iPhone 17 Pro: Seven new features are coming next year

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Next year is set to be big for the iPhone, with a compelling new iPhone SE 4 in the spring and the ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air in the fall. But what about Apple’s flagship Pro models? Here are seven new features coming to the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max in 2025.

24MP front-facing camera

The iPhone’s cameras get better every year, but often Apple’s big improvements focus on the rear cameras.

With the full iPhone 17 line, though, Apple will upgrade the front camera from a 12MP sensor to a brand new 24MP sensor, which should bring big improvements.

It’s about time for the selfie camera to get closer in quality to the iPhone’s rear camera.

A19 Pro chip

Apple will once again upgrade its new iPhones with a new and improved A-series chip. In 2025 that will be the A19 Pro chip.

Apple’s very best silicon will be reserved exclusively for the 17 Pro and Pro Max. Though the new 17 Air model is expected to win over a lot of Pro users, it will feature the standard A19 chip—just like the base iPhone 17.

12GB RAM, the most ever in an iPhone

The advent of AI has made RAM in Apple’s devices increasingly important. iPhone 15 owners know this better than anyone, since RAM limitations made the device incompatible with Apple Intelligence.

In 2025, Apple will give its 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max models 12GB of RAM—the most ever in an iPhone.

This is a nice 50% improvement from the 16 Pro’s 8GB of RAM, which is what the standard iPhone 17 and 17 Air will be limited to still.

Apple’s in-house Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip

Apple has for years been working on developing two of its own modems: one for 5G, and one for Wi-Fi. Now, both projects are nearing the light of day.

The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max are expected to use Apple’s new combo Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, and possibly the rest of the lineup too.

Only the 17 Air, however, will get Apple’s in-house 5G modem, with the Pro models sticking with Qualcomm’s more advanced modem for another year.

Larger ‘rectangular’ camera bump

Glass-plastic hybrid lens | Close-up of iPhone 15 Pro Max camera bump

Like Apple did with this year’s 16 Pro models, the company is ready to double down on its Pro line as being especially optimized for camera use.

The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max will reportedly boast a ‘larger rectangular camera bump.’ Presumably this will enable some new benefit.

It sounds like the top portion of the Pro models may feature a full-width aluminum design. The bottom half, however, will retain its standard glass back for wireless charging.

Redesigned frame with aluminum

This is an especially curious one: the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max are getting a redesigned frame, with aluminum replacing titanium.

Apple just recently introduced titanium to the iPhone’s Pro models in 2023, so the shift to aluminum is interesting. We’ll have to wait to hear Apple’s reasoning for the transition.

Narrower Dynamic Island on Pro Max

Finally, here’s one change exclusive to the iPhone 17 Pro Max: a smaller Dynamic Island than ever before.

Details are scarce, but it’s possible this change could accompany Face ID being embedded in the Pro Max’s display. Nothing concrete has been reported to that effect yet, but one way or another, the high-end model should feature a ‘much narrowed Dynamic Island.’