All eyes may be on the iPhone 16, with an anticipated launch this fall that could usher in an new era for Apple’s iPhones as Apple Intelligence drives many new AI experiences we haven’t seen before. While the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max should get the most exposure in the lineup, you may want to hold off on upgrading to either model, given the details that have started to emerge about the iPhone 17.
There are several reasons why you should skip the iPhone 16 for the iPhone 17, as early rumors hint at massive upgrades to the 2025 phones that could redefine the series. Year-over-year upgrades such as brighter screens, better cameras, and longer battery life are all expected for the iPhone 17, but we could end up seeing yet another generation defining model — much like how the iPhone X turbocharged Apple's phone lineup in every imaginable way back in 2017.
We’ve rounded up all of the iPhone 17 rumors we know about, so you can understand what’s at stake — and how they’re all valid reasons to wait another year longer to upgrade.
120Hz refresh rates with all models
One of the biggest criticisms about the non-Pro versions of the iPhone is how Apple continually fashions them with outdated 60Hz refresh rates. When cheaper Android phones like the Samsung Galaxy A35 and Google Pixel 8a both have 120Hz display refresh rates, it’s almost unbelievable that the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus are still rumored to be stuck at 60Hz.
Well, It's expected that Apple will finally make 120Hz standard across the board for its 2025 iPhones — including the basic iPhone 17, which could benefit in a big way with a 120Hz ProMotion display. Such a move would be a long time coming, but certainly a marked upgrade for the iPhone 17 with more fluid animations and responses with its display. This would inherently make gaming much more satisfying thanks to smoother frame rates.
48MP sensor across all three cameras in iPhone 17 Pro Max
Cameras are always the biggest features people consider when buying a new phone, and it looks like Apple’s not going to disappoint anyone with the triple cameras in its Pro models. The iPhone 16 Pro Max is tipped to feature a longer zoom with its telephoto camera and a larger 1/1.4-inch sensor, but the cameras on the iPhone 17 Pro Max could be worth waiting for.
That’s because they’re both rumored to feature 48MP sensors across all three cameras. This is a splendid upgrade for both their ultrawide and telephoto cameras, which could make them much more valuable when combined with new image processing algorithms and pixel binning technology. Paired with another rumor about a variable aperture lens to give photographers even more control over the camera, there’s undoubtedly a lot going on with the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
Slimmest iPhone model to date
We’ve been hearing rumors about an iPhone 16 Ultra model for some time now, but it’s still unknown whether or not it’ll come to fruition come this fall when the iPhone 16 lineup is expected to be announced. While an Ultra seems unlikely at this point, it's possible the device could emerge next year under a totally different name as the iPhone 17 Slim.
According to the rumors, Apple might ditch an iPhone 17 Plus model and opt instead to add the iPhone 17 Slim to its lineup. Not only would this be the slimmest iPhone to date complete with a brand new design unlike the current design language, but it could also end up being the most expensive one to date at a whopping $1,299 — which would be more than the $1,199 Apple currently charges for its Pro Max model.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says that it’s Apple’s plan to make “a new class of Apple devices that should be the thinnest and lightest products in the whole tech industry.” This higher cost would be backed by an A19 chip, 8GB of RAM, aluminum chassis and a dual rear camera system.
Faster A19 Pro chips based on 2nm manufacturing process
Speaking of processing power, the iPhone 17 would naturally have a leg up in terms of performance — mainly because the new models would be powered by faster A19 chips, versus the A18 processors expected with the iPhone 16.
The biggest reason for a boost in performance is because the A19 Pro chip — especially the ones powering the iPhone 17 Pro models — could be made using a 2nm manufacturing process. This would result in greater transistor density, which would ultimately boost its processing performance.
Better power efficiency
Improved processing performance goes hand-in-hand with power efficiency, which could also mean greater battery life gains for the iPhone 17 lineup. We’ve seen this for ourselves in how each new generation of iPhones with newer chips frequently outperform their predecessors in our battery benchmark tests.
If this isn’t enough to convince you to put off from getting the iPhone 16, it’s believed that Apple will be developing its own in-house batteries with the iPhone 17. By doing this, the company could further optimize the power efficiency in its iPhone 17 lineup.
24MP selfie cameras
While we’ve seen worse selfie cameras that what's on current iPhones, the iPhone 17 could get a nice upgrade in the form of 24MP front-facing cameras according to longtime analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
Apple’s believed to continue using the same 12MP selfie cameras for the iPhone 16, including the Pro models. Given how the 12MP camera has been in place since the iPhone 11, this would be an extra incentive to wait for the iPhone 17.
12GB RAM in Pro models
There also could be a big memory makeover in store with the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max, which might see their RAM increased to 12GB. In contrast, the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max are likely to keep the same 8GB of RAM as before.
This RAM upgrade could lend itself to allow the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max to not only better handle AI-assisted features, but it would also keep apps in memory for longer — which is helpful if you’re constantly multitasking apps.
