iPhone Air or iPhone 17 Pro: Apple CEO Tim Cook and design chiefs answer which new iPhone should you buy

Apple rolled out four new iPhones this year, with the standout being the wafer-thin iPhone Air. Most people will probably grab the regular iPhone 17 and call it a day, but there's an interesting choice brewing for those willing to spend more: go with the ultra slim Air or stick with the camera-heavy Pro.

Even Apple's top brass admit it's not a straightforward decision."It does seem like it's going to fly away when you're holding it," CEO Tim Cook told The Wall Street Journal, explaining that his choice between models would depend on "whether I want to float through the air."

Apple knows it’s a tough call

Design chief Molly Anderson isn't shy about the tricky position they've put customers in. "I like that it's a hard choice," she told the Journal, comparing the Air to the beefier Pro series that's built for serious photographers and video creators.

At just 5.6mm thick, the Air represents "something that we dreamed about for a long time—to make just an incredibly, shockingly thin iPhone."Apple's clearly betting that phones are as much about style as they are about specs. "When something becomes so much a part of you, it needs to reflect your style," Cook explained. "We're saying this product is so personal that it needs to reflect you."

The practical side of things

Here's where things get practical. The Air starts at Rs 1,19,900 ($999) but gives up some serious functionality for that sleek look.

The Pro, at Rs 1,34,900 ($1,099), packs a triple camera setup with 8x zoom and lasts 39 hours on a charge. The Air? One camera and 27 hours of battery life.Anderson thinks the difference will be obvious once you pick one up. "I really think people will struggle with it," she told the Journal. "The lightness, the lean towards style, the idea of not carrying so much weight, is just such a different experience."It all comes down to what matters more: having every feature imaginable or carrying something that feels almost impossibly thin in your pocket.