Updated September 8
• A leak reveals iPhone 17 battery capacities for each model
• Apple may be working on a cross-body strap for the iPhone 17
• iPhone 17 Air could be more expensive than we thought
• A video leak claims to show off the iPhone 17 Pro Max fresh off the production line
Update: Follow our iPhone 17 event live blog for all the big news as it's announced!
The iPhone 17 will be launching later today, and we’re expecting it to be a pretty noticeable upgrade over the iPhone 16.
We’ve seen a lot of rumors and leaks regarding the next generation of iPhones, with some of the most noticeable relating to the display. For the most part, we’re expecting the phone to look much the same, but Apple could increase the display to 6.3 inches, as well as include a 120Hz ProMotion display.
Other iPhone 17 rumors include the phone possibly featuring 12GB of RAM, a possible 24MP selfie camera, and even support for the Qi 2.2 wireless charging standard. Add to this the recent tip that Apple could be building its own batteries for the first time, and this could be the longest-lasting iPhone series we’ve seen in a while
Here’s everything we know about the iPhone 17, which is looking to stand as one of the best phones yet.
iPhone 17 cheat sheet: The biggest rumors
- Four new models are expected — a standard iPhone 17, two iPhone 17 Pro models and a new iPhone 17 Air
- Prices could be higher than comparable iPhone 16 models
- The iPhone 17 is tipped to get a fast-refreshing display
- The iPhone 17 display could expand to match the Pro model's 6.3-inch panel
- The iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max could get a 48MP telephoto lens
- The Pro models may also sport a redesigned camera array
iPhone 17: Potential price and release date
With iPhones, it’s pretty easy to guess the release date — especially now that Apple has set a September 9 event that it's dubbed 'Awe Dropping.' Presumably, we'll get to see the iPhone 17 there. Check out our guide on how to watch the iPhone 17 event if you want to see Apple's product reveals for yourself.
Now that we have a confirmed date for Apple's next event, it's likely that it will release its new batch of iPhones on Friday, September 19. Apple has a history of releasing its new iPhones 10 days after it holds a product launch.
,The price of the iPhone 17 remains up in the air, partly due to confusion sparked by the impact of the Trump administration tariffs. In its July earnings call with analysts, Apple said that it expects tariffs to add $1.1 billion in expenses during its September quarter, as it shifts around production to avoid steeper costs.
Apple didn't raise prices on its last iPhone models, with the iPhone 16 starting at $799 and the iPhone 16 Pro Max topping the lineup at $1,199. The iPhone 16e released this spring, wasn't so lucky — at $599, it costs $179 more than the iPhone SE model it replaces, though the 16e does include support for Apple Intelligence features.
Unfortunately, the first iPhone flagship price hike in eight years could be coming next week. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Apple is mulling over price hikes for its new phones, and another analyst expects the price of the iPhone 17 to go up by $50 over the iPhone 16.
However, more recent reports point to the iPhone 17 sticking with its $799 starting price. But the same may not be true for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max.
There’s talk of an iPhone 17 Air replacing the Plus model, which reliable leaker Ice Universe claims to be coming this year alongside the other models. We'll discuss that in greater depth below, but opinion on price is divided, with some suggesting it could cost more than the $1,199 Pro Max models while others point to the iPhone 16 Plus' $899 price as a guide.
More recently, though, it's claimed that the real starting price is $1,199 for a 256GB model.
iPhone 17 rumored display and pricing
Display |
Price |
|
iPhone 17 |
6.27-inch LTPO |
$799 |
iPhone 17 Pro |
6.27-inch LTPO |
$1,199 |
iPhone 17 Pro Max |
6.86-inch LTPO |
$1,299 |
iPhone 17 Air |
6.65-inch LTPO |
$1,099 |
iPhone 17: Design and display
Beyond the Air, the iPhone 17 may not change all that much in terms of its overall look. While some initial reports claimed the standard model would still feature a 6.1-inch screen, a subsequent report now suggests the iPhone 17 will match the 6.3-inch panel Apple uses on its smallest Pro model
There's been a lot of debate about the Dynamic Island feature — specifically the idea that a new "metalens" for Face ID would make the Dynamic Island smaller. Originally, rumors suggested that it would only happen on the iPhone 17 Pro Max, but now Jeff Pu believes the metalens feature will come to all iPhone 17 models.
Some leakers believe Apple will change up the back design by expanding the camera block sideways — at least on the Pro models. Dummy models and leaked case designs allegedly for the iPhone 17 Pro models give us a sense of what that could look like. These have recently been reiterated by the recent video, which is alleged to show an iPhone 17 Pro Max fresh off the production line
A hands-on video with what appears to be an iPhone 17 Pro Max dummy unit suggests that the phone could be thicker than the current Pro Max — around 8.7mm thick compared to 8.25mm for the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
The standard iPhone 17 could be in line for one of the bigger additions — a 120Hz ProMotion display for smoother performance and up to 120fps gameplay. The claim, backed up by a late December 2024 supply chain report, would mean the iPhone 17 would finally have a refresh rate on par with Apple's Pro models — and practically every other flagship handset. The planned LTPO OLED panels will be able to drop to 1Hz with the always-on display, just like the Pro models.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman — who has a good track record with iPhone forecasts — is the latest to say that the iPhone 17 will feature a ProMotion display, which is how Apple brands screens with fast refresh rates. Korean publication ETNews also reports that all iPhone 17 models will get 120Hz displays this year.
However, at least one leaker expects the iPhone 17 screen not to match the panel on the Pro models, even though it will support a 120Hz refresh rate. That may suggest the display won't match the Pro model's power efficiency or brightness, but it strikes us as a very vague claim.
Early leaks claimed Apple would equip the Pro models with a new display that was more scratch-resistant and offered anti-glare technology. But recent reports have suggested that the improvement is being scrapped due to production issues.
Another unclear thing is whether the Pro models will utilize titanium in their frames again. While it makes sense that Apple would retain the premium metal, some rumors claim that Apple will be swapping in aluminum — a much cheaper and far less durable material. Others have disputed this, however. It could also turn out that only the iPhone 17 Air uses titanium, according to one rumor.
iPhone 17 color rumors point to potentially six options for the standard iPhone: black, white, steel gray, purple, green and light blue. Pro models are supposed to come in orange, black, white, gray and blue shades.
The iPhone 17 could also introduce another first in the area of accessories, as a last-minute leak claims Apple is working on a cross-body strap for the iPhone 17 — basically, a magnetic lanyard for your phone.
iPhone 17: Performance
Apple’s A-series chips are no slouch, offering some of the best smartphone performance available. The A18 Pro silicon powering the iPhone 16 Pro models has proven to be a particularly strong performer, as you can see in our iPhone 16 Pro benchmarks.
And yet, the A19 chipset you'd imagine that Apple will use in the iPhone 17 series could be a giant leap forward. It was initially reported that the new chips could be built to the 2nm process, meaning a greater transistor density for better performance and efficiency. Now it looks like a 2nm chip is set for the iPhone 18 Pro in 2026 instead.
That said, the A19 chips may still benefit from TSMC's third-generation 3nm process. This is said to offer better transistor density compared to the 2nd-gen process used to build the A18 chips. This would improve performance and energy efficiency, though not to the same extent as a drop to 2nm would.
We should note that at least one analyst says the standard iPhone 17 model will continue to use the A18 chipset found in the current iPhone 16 models. Apple tried that a few years ago with the iPhone 14, though the chipset powering that phone at least offered an upgraded GPU.
Also on the performance front, a report claims that iPhone 17 Pro models will adopt vapor chamber cooling technology to keep those models from overheating. (Originally, the feature was tipped for all models, but that doesn't seem to be the case now.) Not only do leaked pictures show off that vapor chamber feature, but there's now a diagram that depicts how it will fit into the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
Analyst Jeff Pu has said the iPhone 17 could feature 8GB RAM. However, in a report to investors, Pu said the iPhone 17 Pro models could come with 12GB RAM, a notable upgrade from the 8GB found in the current models — and probably a necessary boost given Apple's push into on-device artificial intelligence. Ming-Chi Kuo also thinks the higher-end iPhones will feature 12GB of RAM.
iPhone 17: Battery
Greater efficiency means less power drain, which means better battery life. And on that note, Apple is tipped to be making a change with its iPhone 17 series, allegedly building its own batteries for the first time. The aim is reportedly to offer “significantly improved performance compared to the existing one”, which sounds extremely promising.
Noted leaker Majin Bu has said the entire iPhone 17 could use a new glue to hold the batteries in place, making them easier to replace without risking damage to their devices. Apple previously used this same tech on the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, but it seems ready to roll it out to all four phones in the iPhone 17 line.
Battery sizes seem to be increasing from the iPhone 16 models if you go by a leak that reportedly comes from Chinese regulatory filings. The iPhone 17 Air — the newest and thinnest model — would have the smallest battery by far at 3,036 mAh. (Note the capacities in the chart below reflect models with physical SIM cards; eSIM-based iPhone 17 models are expected to have larger batteries.)
Model |
Rumored battery size |
Comparable iPhone 16 model battery size |
iPhone 17 |
3,692 mAh |
3,561 mAh |
iPhone 17 Pro |
3,988 mAh |
3,582 mAh |
iPhone 17 Pro Max |
4,823 mAh |
4,685 mAh |
As for charging, the iPhone 17 lineup could be in for a boost in charging speeds. Regulatory filings for the MagSafe chargers show support for the Qi 2.2 wireless charging standard that will bring support for faster charging — they could be in place by the time the iPhone 17 models ship.
Although it's been one of those rumors that's been around, the iPhone 17 Pros could finally be the first to finally get reverse wireless charging.
iPhone 17: Cameras
While the iPhone 17 Pro Max model is tipped to get three 48MP cameras, nothing has yet been revealed about the regular iPhone 17’s rear camera array. That might be because there’s no change from the iPhone 16’s 48MP primary lens and 12MP ultrawide, or nothing has yet leaked.
One thing that has leaked is the word for an upgrade to the front-facing selfie camera. The analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is predicting a 24MP selfie camera for the iPhone 17 — a significant improvement on the 12MP TrueDepth Cam that’s been present since the iPhone 11 Pro Max. It's also speculated that we may see a camera lens with a variable aperture for the first time on an iPhone.
Given how the iPhone 16 Pro models only saw an upgrade to their ultrawide cameras, these upgrades to their telephoto and selfie cameras could be enough to keep the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max in contention for some of the best camera phones around.
One potential caveat to that 48MP telephoto lens rumor, though — it could come at the expense of the iPhone 17 Pro's zoom capabilities. A report claims that an upgrade to a 48MP sensor is in the works for both the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max, but that the new lens would only support a 3.5x optical zoom and not the 5x zoom found on the current models. A conflicting report actually claims an upgraded optical zoom — up to 8x — with other features like an additional Camera Control button on the top of the Pro model and a new Pro camera app.
As for new camera features, Jon Prosser of Front Page Tech claims the iPhone 17 Pro models will offer dual video recording, which would let you capture video from the front and rear cameras simultaneously. The feature would also come in handy on FaceTime calls, letting you film yourself with your TrueDepth camera while also letting other people see video captured by your phone's rear camera.
iPhone 17: Software
It's a pretty safe bet that the iPhone 17 models will debut with iOS 26. (Yes, Apple is going with years instead of version numbers, which is why this update isn't being called iOS 19.) As expected, the biggest focus is on a new Liquid Glass redesign that's being applied to all of Apple's software.
While Apple Intelligence isn't as much of a focus in this year's update, there are some AI-powered improvements including new call screening features in the Phone app, support for live translations and Visual Intelligence improvement that lets you search the contents of your iPhone screen. Improvements to Siri may not surface until 2026, though.
iPhone 17: Outlook
All in all, it sounds like the iPhone 17 will be a serious upgrade — especially if the 120Hz ProMotion display and performance upgrades come to pass.
The iPhone 16 phones released last September are certainly worthwhile upgrades, if not revolutionary ones, with Apple putting most of the emphasis on new AI features coming to the phone rather than significant hardware improvements. It sounds like the iPhone 17 lineup could be a departure from that, should it introduce an iPhone 17 Air to the mix.
Given that Apple's September 9 event is hours away at this point, it won't be long now before the iPhone 17 lineup is revealed.
