iPhone 17 rumor, from slim “air” models to new camera designs

We’ve been months after Apple’s expectations for the next iPhone revealed, but there are a lot of rumors about the look of the upcoming device, probably called the iPhone 17.

From the redesigned camera module to the “air” version of the iPhone 17, Apple’s next lineup will bring a lot of buzz. We might even see fresh blue options for the Pro model.

This is not only about appearance; the report shows that Apple will also overhaul the appearance of its software with the launch of iOS 19. Rumors about the increase in RAM for all four expected devices.

This is analysts and leakers’ predictions for the iPhone 17 series, expected to be announced in September.

iPhone 17 “Air”

One of the biggest rumors revolves around the possible iPhone “Air”, a thinner version of Apple’s flagship device that will replace the iPhone Plus option.

Analysts Jeff PU and Ming-Chi Kuo said the air may have a 6.6-inch screen, making it slightly smaller than the iPhone 16 Plus and iPhone 16 Pro Max, but still larger than the baseline model. The March Bloomberg report backed the rumors, noting that the iPhone Air is 5.5mm in size. The report also shows that the phone costs about $900, bringing it to the iPhone 16 Plus and keeping it in the iPhone hierarchy.

In order for Apple to reduce devices, it requires hardware trade-offs, which may include the phone’s camera. According to Kuo and Bloomberg, this version of the iPhone 17 may have only one main camera, without speeding and a 5x telephoto lens, a staple for Apple’s premium iPhone for years. This will place the slim iPhone in the same camp as the $600 iPhone 16E when it comes to the camera, as the phone has only one rear lens. The good news, though, is that selfie cameras on the iPhone air may be enhanced. We will introduce it in detail later.

Watch the following: iPhone 17 Rumor: Analysts Say What Apple Will Do Next

04:06

A key challenge will be to keep high battery capacity, as smaller builds usually mean less space in the battery, so potential battery life can be compromised. Bloomberg suggests Apple focuses on addressing this shortcoming. The report also notes that the iPhone 17 Air is expected to have a super bezel, camera control buttons and dynamic island.

PU suggests that the phone may be equipped with A18 or A19 brand chips. This will reportedly match the chip in the baseline iPhone 17. It may also include a 5G modem developed by Apple, called the C1 chip, which debuted on the iPhone 16e.

Overall higher refresh rate

Rumors are that all models of the iPhone 17 will be equipped with a 120Hz display, improving non-Pro models from the current 60Hz refresh rate. This could be a welcome change, as the difference between Pro and non-Pro refresh rates is surprising. When Apple debuted on the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus with a 60Hz display, there was some outcry over people expecting more in 2024. This rumor update may be corrected – and may bring always-to-handle monitors to the baseline model.

Our possible Accustomed to According to Macrumors, this is reportedly a new reflection effect Apple is working on. According to reports, a source told the publication that Apple has canceled plans for a more scratched display coating that could appear on the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max. This will make them the first iPhones with reflective screens, which gives them CNET’s Patrick Holland considered one of the best properties for the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. According to Macrumors, “Apple has had problems expanding the display coating process and is no longer a planned feature of the ‌IPHONE 17 PRO‌ model.”

Camera upgrade

There is no camera upgrade, this isn’t an iPhone release, and there are a lot of rumors about the appearance of the camera module of Apple’s upcoming phone. In January, leaked images from Majin Bu on X suggested that phones can be equipped with pill-shaped camera rods, which are actually similar to what you find on Google’s Pixel 9 phone. In February, BU followed up with the CAD renderer, which is said to be the iPhone 17 lineup, which includes a horizontal camera pole, and a larger rectangular bar on the iPhone 17 Pro model.

Home Technology also shared an iPhone 17 Pro rendering in a February video, depicting a larger camera bar that maintains the stacked layout of the lenses. A separate video on the iPhone 17 Air shows a smaller camera rod with a lens on the left.

Bloomberg reported in April that “the iPhone 17 Pro looks more like 16 professionals than expected. Latest rumors suggest that the iPhone 17 Pro will be kept in the tri-lens camera layout, but will sit on a new panel that is spread across the width of the phone.

In late April, BU released images of the claimed iPhone 17 lineup again, showing those wider camera sticks, with stacked lenses still on the left configuration.

Bloomberg said until next year, for the 20th anniversary of the iPhone, Apple will “prepare for major changes” for the phone’s design. These include a (long-standing) foldable version and a “bold new professional model that makes glass more widely available”.

According to PU, another rumor related to the camera is that the selfie cameras on all iPhone 17 models, including air, will be upgraded to 24 megapixels. The collision of the current 12-megapixel front-facing camera from the iPhone 16 lineup is a nice bump, although it is important to remember that more megapixels don’t automatically mean better photos. Still, it’s certainly a welcome advance considering how many people are increasingly relying on front-facing cameras to take selfies and record videos for Tiktok and Instagram.

Sky Blue iPhone 17 Pro

It is not clear what colors will be included in the iPhone 17’s lineup. But in April, BU said the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max may include a sky blue option. “Sources close to the supply chain confirmed that several iPhone 17 Pro prototypes were made in a variety of colors and are currently the leader in Sky Blue,” BU wrote in an article.

BU describes sky blue as “more amazing than the Sierra blue of the iPhone 13 Pro, with brightness and sophistication that makes it irresistible.” (My colleague Jeff Carlson isn’t that excited about the rumor.)

iOS 19 can bring a fresh look

Regarding internal content, Apple reportedly hopes to revamp its mobile operating system with the release of iOS 19. According to Bloomberg, this “includes updating the styles of icons, menus, applications, Windows, Windows and System Buttons.” Sources reportedly told the publication that Apple is “simplifying the way users navigate and control their devices” and designing to borrow from Vision Pro’s operating system. For example, Visionos has more circular application icons and a translucent navigation panel. What you will see on future iPhones may reflect this aesthetic more closely.

The software remodel will reportedly be extended to iPad and Mac, bringing consistency on Apple’s devices. Bloomberg notes that this will be the biggest software revamp since the release of Macos Big Sur in 2020 and iOS 7 in 2013.

Other possible features

Rumors about the frame of the iPhone 17 lineup have been back and forth, but PU recently suggested that the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max have aluminum frames. He noted that the iPhone 17 Air may be an outlier value for the titanium frame.

Additionally, the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s dynamic island may be narrower due to the smaller facial ID sensor. PU has said that dynamic islands on other iPhone 17 models will be reportedly maintained in the same size.

In February, Kuo noted that Apple would swap Broadcom’s Wi-Fi chips for internal chips in the iPhone 17 lineup, noting that this would “enhance connections between Apple devices.” It’s not clear what this would mean, but it would be interesting if Apple’s C1 chip also came with its own Wi-Fi chip.

In April, Tipster Digital Chat Station noted that all phones will come with 12GB of RAM given the use of Apple Intelligence and AI on “massive”. Digital Trends noted that this matches KUO’s previous recommendations, which adds weight to the rumor. The iPhone 16 lineup ranks the highest on 8GB of RAM, so that would be a significant leap.

We will continue to update this piece as more and more rumors are revealed, so be sure to follow it.