If you plan to skip this year's iPhone 16, or if you're just plain curious about what's on the horizon, here are 10 rumored features that we are expecting to arrive in time for its successor, the iPhone 17 series, which is likely to be released in September 2025.
1. Under-Display Face ID
iPhone 17 Pro & iPhone 17 Pro Max
The iPhone 17 Pro is expected to be the first iPhone to feature under-panel Face ID technology. The only external indication of the under-display Face ID technology will likely be a circular cutout for the front-facing camera. This will probably be Apple's last premium model to include a circular cutout for the front-facing camera. Apple is then expected adopt under-display cameras in 2027's "Pro" iPhone models for a true "all-screen" appearance.
2. New Display Sizes
iPhone 17 & iPhone 17 Plus
This year's iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are rumored to be getting bigger display sizes, going from 6.12- and 6.69-inches to 6.27- and 6.86-inches, respectively. For 2025, Apple is also expected to bring the larger 6.27-inch display size to its standard iPhone model, while the equivalent "iPhone 17 Plus" model could adopt completely new display dimensions.
3. 120Hz ProMotion (Always-on Display)
iPhone 17 & iPhone 17 Plus
Apple intends to expand ProMotion to its standard models in 2025, allowing them to ramp up to a 120Hz refresh rate for smoother scrolling and video content when necessary. Notably, ProMotion would also enable the display on the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Plus to ramp down to a more power-efficient refresh rate as low as 1Hz, allowing for an always-on display that can show the Lock Screen's clock, widgets, notifications, and wallpaper even when the device is locked.
4. Apple-Designed Wi-Fi 7 Chip
iPhone 17 Pro & iPhone 17 Pro Max
Apple's premium 2025 models are expected to be equipped with an Apple-designed Wi-Fi 7 chip for the first time. Wi-Fi 7 support would allow the "Pro" models to send and receive data over the 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bands simultaneously with a supported router, resulting in faster Wi-Fi speeds, lower latency, and more reliable connectivity. The Wi-Fi chip would also allow Apple to further reduce its dependance on external suppliers like Broadcom, which currently supplies Apple with a combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip for iPhones.
5. 48MP Telephoto Lens
iPhone 17 Pro Max
An upgraded 48-megapixel Telephoto lens on Apple's largest premium device is expected to be optimized for use with Apple's Vision Pro headset. (The current iPhone 15 Pro models feature 48-megapixel main, 12-megapixel ultra wide, and 12-megapixel telephoto lenses.) That would make 2025's "Pro Max" the first iPhone to have a rear camera system composed entirely of 48-megapixel lenses, making it capable of capturing even more photographic detail.
6. 24MP Selfie Camera
All iPhone 17 Models
The iPhone 17 lineup will feature a 24-megapixel front-facing camera with a six-element lens, according to one rumor. The iPhone 14 and 15 feature a 12-megapixel front-facing camera with five plastic lens elements, and this year's iPhone 16 lineup is expected to feature the same hardware. The upgraded resolution to 24 megapixels on the iPhone 17 will allow photos to maintain their quality even when cropped or zoomed in, while the larger number of pixels will capture finer details. The upgrade to a six-element lens should also slightly enhance image quality.
7. Scratch Resistant Anti-Reflective Display
All iPhone 17 Models
The iPhone 17 will feature an anti-reflective display that is more scratch-resistant than Apple's Ceramic Shield found on iPhone 15 models, according to one rumor. The outer glass on the iPhone 17 is said to have a "super-hard anti-reflective layer" that is "more scratch-resistant." It's not clear whether Apple is planning to adopt the Gorilla Glass Armor that Samsung uses in its Galaxy S24 Ultra, but the description of Corning's latest technology matches the rumor.
8. More Memory
iPhone 17 Pro & iPhone 17 Pro Max
At least one model in Apple's iPhone 17 lineup will come with 12GB. Jeff Pu of investment firm Haitong has claimed that both Pro models will come with the upped RAM, while Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes only the iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature 12GB. In contrast, another reliable source has claimed that all iPhone 17 models will have 12GB of RAM. For comparison, the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus have 6GB of RAM, and the iPhone 15 Pro models have 8GB of RAM, while all iPhone 16 models are expected to have 8GB of RAM. Any such increase would allow for improved multitasking on the iPhone, as well as provide additional resources for Apple Intelligence features that require large-language models to be resident in memory.
9. Smaller Dynamic Island
iPhone 17 Pro Max
Apple's highest-end 2025 iPhone will feature a significantly narrower Dynamic Island, thanks to the device's adoption of a smaller "metalens" for the Face ID system, claims Haitong's Jeff Pu. Assuming that's the case, it would be the first time that Apple has changed the Dynamic Island since it debuted on the iPhone 14 Pro in 2022.
10. iPhone 17 "Air"
iPhone 17 Plus
Apple plans to launch an all-new iPhone 17 model with a "significantly thinner" design, reports The Information. The device, which could be called "iPhone 17 Air," will allegedly feature a "major redesign" that could feature a single rear camera located at the top-center of the device, along with a narrower Dynamic Island, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. The device is rumored to have a 6.5-inch display size, and may replace the iPhone 17 Plus model. Other potential features include an aluminum chassis, an A19 chip, an Apple-designed 5G modem, and an improved front camera. See our iPhone 17 "Slim" rumor roundup for more.
Related Roundup: iPhone 17
This article, "10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 17" first appeared on MacRumors.com
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