If you’ve skipped the iPhone 16 or are holding out for more compelling upgrades, here are 17 rumored features that could make the iPhone 17 lineup, launching this September, worth the wait.

1. iPhone 17 Air

Apple is expected to introduce a brand-new model with a significantly thinner design, possibly called iPhone 17 Air. According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, it will sport a completely reimagined form with a single rear camera embedded in a horizontal strip at the top, paired with a more compact Dynamic Island.

The iPhone 17 Air is said to be just 5.5mm thick at its thinnest point, featuring a 6.6-inch display, aluminum frame, A19 chip, Apple C1 modem, Action button, dedicated camera control button, and a 24MP front-facing camera. This model may eventually replace the iPhone Plus series.

2. All-new aluminum design

Apple is rumored to bring aluminum frames back to the entire iPhone 17 lineup. The two iPhone 17 Pro models would be the first premium variants to feature aluminum frames since Apple began differentiating Pro and non-Pro models.

Previously, aluminum was limited to the iPhone SE and mid-range models. While the iPhone 15 Pro switched to titanium, the iPhone 17 is expected to use aluminum across all versions.

3. Redesigned rear camera array

The iPhone 17 Pro models will likely see a major shift in rear camera design. Apple plans to abandon the familiar square bump in favor of a horizontal aluminum camera bar across the top half of the phone. The upper half of the back will be aluminum, housing the camera system, while the lower half remains glass for wireless charging support.

Camera modules will match the color of the chassis and appear larger than on current models.

4. New screen sizes

While the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max already increased in display size, Apple is reportedly bringing a 6.27-inch screen to the standard iPhone 17. The iPhone 17 Air will debut with a completely new size, distinguishing it from previous Plus models.

5. ProMotion 120Hz and always-on display

Apple intends to bring ProMotion 120Hz refresh rates to the entire iPhone 17 series, enhancing scrolling and video playback. More importantly, this technology allows screens to reduce refresh rates to 1Hz, enabling an always-on display for clocks, widgets, notifications, and wallpapers on the lock screen.

6. Apple-designed Wi-Fi 7 chip

Premium iPhone 17 models will be equipped with Apple’s in-house Wi-Fi 7 chip, which supports simultaneous transmission across 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bands. This will deliver faster speeds, lower latency, and more reliable connectivity.

7. 48MP telephoto lens

The iPhone 17 Pro is rumored to feature a 48MP telephoto lens tailored for use with Vision Pro. It will support a 3.5x optical zoom (85mm focal length) instead of the current 5x, optimizing it for portrait and casual photography. The higher resolution enables better digital cropping without significant quality loss.

8. 8K video recording

While Apple tested 8K video on the iPhone 16 Pro, the feature is expected to debut on the iPhone 17 Pro, leveraging the new 48MP lens. This positions Apple to compete directly with Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Ultra and Google’s Pixel 9 Pro.

9. 24MP front-facing camera

A new 24MP selfie camera with a 6-element lens is rumored, replacing the current 12MP, 5-element configuration. This upgrade will deliver sharper self-portraits with improved detail, even when cropped or zoomed.

10. More durable, anti-reflective display

The iPhone 17 display is expected to feature a tougher, anti-reflective coating that surpasses Ceramic Shield in scratch resistance. While it’s unclear if Apple will use Gorilla Glass Armor (as seen on the Galaxy S24 Ultra), this enhancement should improve durability significantly.

11. 12GB RAM

At least one iPhone 17 model will reportedly include 12GB of RAM. Analyst Jeff Pu expects both Pro models to feature the upgrade, while Ming-Chi Kuo believes it will be exclusive to the iPhone 17 Pro Max. More RAM will support advanced multitasking and AI functions under Apple Intelligence.

12. Smaller Dynamic Island

The iPhone 17 Pro Max may have a smaller Dynamic Island thanks to "metalens" technology - a new ultra-thin lens used for Face ID. This would mark the first significant change to Dynamic Island since its introduction on the iPhone 14 Pro.

13. A19 chip

The iPhone 17 series will run on Apple’s A19 chip, likely built on TSMC’s upgraded N3P (3nm) process. The Pro models will use the A19 Pro, while the standard and Air versions get the regular A19. The new chip promises performance gains and better energy efficiency.

14. Custom Bluetooth and Wi-Fi chip

Apple is replacing Broadcom’s Bluetooth and Wi-Fi chips with its own in-house solution. This gives Apple greater control over hardware integration and enables Wi-Fi 7 support across all four iPhone 17 models.

15. New vapor chamber cooling

All iPhone 17 variants are expected to adopt vapor chamber cooling - a technology already used in many high-end Android phones. This allows better heat dissipation and maintains stable performance, especially on thinner devices.

16. Reverse wireless charging

Apple is testing 7.5W reverse wireless charging on the iPhone 17 Pro. This feature would allow users to wirelessly charge accessories such as AirPods, Apple Watch, or MagSafe battery packs, similar to existing Android flagships.

17. Larger battery

The iPhone 17 Pro Max will be slightly thicker (8.725mm compared to 8.25mm), which likely indicates a bigger battery. This would provide longer usage times - an important improvement for power users.

Apple is expected to unveil the new iPhone lineup in September. The 2025 models will reportedly include the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and the ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air, all featuring substantial upgrades, particularly in the Pro range.

Hai Phong

(Macrumors, Tom’s Guide)