Apple iPhone 17 Rumors: Everything We Know So FarApple iPhone 17 Rumors: Everything We Know So Far

The iPhone 16 is just a few months old, and we just got the iPhone 16e, but mobile watchers are already turning their attention to Apple's next flagship smartphone, with execs reportedly referring to next-gen iPhones as the “most ambitious in the product’s history."

Rumors suggest the biggest change in the iPhone 17 lineup will be the elimination of the "Plus" variant in favor of a "Slim" or "Air" model. There's also chatter about all four models getting a 120Hz ProMotion display and 24MP front-facing cameras.

If you didn't upgrade to the iPhone 16 or are just curious to learn what Apple has cooking, here's what we've heard about the iPhone 17 from reliable sources so far.

iPhone 17: Revised Lineup

Of the four iPhone variants in the most recent iPhone lineups, the Plus model has reportedly fared the worst, as most people appear willing to just pay an extra $100 for a Pro model, Bloomberg notes. 

Enter the iPhone 17 Slim. Multiple reports suggest it will have a 6.6-inch display, a single 48MP rear camera, and a minimum of 8GB RAM to support Apple Intelligence (potentially up to 12GB). However, Apple might call it an "Air" model instead to align with its MacBook Air and iPad Air models.

The thin model is part of Apple's long-term plans to develop "the thinnest and lightest products in their categories across the whole tech industry." With a thickness of just 6.25 mm, it is expected to overtake the iPhone 6 (6.9mm) as the thinnest iPhone ever. One drawback of the thin design is that it may leave no space for a speaker at the bottom, so the device will likely have just one speaker at the top.

The other three models will likely retain their names, but the display size for the base and Pro variants might increase from 6.1 to 6.3 inches, according to analyst Jeff Pu. The Pro Max will continue with a 6.9-inch display.

Fresh Looks

While the last five generations of iPhones have looked similar, the iPhone 17 lineup will likely undergo big changes—especially at the back.

The camera modules could be moved from the upper-left corner to a more central position. The iPhone 17 Air’s single camera might be housed within a large, centered bump, while the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max could feature a rectangular camera strip along the top, similar to the Google Pixel 9 Pro.

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It’s unclear if Apple will continue using titanium for the chassis of the Pro models. According to The Information, all iPhone 17 models will use an aluminum frame. But a leaker contradicts this, claiming that the 17 Pro models will continue using titanium. 

On the front, the pill-shaped cutout for the Dynamic Island on the iPhone 17 Air will be slightly smaller than the current iPhone 16 models, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. The iPhone 17 Pro Max could also get a new "metalens" for Face ID that reduces the size of its Dynamic Island.

Display Changes

According to ETNews, which cites a display industry insider, Apple is set to use the same low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) panels on all iPhone 17 models. This means each of the upcoming models could come with 120Hz ProMotion refresh rates and always-on display (AOD) features—something Apple has restricted to the Pro models so far.

Samsung will manufacture the panels for the 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max models, while LG will build the ones for the base and Slim/Air variants, the report adds. 

Apple is also reportedly in talks with Corning to make the outer glass of the iPhone 17 lineup "anti-reflective" and more scratch-resistant.

Camera Upgrades

Apple's iPhones have long had 12MP front-facing cameras, but that's about to change with the introduction of 24MP front shooters on all four iPhone 17 models, says Kuo. These cameras are also rumored to be positioned more centrally within the Dynamic Island rather than in its left corner.

Another feature Apple fans have wanted across the board is 5x zoom. That, however, will remain exclusive to the 17 Pro models, according to the South Korean outlet Elec.

Among the Pro models, Kuo says, the iPhone 17 Pro Max will become the first iPhone to feature three 48MPcameras: wide, ultra-wide, and Tetraprism. It's unclear if the same lenses will be extended to the 17 Pro.

A Tetraprism is "basically a periscope or a way to bend light multiple times through glass, which is a tool other phone makers have used in their cameras since 2017 to bring faraway subjects closer to your smartphone," according to our expert.

The iPhone 17 Slim, on the other hand, is expected to feature a single 48MP rear camera, but information about the rear cameras for the base and Pro variants is surprisingly scarce.

However, according to The Information, at least one of the iPhone 17 models will feature a mechanical aperture, allowing users to adjust the opening of a lens and, thereby, the amount of light entering it manually. Currently, all iPhone models have a fixed aperture.

Performance Boost

Apple tends to upgrade chipsets every year. Unsurprisingly, the iPhone 17 and 17 Slim are expected to get the A19 chip, while the Pro models will receive the A19 Pro chips. 

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However, the rumor mill is divided on whether these SoCs will be built on TSMC's 2-nanometer chips. The latest update, according to a recent X post by Kuo, is that all iPhone 17 phones will feature TSMC's N3P, 3-nanometer technology. 

Regarding memory, the 17 Pro Max is expected to receive 12GB RAM, and the base and slim variants are expected to pack 8GB of RAM. For the 17 Pro model, Kuo expects 8GB RAM, while Jeff Pu reports 12GB.

Developing Hardware In-House

After developing its own A-series and M-series chips, Apple might venture into developing batteries, according to ET News. The report states that Apple is currently running a battery development project and plans to include it in "products released after 2025." For now, the focus is on the modem.

After working on a modem chip for quite some time, we finally got a look at Apple's work with the C1 modem in the iPhone 16e. The C1 supports sub-6GHz and C-band 5G spectrum but not the faster mmWave available to the other iPhone 16 models. That limits the 16e's maximum speed potential in areas where mmWave is available.

Apple currently uses Broadcom's Wi-Fi 7 technology for the iPhone 16 models. According to Kuo, "All new 2H25 iPhone 17 models will feature Apple's in-house Wi-Fi chips." Only the iPhone 17 Slim will have the C1. That should reduce costs and "enhance connectivity across Apple devices," he says.

In November, Jeff Pu also said Apple would include a Wi-Fi 7 chip in the iPhone 17 Pro in the second half of 2025, MacRumors reports.

Another hardware rumor is about the potential inclusion of a vapor chamber. As MacRumors notes, this technology reduces thermal heating by spreading it across a larger surface area. The component has already been used in high-end Android phones, and it could help Apple avoid the heating issues it faced with some Pro models earlier.

Release and Pricing

Apple is most likely to stick with its September launch window for the iPhone 17 lineup.

As far as pricing is concerned, The Wall Street Journal reports that the iPhone 17 Air could be cheaper than the Pro models. MacRumors expects the Pro models to retain their starting price of $999.

We'll update this space as more rumors trickle in.

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About Jibin Joseph

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Jibin Joseph

Jibin is a tech news writer based out of Ahmedabad, India. Previously, he served as the editor of iGeeksBlog and is a self-proclaimed tech enthusiast who loves breaking down complex information for a broader audience.

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HeyMrDJ

27 November, 2024

At this point 7 people have given a thumbs down to the question "Was this article helpful".  I can't help but wonder how they felt it was not helpful since they clicked on it, and read it, to find out about next year's 17 version of the iPhone. Did they somehow already know all of this?  I did not ...

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