Apple fans in South Africa can finally breathe a sigh of relief — and perhaps gasp at the price tag. The iPhone 17 lineup, alongside the all-new iPhone Air, officially went on sale on Friday at iStore, South Africa’s only Apple Premium partner.
The base iPhone 17 starts at R20,799, while the Pro model comes in at R28,499, and the Pro Max at R30,999. Apple’s first slimmed-down smartphone, the iPhone Air, will set buyers back R25,999 for the 256GB model.
For heavy users, premium configurations climb sharply — the iPhone 17 Pro Max 2TB tops the charts at an eye-watering R52,499, making it one of the most expensive mainstream smartphones ever sold in South Africa.
What’s New in iPhone 17
Unveiled at Apple’s “Awe Dropping” event earlier this month, the iPhone 17 has been billed as “the biggest leap ever for iPhone” by Apple CEO Tim Cook.
The base model finally brings ProMotion technology to the entry tier, boasting a 6.3-inch display with 120Hz adaptive refresh rate and up to 3,000 nits brightness — the brightest Apple has ever produced.
All models now come with Ceramic Shield 2 glass, while the Air adds rear protection as well. Under the hood, Apple introduced the A19 chip for the base iPhone 17, while the Air, Pro, and Pro Max get the upgraded A19 Pro, touted as the fastest smartphone processor on the planet.
The A19 Pro variant, found in the Pro models, delivers added performance gains through its 6-core GPU and a new vapor chamber cooling system, enabling better sustained performance for demanding applications like gaming, 3D rendering, and AI-driven multitasking.
On the AI front, the chip’s neural accelerators power Apple’s next-gen device intelligence, building on Apple Intelligence launched last year.
Meet the iPhone Air
The standout newcomer is the iPhone Air, Apple’s thinnest iPhone ever at just 5.6mm thick, crafted from grade 5 titanium with a striking high-gloss finish. Despite its ultra-slim profile, Apple says it packs all-day battery life thanks to a re-engineered “plateau” housing the cameras and chipsets.
Photography enthusiasts may want to look closely at Apple’s new fusion camera system:
- Air: single 48MP fusion lens
- iPhone 17: dual-fusion 48MP wide + ultrawide setup
- Pro & Pro Max: triple 48MP fusion array supporting up to eight lens-equivalent perspectives
On the sidelines of Friday’s unveiling, Linda van der Nest, iStore Chief Commercial Officer, told NOWinSA that the iPhone Air’s design is on another level entirely:
“I’m absolutely in love with its design — the thinness, the lightness, the overall look and feel are unlike anything we’ve seen before. The iPhone 17 Air is simply breathtaking. It’s like sitting in a Porsche — sleek, refined, and effortlessly premium.”
Linda van der Nest, iStore Chief Commercial Officer
Her glowing take echoes the sentiment of early users, many of whom praise the Air’s incredibly lightweight frame, titanium durability, and the power of the A19 Pro chip. But not everyone is convinced: the lack of stereo speakers and concerns that its battery may trail the standard iPhone 17 have left some questioning whether the design-first approach came at too high a cost.
NOWinSA quick take: iPhone 17 Air
Pros
- Ultra-thin 5.6mm titanium design — Apple’s sleekest ever
- Powered by the A19 Pro chip for cutting-edge performance
- Ceramic Shield 2 durability + all-day battery efficiency
Cons
- No stereo speakers — only bottom microphones
- Battery life may underperform vs the standard iPhone 17
- Single-lens camera limits versatility vs Pro models
iStore brings more value
iStore is bolstering the launch with trade-in offers of up to R25,000 cashback, locked in for 60 days, and bundled iCare Plus coverage worth R1,999, which includes a 2-year warranty, screen repair, and a 55% buy-back guarantee after 24 months.
Shoppers can also secure their iPhone 17 on contracts across Vodacom, MTN, and Telkom, starting from R819 per month for the base model.
Contract deals at a glance (iStore SA)
| Device | Vodacom (36m / 24m) | MTN (36m / 24m) | Telkom (36m / 24m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone 17 256GB | R899 / R1179 | R879 / R1209 | R819 / R1139 |
| iPhone 17 Pro 256GB | R1349 / R1749 | R1249 / R1709 | R1119 / R1549 |
| iPhone 17 Pro Max 256GB | R1399 / R1849 | R1349 / R1819 | R1199 / R1669 |
| iPhone Air 256GB (eSIM only) | R1249 / R1629 | R1199 / R1549 | R979 / R1379 |
Why it matters
The iPhone 17 builds directly on the success of iPhone 16, raising the bar with display upgrades, cutting-edge silicon, and a radical new Air design. But the record-high pricing raises a key question for South Africans: does the innovation justify the cost?
