With the iPhone 16 almost at the end of its life cycle, rumors keep discussing the upcoming iPhone 17. This model is expected to be released in the second half of 2025. One of the highlights of this generation could be an iPhone Slim, as it seems Apple will no longer bet on a Plus model. Apple executives are calling the upcoming new models their “most ambitious” iPhones ever. Here’s what we know about this future phone so far.
Release date
If Apple follows the trend, the new iPhone 17 lineup should be released in September 2025. According to The Information, Apple has started the manufacturing process to make the regular iPhone 17 models in India. This is the first time Cupertino has begun a New Production Introduction of an iPhone outside China.
In this early manufacturing phase, Apple needs to tweak the iPhone design and experiment with new materials and equipment to ensure that “millions of iPhones can be produced a day across different locations with minimal defects.” This phase will last until early this year.
Apple is already making iPhone 17 Air models in China as they have entered the new product introduction phase. The NPI phase brings this iPhone’s concept to life with design validation and prototype testing.
As of May 2025, Apple has finished the Engineering Validation Testing for at least one iPhone 17 model, as they’re scheduled to be released without a delay.
iPhone 17 Slim/Air: Underpowered and overpriced?
Since Apple introduced the iPhone 12 mini, it has struggled to find a market for the unique variations of its regular iPhone models. The company has seen low sales of the iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 14 Plus, and iPhone 15 Plus. While we need to know how the iPhone 16 Plus will sell, Cupertino might be planning a different approach for the iPhone 17.
At first, rumors believed Apple would charge around $1,299 for this device—the most expensive iPhone to date. However, it seems the company will offer this device at a similar price to the iPhone Plus. Despite its ultra-thin form factor, it would have the A19 chip, 12 GB of RAM, a single main camera, and ProMotion technology. How Apple will maintain a good battery life with an ultra-thin form factor is still unknown. However, the company might learn from Huawei’s latest triple-fold phone.
BGR has a full guide on the iPhone 17 Air.
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iPhone 17e: A new addition to the lineup in 2026
Since Apple introduced the iPhone 16e, users have wondered if this could be a one-time thing with a longer upgrade cycle or an annual release. According to researchers at CIRP, the “iPhone e” is here to stay, as Apple is expected to launch an iPhone 17e in 2026.
The research indicates that while the “iPhone 16e might not be a critical player in the lineup, based on the iPhone SE’s history, it might do better at the expense of other iPhone models.
“It appears that ‘e’ phones may be part of the program going forward. Following the core iPhone 17 model launches in September, we expect Apple to announce an iPhone 17e around this time next year. That would mimic Google’s introduction of ‘a’ model in its Pixel line months after the annual Spring launch of their flagship and Pro models in recent years.
Weibo leaker Fixed Focus Digital, Apple is almost ready to start trial production for this phone, as it aims for an early 2026 release. However, not every leaker believes Apple will update the “iPhone e” yearly.
We’ll update this section as we learn more about its upcoming rumors and features.
Display size and design
For the 2025 iPhone lineup, display analyst Ross Young believes Apple will offer a pill-shaped cutout on every model (regular and Pros). While he previously reported that under-panel Face ID technology would be available on Pro models, he now says it has been delayed to the iPhone 18. A rumor says Apple wants to ditch the titanium frame for aluminum for all iPhone models.
With that, a leaker expects the back of the iPhone to transition from aluminum to glass without the user realizing it. Here’s what this change could mean for future Pro models. In addition, Apple might change the camera module design for the first time since the iPhone 11 Pro model was announced. All iPhone 17 models will have this new look besides the regular version.
The regular iPhone 17 models are rumored to finally feature Always-On Display and ProMotion technology, as Young expects the company to add a low-temperature polycrystalline oxide display to all 2025 models. ETNews says Samsung and LG could be the main beneficiaries of Apple’s OLED panel orders with these technologies in 2025.
Besides that, here are the possible display sizes for each iPhone model:
- Regular: 6.3-inches
- Air: 6.6-inches
- Pro: 6.3-inches
- Pro Max: 6.9-inches
According to a DigiTime report, this iPhone could use a new OLED display technology. The Touch and Display Driver Integration tech is expected to debut as early as the second quarter of 2025, and Apple is “expected” to be Novatek’s first customer. This technology could make the iPhone display even thinner.
Analyst Jeff Pu says Apple could add a narrow Dynamic Island to the iPhone 17 Pro versions. Ming-Chi Kuo disagrees, but Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station says at least the iPhone 17 Pro Max could have a smaller Dynamic Island.
Finally, it seems Apple canceled a display feature that iPhone users would have loved, an anti-reflective coating.
iPhone 17 colors
Rumors suggest Apple will ditch the titanium finish for aluminum and glass. With that, the company will probably make the colors different for this lineup.
Here’s what we expect:
iPhone 17 colors:
- Black
- White
- Three new different options
iPhone 17 Pro colors:
- Black
- White
- Gold
There’s a rumor that says the Sky Blue color will be the main iPhone 17 Pro option.
Cameras
With the iPhone 17 Pro lineup, Apple will finally add a 48MP lens to all primary cameras. While the iPhone 16 Pro was rumored to add a 48MP ultra-wide lens, the 17 Pro will add the same resolution for the telephoto lens, in addition to an upgraded tetra prism zoom camera exclusive to the Pro Max.
Kuo details Apple’s tetraprism zoom upgrade plans for the coming years, with 2025 set to bring a big change. Apple wants to upgrade from the current 12-megapixel zoom sensor to a 48-megapixel tetraprism lens this year. But the analyst says it’s still unclear whether Apple will use the new zoom camera on every Pro model:
(1) The high-end iPhone 17 model is expected to feature an upgraded tetraprism camera, with key specification changes from a 1/3.1″ 12MP CIS in the iPhone 16 Pro series to a 1/2.6″ 48MP CIS. This upgrade will enhance photo quality and zoom functionality.(2) It is currently uncertain whether only the iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature the upgraded tetraprism camera. If so, the 2H26 iPhone 18 Pro will also feature the upgraded tetraprism camera.
Besides that, The Information reports that Apple is planning a mechanical aperture for the iPhone Pro. With it, users could manually add a shallow depth-of-field effect to their photos. Currently, Apple artificially generates a bokeh effect with Portrait Mode.
Regarding the front-facing camera, Jeff Pu believes Apple could add a 24MP sensor to improve selfies. In addition, Apple will continue to offer the Camera Control feature, even though I wish the company would remove it.
After The Information said Apple was working on a camera module with an “elongated oval shape” — and since we saw leaked iPhone 17 Pro components that seemingly confirmed that report — it seems the company might stick with the current triangular design we’ve seen on the past few generations of Pro iPhones.
At least, this is what Chinese leaker ‘Instant Digital’ posted on Weibo. This leaker has a mixed track record, but they have been right about the yellow iPhone 14, the frosted back glass of the iPhone 15, spatial video capture, and many other features that indeed arrived on Apple devices. This new design might come for the iPhone 17 Air.
A18, A19, and A19 Pro chips are coming
While Apple was first expected to follow its trend of introducing two different chips for all of its four new iPhone models, analyst Jeff Pu suggests the base model iPhone 17 will maintain the A18 chip. With that, Apple is developing an A19 processor for the iPhone 17 Air and an A19 Pro option for the Pro models.
The company’s most powerful chips are expected to use a new TSMC technology for improved efficiency. It seems these chips will continue to use a 3nm manufacturing process.
It’s unclear how much faster they will be, although Neural Engine cores will likely be a priority as Apple plans to improve Apple Intelligence features. However, at first, it was rumored that these devices would get 12GB of RAM for the Pro models and 8GB for the regular ones. Now, it seems at least three iPhone models will get 12GB of RAM. A leaker suggests all iPhone models will get this upgrade.
BGR‘s Chris Smith believes the RAM bump means Apple will unveil better AI features soon.
Wi-Fi 7 support and connectivity
The iPhone 16 features Wi-Fi 7 support, and Apple’s upcoming iPhone 17 will likely use this technology. For the iPhone 15, Apple offered Wi-Fi 6E support, which improves wireless performance, lowers latency, and reduces power consumption. Wi-Fi 7, meanwhile, boasts faster speeds, even lower latency, and better connectivity experiences in areas with high device density.
Analysts Ming-Chi Kuo and Jeff Pu believe Apple will use a proprietary Wi-Fi modem, as the company wants to rely less on Broadcom and, eventually, create a chip that will feature cellular, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth technologies in a single silicon.
The Information says the iPhone 17 will use Mediatek 5G modems instead of Apple’s C1 chip or Qualcomm’s option. However, the Air option might use the company’s built-in solution.
Battery
Leakers still couldn’t reveal the possible battery capacities for all the new iPhones. Still, a rumor believes that the entire iPhone 17 lineup will feature the same battery glue tech that Apple used for the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus.
As shown by iFixit, all you need to do to remove the battery from the chassis is apply a low-voltage current. The battery will come off like magic. The procedure further improves the repairability of the iPhone 16, making battery replacements even easier. The process only works in one direction, allowing you to detach the battery from the frame. Each new battery will feature its own glue strip, and no current will be needed during installation.
While we believe battery life will be a concern for the iPhone 17 Air, a new display component might help Apple improve the battery life of the iPhone 17 Pro models while increasing durability. According to a Taiwanese supplier source, the iPhone 17 Air will be incredibly thin (5.5mm), weigh very little (about 145g), and feature a 2,800 mAh battery capacity. That’s similar to the iPhone 12, which has up to 2,815 mAh.
However, the leaker suggests the capacity could increase by 15 to 20% thanks to a possible high-density battery cell. If Apple can push the battery capacity up to 3,360 mAh in the iPhone 17 Air, it would bring it in line with the iPhone 15, which could be amazing. In addition, the iPhone 17 Pro Max might be thicker to feature a larger battery.
iOS 26 and Apple Intelligence features will be key for iPhone 17
Forget about iOS 19, as Apple’s upcoming operating system update will be called iOS 26. As previously reported by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple wants to identify software updates by the upcoming year (like a new car’s model year). Apple’s other OS updates also follow the same naming convention.
The most important feature of iOS 26 is its redesign. During the WWDC 2025 keynote, Apple introduced a new Liquid Glass design. The company is fundamentally changing the look of its iOS platform by making it resonate more with iPadOS and macOS. The Lock Screen, Home Screen, apps, and icons all look new.
Cupertino is also improving current Apple Intelligence capabilities. Here are some of the new features:
- Live Translation: Use FaceTime, Phone, or Messages to communicate with others even if you don’t speak the same language.
- Onscreen ChatGPT awareness: ChatGPT gets deeper into Apple Intelligence capabilities, as you can ask the AI questions about what’s on your screen.
- Genmoji improvements: You can mix emoji, Genmoji, and a description for the first time.
- Image Playground improvements: Image Playground can now be powered by ChatGPT. The AI offers five different styles to create your next images.
- AI-powered Shortcuts app: There are several new Apple Intelligence-powered shortcut suggestions. For example, you can create your on Apple Intelligence chatbot.
Here’s every new Apple Intelligence feature coming to iOS 26
Price and storage
Rumors say Apple might be planning to add a 2TB tier for the iPhone Pro models, starting with the iPhone 17. That said, these could be the possible storage options:
- iPhone 17: 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB
- iPhone 17 Air: 256GB and 512GB
- iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB
A rumor says Apple could charge more for the iPhone 17 models. So far, we have only heard that the company wanted to charge way more for the future Air model, most likely, $1,299. However, new rumors state that it won’t be more expensive than the Pro models. Still, there’s a possibility that Trump’s tariffs might make the iPhone 17 lineup 9% more expensive.
A recent Wall Street Journal report reveals that the entire iPhone 17 lineup might get a price hike. Cupertino wants to use these new features as the main reason for the new devices’ higher cost.
Here are the current storage options and prices for the iPhone 16 lineup:
iPhone 16
- 128GB: $799
- 256GB: $899
- 512GB: $1,099
iPhone 16 Plus
- 128GB: $899
- 256GB: $999
- 512GB: $1,199
iPhone 16 Pro
- 128GB: $999
- 256GB: $1,099
- 512GB: $1,299
- 1 TB: $1,499
iPhone 16 Pro Max
- 256GB: $1,199
- 512GB: $1,399
- 1 TB: $1,599
This is the best iPhone 16 to get if you’re waiting for the 2025 models.
Wrap up
This is everything we know about the iPhone 17 so far. We’ll keep updating this article.
