18 Reasons to wait for iPhone 17 launch and not to buy the Apple iPhone 16
Why waiting for the iPhone 17 might be worth it?
Thinking of upgrading your iPhone soon? The iPhone 17 might be worth the wait, with major design changes, improved cameras, and big performance upgrades expected across the lineup.
1. iPhone 17 Air
According to The Information, Apple intends to introduce an entirely new iPhone 17 model featuring a " significantly thinner design." As per Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the device, potentially named "iPhone 17 Air," will showcase a "major redesign" that includes a single rear camera on a horizontal camera bar at the top of the device and a narrower Dynamic Island.
Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst for Apple, speculates that the iPhone 17 Air will measure 5.5mm in thickness at its thinnest point. This suggests it will have a 5.5mm chassis, with a thicker rear camera bump area. It is speculated that the device will feature a 6.6-inch display and likely replace the Plus model in Apple's product range.
Other reported features comprise an aluminium chassis, an A19 chip, Apple's C1 modem, an Action button, a Camera Control button, and a front camera with 24MP.
2. Redesigned camera
This year's iPhone 17 Pro models will feature a significant redesign, particularly focused on modifications to the rear camera module. Recent reports indicate that Apple will transition from the well-known square camera bump to a unique aluminium camera bar that extends across the device's width.
The area around the camera will have the same colour as the rest of the device. The regular iPhone 17 is not expected to feature the redesigned camera module. There are rumours that the devices will have a new rear design that combines glass and aluminium.
The upper section of the back will be made of aluminium and will feature a new camera bump crafted from aluminium rather than the usual 3D glass. The lower half will consist of glass to allow for wireless charging.
Apple has utilised a glass back since the iPhone 8 and iPhone X in 2017, whereas earlier iPhone models (excluding the iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, and iPhone 5C) featured aluminium backs. According to The Information, the aluminium camera bump on the iPhone 17 Pro will also be larger than earlier models.
3. All new aluminum design
It has been reported that Apple intends to return all its devices to aluminium with the iPhone 17 lineup. The two flagship iPhone 17 Pro models will reintroduce aluminium frames to high-end iPhones for the first time since Apple started distinguishing between Pro and non-Pro models.
In recent years, aluminium frames have been used for lower-end devices like the iPhone SE and iPhone 16. At the same time, premium models utilised stainless steel frames until the introduction of the iPhone 15 Pro, which featured a titanium chassis as a significant upgrade.
The change in materials for the iPhone 17 lineup indicates a unified strategy, as aluminium frames are set to be reintroduced across all devices in the range.
4. Display size
The display sizes of last year's iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max increased from 6.12 and 6.69 inches to 6.27 and 6.86 inches, respectively. Apple anticipates incorporating the larger 6.27-inch display size into its standard iPhone model for 2025, while the corresponding "iPhone 17 Plus" model (tentatively named "iPhone 17 Air") could feature entirely new display dimensions.
5. Apple-Designed Wi-Fi 7 Chip
The high-end 2025 models from Apple are anticipated to feature a Wi-Fi 7 chip designed by Apple itself. With Wi-Fi 7 support, the "Pro" models could send and receive data
simultaneously across the 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bands with a compatible router, leading to faster Wi-Fi speeds, reduced latency, and enhanced connectivity reliability. The Wi-Fi chip would also enable Apple to decrease its dependence on external suppliers such as Broadcom, which presently provides Apple with a combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
6. 120Hz ProMotion
It is rumoured that Apple plans to extend ProMotion to all iPhone models in 2025, enabling all models to increase their refresh rate to 120Hz for smoother scrolling and video content when needed. Until now, the feature has only been available on the "Pro" models of Apple's iPhone lineup.
ProMotion would allow the displays on the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 "Air" to decrease their refresh rates to as low as 1Hz for greater energy efficiency, facilitating an always-on display that shows the Lock Screen's clock, widgets, notifications, and wallpaper even when the device is locked.
One leaker has recently disputed that the non-Pro models will feature ProMotion, asserting instead that they will have fixed 120Hz screens to preserve some differentiation.
7. 48MP Telephoto Lens
While an enhanced 48-megapixel Telephoto lens on Apple's high-end devices is anticipated to be fine-tuned for use with the Vision Pro headset, specifics about its interaction with the Vision Pro remain unknown. Thanks to the enhanced Telephoto, the rear camera system of the iPhone 17 Pro models would consist entirely of 48-megapixel lenses for the first time in an iPhone, allowing it to capture even more photographic detail.
It has been rumoured that the new Telephoto lens will provide a 3.5x zoom (equivalent to 85mm) instead of the current 5x zoom (equivalent to 120mm). This focal length is usually more appropriate for portraits and casual photography, as it enables users to frame shots without distancing themselves too much from the subject.
However, the new 48MP sensor brings about a significant change: its higher resolution makes it possible to simulate longer focal lengths through digital cropping rather than relying on standard digital zoom, which results in less quality degradation.
8. 24 MP selfie camera
According to one rumour, the iPhone 17 lineup will include a front-facing camera with 24 megapixels and a six-element lens. The iPhone 14 and 15 come equipped with a front-facing camera with five plastic lens elements and 12 megapixels.
The same hardware is also found in last year's iPhone 16 series. Thanks to the iPhone 17's enhanced resolution of 24 megapixels, photos will retain their quality when cropped or zoomed in, and the increased pixel count will allow for the capture of finer details. Switching to a six-element lens also improves image quality.
9. 8K video recording
It has been reported that Apple conducted 8K video recording tests on the iPhone 16 Pro models; however, this feature is not yet available. Since the iPhone 17 Pro models are anticipated to feature exclusively 48-megapixel rear cameras, they will likely be the first devices to offer 8K video recording.
Several competing smartphones provide 8K video recording features, including the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra and the Google Pixel 9 Pro (through AI upscaling). Although content creators don't currently widely use 8K video recording, it still has applications.
For example, shooting in 8K enables videographers to use the Ultra Wide camera for recording and then apply a 50% crop while maintaining a 4K resolution. In February, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman notably reported that Apple intends to highlight the enhanced video recording features of the iPhone 17 Pro during its unveiling later this year. Therefore, 8K video recording will be one of the features Apple promotes when the new lineup is launched.
10. Memory
One of the models in Apple's iPhone 17 lineup will feature 12GB. Investment firm Haitong's Jeff Pu has asserted that the base iPhone 17 will include 8GB of RAM, with both Pro models featuring increased RAM, whereas Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo thinks that only the iPhone 17 Pro Max will have 12GB.
Conversely, a trustworthy source asserted that every iPhone 17 model will feature 12GB of RAM. As a comparison, the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus feature 6GB of RAM, the iPhone 15 Pro models contain 8GB of RAM, and all iPhone 16 models also have 8GB of RAM.
With such an increase, multitasking on the iPhone would be enhanced, and additional resources would be available for Apple Intelligence features that rely on large-language models being stored in memory.
11. Scratch Resistant Anti-Reflective Display
One rumour suggests that the iPhone 17 will have an anti-reflective display that is more scratch-resistant than Apple's Ceramic Shield used in the iPhone 15 models. However, the new iPhone 16 Pro models are equipped with the latest-generation Ceramic Shield, which has a formulation twice as tough as that of any other smartphone's glass.
The iPhone 17's outer glass features a "super-hard anti-reflective layer", offering "greater resistance to scratches." It remains uncertain if Apple intends to use the Gorilla Glass Armour found in Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra, but Corning's newest technology description aligns with the speculation.
Nonetheless, a source with a good track record who talked to MacRumors indicated that Apple may have scrapped its plans for the scratch-resistant coating.
12. A19 processor
Each year, Apple usually enhances iPhones with chip technology that is faster and more efficient. While we do not expect the iPhone 17 series to get TSMC's next-generation 2-nanometer chips, Apple's A19 chip technology will likely be built on an upgraded 3-nanometer process.
It is anticipated that the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature an A19 Pro chip, whereas the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air may come with either the standard A19 chip or the A18 chip. With TSMC developing its N3P process and planning to start mass production in late 2024, we anticipate that Apple will utilize this chip technology for the iPhone 17 lineup.
Compared to previous iterations of 3nm chips, the N3P chips provide enhanced performance efficiency and a higher transistor density.
13. Smaller dynamic island
According to Haitong's Jeff Pu and a Chinese leaker, the most premium iPhone model 2025 will incorporate a smaller "metalens" for its Face ID system, resulting in a significantly narrower Dynamic Island.
A conventional iPhone camera uses curved lenses to direct light to the image sensor. In contrast, a metalens is flat and thin, featuring microscopic patterns that allow for more precise light focusing. If this leads to a narrowed Dynamic Island, it would mark the first change Apple has made to the feature since its introduction on the iPhone 14 Pro in 2022.
14. New thermal design
According to one report, the iPhone 17 lineup will include a vapour chamber heatsink to enhance thermal performance. Many premium Android devices already utilise vapour chamber technology.
Vapour chambers distribute heat uniformly over a larger surface area, which helps prevent thermal throttling and ensures consistent performance—this is especially advantageous in slim devices. According to the report, all models in the iPhone 17 series will utilise the enhanced thermal heat spreader.
15. Big battery
It is reported that Apple has made the iPhone 17 Pro Max deeper than the iPhone 16 Pro Max (whose depth was 8.25 mm) by an amount of 0.475 mm, bringing it to a value of 8.725 mm. One leaker stated that the increase "surely means a larger battery." Aside from depth, the frame of the iPhone 17 Pro Max is said to be unchanged and identical to that of the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
16. Reverse wireless charging
According to the Weibo-based leaker Instant Digital, Apple has tested a wireless reverse charging feature for its upcoming iPhone 17 Pro models, allowing the iPhone to deliver power to other Apple devices.
A Chinese source has leaked information suggesting that Apple is working on a 7.5W wireless charging feature for the iPhone 17 Pro models, which could also be used to charge other Apple products such as AirPods, the Apple Watch, or possibly a future MagSafe Battery Pack.
17. New colours
The standard iPhone 17 model is said to be available in six colours, including the current Black and White shades, along with four new additions: Steel Grey, Green, Purple, and Light Blue.
The upcoming iPhone 17 Air is rumoured to be available in Black, White, Light Blue, and Light Gold. The iPhone 17 Pro models are reported to include new Dark Blue and Orange colours alongside the Black, White (or Liquid Glass?), and Grey options.
18. Qi 2.2 wireless MagSafe charging
According to regulatory filings, the iPhone 17 series could be the first Apple devices to support the next-generation Qi 2.2 wireless charging standard. The filings disclose two new models of MagSafe chargers that are compatible with the standard, which can technically provide a charging output of up to 50W.
On the other hand, the Qi 2 standard has a maximum output of 15W (though iPhone 16 models are compatible with enhanced MagSafe charging – using a 30W charger allows the iPhones to charge at up to 25W).
Naturally, there's no assurance that the iPhone 17 will charge at the maximum 50W output that Qi 2.2 supports. Besides quicker charging, Qi 2.2 enhances magnetic alignment and charging efficiency over its predecessor.
iPhone 17 Vs. iPhone 16
iPhone 17 Pro launch date in India (Expected)
It is projected that the iPhone 17 series will be on sale from September 8 to September 12.
Apple iPhone 17 price in India (Expected)
It is anticipated that the iPhone 17 Pro would debut in India at a starting price of Rs 1,45,000. Storage capacities for this model will include 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB. The Pro Max model, meanwhile, is probably going to start at Rs 1,60,000.
The iPhone 17 is expected to launch in India for an initial price of Rs 79,900, according to pricing leaks for the device in other countries. A new model in this series, the iPhone 17 Air, would retail for about Rs 95,000 when it launches.
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