iPhone 17: Every New Feature We Know

CNET

2 days ago

Key takeaways:
The iPhone 17 could feature a redesigned camera bump, though it may not be as drastic a difference as the Pro models.
A higher refresh rate could be coming to the full lineup, potentially enabling the baseline iPhone to have an always-on display.
Prices remain uncertain with tariffs, but they'll likely go up, given it's been years since Apple raised the price of the iPhone.
The anticipated reveal of Apple's newest iPhone is just around the corner. For months now, rumors have been swirling about what the upcoming device, likely called the iPhone 17, could look like, from a redesigned camera module to fresh colors and a higher refresh rate. The phone is expected to debut in early September, although Apple hasn't confirmed anything yet. You can also check out our rumors on the iPhone 17 Pro and the thinner iPhone 17 Air.
Perhaps the biggest looming question is whether iPhones could get pricier, especially with tariffs. President Donald Trump has said Apple will have to pay a 25% tariff on iPhones made outside the US. This would almost certainly lead to a price hike for consumers. We'll have to wait to see how Apple responds and if shoppers really do end up shouldering that extra cost. But even without tariffs, the iPhone may be due for a markup, as it's been years since Apple raised prices on its handsets.
Here's everything analysts and leakers predict about the baseline iPhone 17.
See also: Thinking About Buying a New iPhone? Here's Why You Should Wait
Camera bump redesign
James Martin/CNET
It's not an iPhone release without a camera upgrade, and there have been plenty of rumors about what the camera module could look like on Apple's upcoming phones. In January, a leaked image from Majin Bu on X suggested the phone could feature a pill-shaped camera bar, essentially resembling what you'd find on Google's Pixel 9 phone. In February, Bu followed up with CAD renders of what's said to be the iPhone 17 lineup, featuring horizontal camera bars, as well as larger rectangular bars on the iPhone 17 Pro models.
In April, Bloomberg reported the "iPhone 17 Pro will look a lot more like the 16 Pro than anticipated," adding, "From the front, the 17 Pro will appear quite similar to the 16 Pro. It's the back camera that will look meaningfully different." The latest rumors suggest the iPhone 17 Pro's three-lens camera arrangement will be maintained but will sit on a new panel that stretches across the phone's width and is the same color as the rest of the phone.
Later in April, Bu again posted an image of the purported iPhone 17 lineup, showing those wider camera bars with the stacked lenses still configured to the left.
Not until next year, for the 20th anniversary of the iPhone, will Apple be "preparing a major shake-up" for the phone's design, Bloomberg says. That includes a (long-rumored) foldable version and a "bold new Pro model that makes more extensive use of glass."
Another camera-related rumor is that the selfie camera on all iPhone 17 models will be upgraded to 24 megapixels, according to analyst Jeff Pu. That's a decent bump from the current 12-megapixel front-facing camera on the iPhone 16 lineup, although it's important to remember that more megapixels don't automatically mean better photos. Still, given how much people increasingly rely on their front cameras to snap selfies and record videos for TikTok and Instagram, this surely will be a welcome advancement.
Watch this: iPhone 17 Rumors: What Analysts Say Apple Is Doing Next
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iPhone 17 display upgrade
Rumor has it that all models of the iPhone 17 will feature a 120Hz display, bumping the non-Pro models up from their current 60Hz refresh rate. That could be a welcome change, as the discrepancy between the Pro and non-Pro refresh rate is surprising; when Apple debuted the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus with a 60Hz display, there was a bit of an outcry from folks who expected more in 2024. This rumored update could remedy that -- and possibly bring the always-on display to the baseline model.
There's been a lot of back-and-forth about whether the latest iPhones will have a scratch-resistant, anti-reflective display. A July report from MacRumors suggests that feature will in fact be arriving on the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, just not the baseline iPhone 17 or the Air. This would make the Pro models the first iPhones with an anti-reflective screen, giving them a feature that CNET's Patrick Holland deemed one of the best attributes of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.
There also have been contradictory reports on whether the Dynamic Island on the iPhone 17 lineup will look any different. In May, Pu said all iPhone 17 models will use a new metalens technology for the proximity sensor, which could allow Apple to reduce the size of the Face ID sensor and the Dynamic Island, according to 9to5Mac. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, on the other hand, said in January that the Dynamic Island would remain "largely unchanged" in the iPhone 17 lineup compared to the iPhone 16. We'll have to see what ends up being true.
Rumors on what frames the iPhone 17 lineup will feature have gone back and forth. In February, Pu suggested the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will all have aluminum frames. He noted that the iPhone 17 Air could be the outlier with a titanium frame.
New chipset
In May, Pu noted the iPhone 17 would have the same A18 chip used in the iPhone 16, while the iPhone 17 Air and Pro models will feature an A19 chip. It's possible the phones could also include the Apple-developed 5G modem, called the C1 chip, which debuted on the iPhone 16E.
In February, Kuo noted Apple will swap out Broadcom's Wi-Fi chips for in-house chips across the iPhone 17 lineup, stating this would "enhance connectivity across Apple devices." It's not yet clear what exactly this would mean, but it would be interesting if Apple's C1 chip was also accompanied by its own Wi-Fi chip.
iPhone 17 battery
So far, rumors suggest only the pricer iPhone 17 Pro Max could get a bigger battery, according to Ice Universe. The leaker says the top-of-the-line phone could go from 8.25mm on the iPhone 16 Pro Max to 8.725mm on the iPhone 17 Pro Max as a result. In addition, leaker Instant Digital suggests the high-end phone could have about a 5,000 mAh battery, a notable increase over the 4,685 mAh on the iPhone 16 Pro Max, according to third-party tests.
But that doesn't mean the baseline version won't get any boost. Even if battery capacity stays the same (which it may not), the AI-powered Adaptive Power feature arriving with iOS 26 can help extend battery life. The feature automatically adjusts your iPhone's performance based on how you're using it at the moment, according to Apple. This could especially be helpful with the slimmer iPhone 17 Air, which will likely also have a thinner battery.
iOS 26 brings a fresh look
Apple has revamped its mobile operating system with iOS 26 (not iOS 19), which is named after the last two digits of the upcoming year. And with iPadOS, MacOS, WatchOS, TVOS and VisionOS following the same naming convention, the move is designed to bring more uniformity -- naming-wise and appearance-wise -- across the operating systems.
The new Liquid Glass interface brings a more transparent, lens-like look to the iPhone and other Apple devices. With iOS 26, the Camera app also adopts a more minimalistic design and Photos once again makes it easier to find your albums by adding separate tabs for your Library and Collections, instead of forcing you to scroll through a single cluttered screen. Updates to Messages include being able to add backgrounds to chat windows and create polls in group chats, and a new screening tool can better detect spam texts and move messages from unknown senders to a dedicated folder. You can read more about iOS 26 features here.
In April, tipster Digital Chat Station noted that given the use of Apple Intelligence and AI on a "large scale," the iPhone 17 lineup will come with 12GB of RAM, instead of the current 8GB. Kuo noted the iPhone 17 Air and Pro models would sport that increased 12GB of RAM, but that Apple was still deciding whether to equip the baseline model with 8GB or 12GB of RAM. In May, Pu noted the baseline would remain at 8GB.
Price and release date
We expect the iPhone 17 to become available in September although it's not yet clear exactly when, as Apple hasn't confirmed anything.
Historically, Apple has unveiled its new iPhones on the first Tuesday of September after Labor Day. However, the first Tuesday in 2025 is the day after Labor Day so it's possible Apple could either push its iPhone event to Wednesday, Sept. 3, or hold it the following week on Tuesday, Sept. 9.
That would mean the phones could then become available on either Sept. 12 or 19. Preorders would kick off a week before general availability, on either Sept. 5 or 12.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has said that the new iPhone announcement should come Sept. 9 or 10.
Price is also a big unknown. Jefferies analyst Edison Lee has said the iPhone 17 Air, 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max will get a $50 price increase to offset tariffs and the higher cost of components, but didn't mention the baseline iPhone 17. If that's true, the starting prices for the full lineup could be:
iPhone 17: $829
iPhone 17 Air: $979
iPhone 17 Pro: $1,049
iPhone 17 Pro Max: $1,249
Regardless of higher component costs or tariffs, the iPhone is overdue for a price increase, because the last price hike was five years ago.
The latest rumors suggest the iPhone 17 could be available in black, blue, silver, purple and green.
We'll continue to update this piece as more rumors surface so be sure to follow along.