and processing speed.
PHOTO AND VIDEO QUALITY
If you attended Fashion Week and didn’t take photos or videos—did it really happen? The camera is easily the most important tool in my arsenal, used for everything from capturing celebrity arrivals to runway close-ups. This season was stacked with major debuts (Jonathan Anderson at Dior! Matthieu Blazy at Chanel!), so every moment mattered.
The iPhone 17 Pro Max proved itself a true workhorse. Its 48-megapixel Pro Fusion camera performed beautifully across lighting conditions—bright sun, dim dinner lighting, or the flicker of runway strobes. The 0.5x to 8x zoom range switched seamlessly between lenses, maintaining clarity and colour accuracy throughout. The 4x optical-quality zoom was particularly handy at the Dior re-see, letting me capture intricate details up close.
At the Valentino show, strobing lights made shooting tricky, but the 4x and 8x zooms for video compensated admirably. And at Chanel—the highlight of the season—the Pro Max’s precision and depth truly shone. From the texture of tweeds to the gleam of Blazy’s new vision for the maison, every frame felt editorial-ready.
The iPhone Air, meanwhile, performed decently but noticeably lagged behind its sibling. Its 48-megapixel Fusion camera with 1x and 2x zoom options handled the well-lit Hermès show with ease, but finer details and low-light shots fell short.
In short: the Air gets the job done, but the Pro Max delivers show-stopping results. If the Pro Max is a workhorse, the Air is a show pony.
BATTERY LIFE
Across the week, both phones worked overtime—editing videos, replying to emails, sending files, calling cars, and, of course, capturing content. Each lasted until around lunchtime before needing a recharge. On average, the iPhone 17 Pro Max held about 40 per cent charge by noon, while the Air hovered around 30 per cent. Respectable, given the intensity of use, though I did notice the Pro Max heating slightly under heavy editing loads despite its improved cooling system.
PROCESSING SPEED
Both models share the new A19 Pro chip and 16-core Neural Engine, which kept up impressively with Fashion Week’s pace. The 17 Pro Max’s 6.9-inch OLED display and the Air’s 6.5-inch version made reviewing footage and editing content between shows effortless. Whether multitasking on videos or publishing to social in real time, both devices handled the workload without lag.
OVERALL CONCLUSION
For content creators, editors, and anyone whose phone doubles as a production studio, the iPhone 17 Pro Max is the clear winner. It’s robust, fast, and delivers professional-grade visuals that justify the extra weight in your tote. The iPhone Air, on the other hand, is lighter, sleeker, and stylishly capable—a solid secondary device for everyday use.
In a week defined by speed, spectacle, and storytelling, both phones kept pace with fashion’s fast lane—but the iPhone 17 Pro Max crossed the finish line first.
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