It’s iPhone 17 pre-order day. As usual, I waited for the Apple Store to open online.

Last year, I had a hard time deciding which iPhone 16 to order. I started with an iPhone 16 Pro Max, but returned it pretty quickly. Then I spent the last year with an iPhone 16 Plus instead.  

Despite Apple updating the base iPhone 17 with killer stats and the sleek iPhone Air, I opted for the iPhone 17 Pro. While I had a few reasons, the one that ultimately tipped me back to the Pro line is surprisingly silly.

So, what brought me back to the Pro line this year? Here are a few reasons.

Telephoto Lens

Last year, I didn’t miss the extra telephoto lens. Most of the time, a 2x shot would be enough, and if I needed more, I would move or zoom in. Thanks to the processing on any device, digitally zoomed pictures aren’t terrible.

However, my kids are reaching the age where they will start engaging in sports. I think it will be nice to have the ability to zoom in now. When I’m watching a soccer game, I won’t be able to go all the way downfield to take a shot if it’s too far away. With the telephoto, I’ll be able to get the shot.

An iPhone That Will Last Longer

Another reason is longevity—I’m hoping to make this next iPhone last a while. The phones coming out these days are great, but updates now feel incremental. I no longer need to update every year, and in fact, I don’t want to. My new goal is to keep my devices longer.

Since the updates are minor, I know I can go longer between upgrades.

The Hand-Me-Down Train

My upgrade this year will cause a ripple of iPhones changing hands. Someone in my family with an older phone will get my phone, and someone else will get their phone. I’m not sure what will happen in the future, but eventually this train will probably include my kids.

The iPhone 16 Plus is a great phone and will last a long time. That said, I want the iPhones I’m getting to last longer. For that, I will opt for the Pro processors. They will have that little bit extra that might make them last longer.

The Silliest Reason to Upgrade

A few weeks ago, my kids started school. On that rushed morning, as we got everyone ready, we filled out one of those signs with the kids’ information. One question asked for their height. With iPhone Pros, you can point the Measure app at a person to see their height. My iPhone 16 Plus couldn’t do that, which was unexpectedly inconvenient.

I never thought missing that feature would make me want to return to the Pro line—but it did.

If the iPhone 17 line had that one sensor, I would have stuck with the baseline phone and saved a significant amount of money.

What I Pre-Ordered

With that all in mind, I preordered the iPhone 17 Pro in silver with 256 GB of storage. I went with Silver this year after having the Ultramarine last year. While I love the colors on the iPhone, they didn’t matter in the least. With Silver, selecting a case that complements it will be much easier than with orange or blue.

I also wanted to get a smaller phone this year, as I’m trying to find the best way to write on my iPhone for extended writing sessions. The Plus and Pro Max phones felt too large. The fact that the base iPhone 17 not only has the same screen size as the Pro, but also features ProMotion and Always On, makes it a tempting upgrade. I could have lived without the telephoto lens, and these phones are so good that I’m sure they would have lasted a while.

However, the silly feature in the Measure app made me want to return to the Pro. Now, I can’t wait to measure my kids to see how much they’ve grown.

Did you pre-order the new iPhone? Share your model choice in the comments, and let’s discuss why you picked it below!

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