he iPhone 17 series is expected to bring several updates compared to the previous-gen iPhones. Speculated to launch in September 2025, the phone might include the much-awaited 120Hz display refresh rate, a new design, and an updated camera system. But it gets even more interesting with a new entry. The iPhone 17 series is expected to debut with a new Slim model, replacing the Plus. The iPhone 17 Slim is rumoured to be the slimmest phone on the Apple-verse, slimmer than the iPhone 6. What more? Let's delve deeper into the rumoured details of the iPhone 17 line-up.
iPhone 17 rumour roundup: Design
According to the latest rumour, the iPhone 17 series will revamp the traditional design for the entire line-up. While the iPhone 16 also tried to do this with the base and Plus variant, the iPhone 17 line-up is expected to see a Google Pixel-like camera bump.
On Weibo, tipster Digital Chat Station shared an image showcasing a possible design for the iPhone 17, with a key change being the rear camera arranged vertically. We've previously covered this design shift and also noted that the iPhone 17 Pro might feature a partial aluminium chassis instead of the titanium one. Although this chassis may be in development, it's possible that Apple could alter it before the official reveal.
Mark Gurman from Bloomberg reports that the iPhone 17 Air will be approximately 2 millimeters thinner than the current iPhone 16 Pro. With the iPhone 16 Pro measuring 8.25mm in thickness, this would bring the iPhone 17 Air down to around 6.25mm, making it the slimmest iPhone ever. The previous thinnest iPhone was the iPhone 6 at 6.9mm, and since the iPhone X, Apple has increased thickness to accommodate larger batteries, camera systems, and Face ID hardware.
Analyst Jeff Pu has also predicted the new iPhone's thickness will be around 6mm, while The Information suggests it could range between 5mm and 6mm.
In terms of size, the iPhone 17 Air is expected to be positioned between the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max. Rumours indicate the display size could be around 6.55, 6.6, or 6.65 inches, making it smaller than the 17 Pro Max but larger than the 17 Pro.
Additionally, The Information reports that the iPhone 17 Air will feature a new camera design, with the rear camera moved from the upper left corner to the center of the device, resulting in a "large, centered camera bump."
iPhone 17 display rumours
For years, the 120Hz "ProMotion" refresh rate has been exclusive to the iPhone Pro models, but in 2025, it may be expanded to the entire iPhone lineup. Reports suggest that both the Pro and standard versions of the iPhone will feature ProMotion, bringing benefits like smoother scrolling and video playback across all models. This shift would mean that ProMotion is no longer a distinguishing feature of the Pro variants.
ProMotion supports a variable refresh rate ranging from 1Hz to 120Hz, with the higher end providing smoother motion, ideal for tasks like scrolling and viewing video content. Additionally, rumours indicate that the iPhone 17 lineup will feature a new anti-reflective display, which is expected to be more scratch-resistant than the Ceramic Shield used in current models. Apple is reportedly developing a "super-hard anti-reflective layer" designed to improve durability and better withstand everyday wear and tear.
iPhone 17: A19 processor
The iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to be powered by Apple's next-generation A19 Pro chip, which will likely be manufactured using TSMC's advanced third-generation 3nm process. As with previous upgrades, users can expect notable improvements in both performance and power efficiency over the current iPhone models. Additionally, rumours suggest that at least one iPhone 17 variant will feature a custom-designed Apple Wi-Fi 7 chip, marking a shift away from the Broadcom chips used in previous iPhones.
The higher-end iPhone 17 models are rumoured to come with 12GB of RAM, while the standard iPhone 17 will likely feature 8GB of RAM. If accurate, the 12GB RAM would represent a 4GB increase over the iPhone 15 Pro models, while the 8GB in the standard iPhone 17 would be a 2GB bump compared to the iPhone 15.
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicts that the 12GB RAM upgrade will be exclusive to the iPhone 17 Pro Max, with the other models in the lineup, including the standard iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro, likely to have 8GB of RAM. Analyst Jeff Pu, however, believes that the iPhone 17 Pro models will feature the 12GB RAM, while the standard iPhone 17 will come with 8GB.
iPhone 17 camera expectations
All iPhone 17 models are expected to come with a 24-megapixel front-facing camera featuring a six-element lens, marking an upgrade from the current 12-megapixel selfie camera. This increase in megapixels will allow for more detailed and clearer images, especially when cropping in.
The iPhone 17 Pro Max is rumoured to have an impressive rear camera setup, with three 48-megapixel sensors: a Wide camera, an Ultra Wide camera, and a Tetraprism Telephoto camera. This will make the Pro Max the first iPhone to feature three 48-megapixel cameras. The standard iPhone 17 model, on the other hand, is expected to feature a single 48-megapixel rear camera.
One standout feature for at least one iPhone 17 variant will be a mechanical aperture, which will allow users to adjust the size of the aperture to control the amount of light hitting the lens. This will give users more creative control over their shots, enabling shallow depth-of-field effects, something that current iPhones, with their fixed apertures, cannot achieve.
The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max will continue to include a 5x Telephoto optical zoom lens, a feature reserved for the Pro models. The standard iPhone 17 and the iPhone 17 Air, however, will not offer the 5x zoom.
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