Podcast Summary: iOS Today 770 — 2025 iPhones: Which Should You Buy?

Date: September 18, 2025
Hosts: Micah Sargent & Rosemary Orchard

Overview

In this episode, Micah Sargent and Rosemary Orchard deliver an in-depth breakdown of Apple's 2025 iPhone lineup, helping listeners navigate the differences among the new iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and the debuting iPhone Air. The duo discuss their personal pre-order experiences, dive into features and usability for each model, and offer practical advice for upgraders. The episode also touches on iOS 26 HomeKit upgrades, quick device tips, and recommendations for accessories.

Key Segments & Insights

1. Pre-order Journeys & First Impressions

[03:30–11:00]

• Rosemary's Experience:

  • Ordered a 512GB iPhone 17 Pro in Dark Blue.
  • Avoided Orange due to family's hand-me-down system: "I am intrigued by the orange, but it did not really speak enough to me to also inflict it on my dad..." (05:08)
  • Pre-orders in the UK are generally smoother due to no carrier restrictions.

• Micah's Experience:

  • Also ordered a 512GB iPhone 17 Pro Max in Deep Blue, driven by desire to match with a green Apple "tech woven" case.
  • Struggled to secure launch day delivery, experimented with color and storage combinations, but eventually succeeded thanks to a confirmation email:

    "You get what you get and you don't throw a fit." (10:37)

Notable Quote:

Micah Sargent:
"You never know what you're going to get when it comes to pre-orders and the app versus the website and how people kind of explore that." (11:22)

2. iPhone 17: The Mainstream Choice

[12:40–17:55]

• Specs & Features:

  • 6.3" display (up from last year’s 6.1"), aluminum frame.
  • A19 chip (non-Pro variant), dual camera system (main + ultra wide).
  • New camera control and Action button included in all 2025 models.
  • Color options: Lavender Purple, Sage Green, Smoky/Cloudy Blue, White, Black.

• Camera System:

  • Upgraded front camera with center-stage support.
  • Main camera now takes full 24MP and 48MP photos (up from 12MP in prior years).

Notable Quote:

Rosemary Orchard:
"My dad has recently completely given up having any other camera...a man that used to carry multiple, and I literally mean two DSLRs...now just has an iPhone in his pocket." (17:05)

3. iPhone Air: Thin, Light, and New

[18:30–28:18]

• Specs & Features:

  • 6.5" display — the thinnest iPhone ever.
  • Titanium frame, A19 Pro chip.
  • Single 48MP rear camera (no ultra wide); digital 2x zoom but no 0.5x ultra-wide.
  • Key benefit: Ultra-lightweight (165g/5.82oz vs Pro Max’s 233g/8.22oz).

• Ideal User:

  • Those needing a larger display without added weight (e.g., elderly users, those with mobility or grip issues).

• Exclusive Accessories:

  • New MagSafe battery pack designed explicitly for the Air (due to physical form factor differences).

• Cons:

  • Lacks telephoto and ultra-wide cameras.
  • Color options considered “anemic” by the hosts.

Notable Moment:

Micah Sargent:
"Perhaps it is that person who needs a larger screen size. But—and that is the main thing that they need. More than anything else, they need a larger screen size..." (21:50)

Rosemary Orchard (on Air colors):
"It looks like white once met blue and then had significant memory loss and tried to remember what blue looked like, and they don't even have a green, which is just sad." (27:55)

4. iPhone 17 Pro & Pro Max: The Powerhouses

[31:15–39:15]

• Specs & Features:

  • Pro: 6.3" aluminum unibody.
  • Pro Max: 6.9" aluminum unibody (largest).
  • Both have upgraded battery life (up to 39 hours of video on Pro Max, eSIM vs SIM difference explained).
  • Three-lens camera system: main, ultra wide, telephoto—all 48MP.
  • Zoom capacities: 0.5x, 1x, 2x, 4x, 8x optical.

• Engineering:

  • Aluminum unibody for better heat dissipation (addresses last year's titanium heating complaints).
  • Vapor chamber cooling added.

• Camera System:

  • Telephoto lens praised, especially by Rosemary.
  • 8x optical zoom enables distant photos without loss of quality.

• Accessories & Charging:

  • New super-fast charging (50% in ~20 mins), but only a $40 Apple charger supports it.

Notable Quotes:

Micah Sargent:
"We can do thin and light because we're Apple. So here's an Air for you—thin and light. Here are the compromises...Now let's not compromise, let's make a Pro device that doesn't need to be thin and light..." (33:50)

Rosemary Orchard:
"You can pry my three camera lenses out of my hands. You can't. That is the point. I need my three lenses. I need that telephoto." (26:30)

5. Advice for iPhone Upgraders

[40:11–42:53]

• Decluttering Tip:

  • Review phone storage in Settings > General > Storage.
  • Check which apps are actually used and consider downgrading storage tier if possible.
  • Evaluate whether to upgrade: "If you have last year's iPhone, do you need this year's iPhone?"

• Accessories:

  • Factor AppleCare and case costs into the upgrade budget.
  • Old cases won't fit new camera bumps or button layouts.

6. Shortcuts Corner: iOS 26 HomeKit Adaptive Temperature

[43:30–47:15]

• Feature Highlight:
  • iOS 26's Home app introduces adaptive temperature for HomeKit thermostats, syncing home temps with your iPhone's sleep/wake schedule.
  • Requires Matter-compatible thermostat, home hub (HomePod/Apple TV), and location services enabled.

Notable Quote:

Rosemary Orchard:
"If you want things to work based on your location, you need to turn on location services...if you want the benefits of the location information, you have to share the location information." (46:02)

7. App & Accessory Picks (App Caps)

[48:39–58:39]

• Micah’s Pick:
  Art of Fauna: Cozy Puzzles

  • Apple Arcade title; tactile and educational animal-themed slide/word puzzles.
  • Won 2025 Apple Design Award for Inclusivity.

  • "I love this because it works with a part of my brain that is not incredibly sort of front of mind...it's just so delightful. I love, love, love, love this app." (53:40)

• Rosemary’s Pick:
  JETech Slim MagSafe Case

  • Budget-friendly ($15) slim MagSafe case available in new iPhone colors.
  • Praised for sturdiness, thoughtful button design, and lanyard loop.
  • Example:

    "This feels like a decent case...it doesn't add too much bulk to your phone but does add a lanyard slot and some other bits. Pretty nice." (56:10)

Table: Quick iPhone 2025 Model Comparison

| Model | Display | Weight | Frame | Camera(s) | Chip | Starting Price | |-------------------|----------|----------|--------------|---------------------|------------|---------------| | iPhone 17 | 6.3" | N/S | Aluminum | Main + Ultra Wide | A19 | $799 | | iPhone Air | 6.5" | 165g | Titanium | Main (48MP only) | A19 Pro | $999 | | iPhone 17 Pro | 6.3" | N/S | Al. Unibody | Main/Ultra/Tele | A19 Pro | $1099 | | iPhone 17 Pro Max | 6.9" | 233g | Al. Unibody | Main/Ultra/Tele | A19 Pro | Higher |

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Rosemary (on family upgrade system):
  "iPhones get at least a five year lifespan, if not longer." (05:05)

• Micah (on pre-order anxiety):
  "There are all of these little fears that you have as you're sitting there in my case, at nearly five in the morning, is it going to be what I expect it to be?" (08:15)

• Rosemary (on the Pro Max weight):
  "The iPhone Air is 165 grams, or 5.82 ounces, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max is 233 grams. That's almost 50% more...that is, you know, a chunk..." (23:50)

• Micah (on the iPhone Air’s colors):
  "Although as Apple would probably say, they're very airy." (28:18)

Actionable Advice & Tips

• Check your upgrade motivations—do you need the latest phone or can you wait?
• Evaluate your actual storage use before paying for maximum capacity.
• Think about your need for multiple cameras—if you love optical zoom, lean Pro.
• Remember to factor in accessory and AppleCare costs.
• If picking Air, appreciate its weight savings but understand camera and color trade-offs.

Timestamps of Major Sections

• Pre-order stories & family upgrade logic: [03:30–11:00]
• iPhone 17 breakdown: [12:40–17:55]
• iPhone Air discussion: [18:30–28:18]
• Pro & Pro Max features: [31:15–39:15]
• Upgrade advice: [40:11–42:53]
• iOS 26’s HomeKit features: [43:30–47:15]
• App/App Cap reviews: [48:39–58:39]

Closing

The hosts conclude with practical advice about decluttering devices, being mindful of accessories, and making intentional upgrade decisions based on real usage and needs. They also remind listeners about Discord and Club TWiT for community engagement.

For the most up-to-date Apple device discussions from trusted voices, iOS Today remains an engaging, info-packed listen—especially during new iPhone season.