The iPhone 17 launch is just around the corner, with Apple preparing to debut four new handsets to replace the iPhone 16 range. Three of these are straight swaps for the regular, Pro, and Pro Max versions of the iPhone 16, but there’s also an ultra-thin model on the way that’s been dubbed the iPhone 17 Air until we get the official name from Apple. This is set to replace the iPhone 16 Plus after the Plus line failed to set the world alight, sales-wise.
So what’s new in each model? Here’s what we’re expecting from each handset when Apple unveils all four on September 9.
iPhone 17
- A new 120Hz panel
- A slightly larger screen
- A higher resolution selfie camera
- Faster charging
- A new part-aluminum, part-glass design
For the basic iPhone 17, Apple seems to have five main changes planned.
The most important of these is the reported adoption of a 120Hz panel for the first time. A Pro-only feature since the iPhone 13 Pro debuted in 2021, this would not only make the phone seem smoother in use, but also allow for up to 120fps frame rates in supported apps.
The screen will apparently be larger, too. The iPhone 17 is set to match the iPhone 16 Pro for size with a 6.27-inch panel. That strongly suggests bezels will be slimmed down, as they were when the Pro range adopted larger screens.
As for the chassis itself, Apple’s still keeping titanium frames a Pro exclusive for now, but the vanilla iPhone 17’s design is also getting an upgrade. Renders and dummy models suggest Apple’s adding a glass area around the MagSafe charger and Apple logo, though the rest of the frame will remain aluminum for enhanced durability.
There have been minimal changes to the front-facing 12MP camera since it debuted on the iPhone 11, but that looks set to end with the iPhone 17. According to the analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, all four models are set to double the megapixel count to 24. It will apparently have six elements, ensuring far better selfies.
Finally, there’s another change that’s set to improve all four iPhones: faster charging. You shouldn’t get too excited, as it’s only tipped to be 35W, but that’s still a big improvement on the 20W rate officially supported at the moment.
Taiwanese regulatory filings also suggest that Apple is preparing to support Qi 2.2 wireless charging, which could boost wireless charging speeds to 50W — a big step up from the 25W currently supported.
There’s a little bad news here, though. According to reports, the iPhone 17 might be the only member of the lineup not to see an upgrade to the new A19 chipset, instead sticking with the same processor found in the iPhone 16.
iPhone 17 Air
- An ultra-thin design
- Use of Apple’s C1 cellular modem
- Adoption of A19 chipset
- 120Hz screen
- Faster charging
- A higher resolution selfie camera
- A single 48MP camera
- eSIM-only in some markets
After the disappointments of the mini and Plus iPhone ranges, Apple is hoping that the third time’s the charm with the iPhone 17 Air.
The most notable thing about it is expected to be its thin frame, with a width of just 5.5mm at its thinnest point. With a 6.6-inch screen, it will offer more viewing space than the basic iPhone 17, despite its thinness. It’s also expected to receive both the 24MP selfie camera and faster 35W charging as its sibling.
To maximize space, the iPhone 17 Air will apparently be the only phone in the new range to adopt the Apple C1 cellular modem that debuted on the iPhone 16e. It could also lack physical SIM support outside of the U.S., similar to how current iPhones sold inside the United States are all eSIM-only.
The iPhone 17 Air’s battery will also be smaller than the other phones in the line-up, with a suggested capacity of just 2,900mAh, which could be an issue for power users. More worrying still are rumors that the iPhone 17 Air won’t last a single day without needing to be recharged. To make up for that, Apple has been developing its own smart battery case, one of many upcoming iPhone 17 accessories reportedly in the works.
Unlike the iPhone 17, the Air will likely be adopting the new A19 chipset — though it may be one graphics core down on the silicon found in the Pro models.
An even bigger downside is the strong rumor that the handset will feature a single 48MP camera lens, not only missing out on the telephoto lens of the Pro models, but losing the secondary ultrawide camera too.
iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max
- Telephoto lens now 48MP with stronger zoom
- Adoption of new 3nm A19 Pro chipset
- Boosted to 12GB RAM
- A switch to aluminum frame
- Vapor chamber cooling
- Reverse charging support
- Faster charging
- A higher resolution selfie camera
In past years, there have been some spec differences between the two Pro models — most notably with the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s 5x periscope lens — but it seems this time around, the only differentials will be price, size (6.3 inches vs 6.9 inches) and the knock-on effect that has to battery life.
There are two main upgrades expected on the inside. First, the adoption of the new 3nm A19 Pro chip should improve computing, graphical and AI performance. Both models are expected to gain an extra 4GB of RAM, taking the total to 12GB, likely to help the phones’ Apple Intelligence performance.
These upgrades are tipped to come with vapor chamber cooling, to allow for more consistent performance under heavy load.
While the other models aren’t expected to get any major camera upgrades, the Pro versions are tipped to see the 12MP telephoto lens upgraded to 48MP. This could reach 8x zoom, and would mean that all three of the rear cameras would have 48 megapixels.
As well as the shared improvements to charging and the front-facing camera mentioned on the other phones, there are a couple of other interesting tidbits. The Pro models are reportedly abandoning their titanium frames for aluminum, and they might support reverse wireless charging for the first time.
