The iPhone 16 is due to launch within weeks, but the latest leaks indicate that there won’t be any ground-breaking upgrades to whet our collective appetite. Instead, Apple appears to be saving its most exciting innovations for next year’s iPhone 17.
So, what can we expect from the iPhone 17 series? The overall design is rumored to receive a refresh, while the front-facing camera could get a 24-megapixel sensor for higher-quality selfies. Meanwhile, we may see a 48-megapixel periscope lens as part of the rear camera. This would improve the zoom capabilities, which could indicate that Apple is attempting to rival the 100x Zoom featured on some of the best Android phones, including the Xiaomi 14 and Honor Magic 6 Pro.
Other potential changes coming to the 17 Pro and Pro Max include a smaller Dynamic Island on the Pro Max, and 12GB RAM for both models. This latter upgrade could make the 17 Pro and Pro Max some of the best gaming iPhones yet, providing more memory for running demanding games such as Hoyoverse’s big titles – you can grab the new Honkai Star Rail codes and Zenless Zone Zero codes here.
This is all according to Apple analyst Jeff Pu, via 9to5Mac, in a letter to investors. He references the ‘iPhone 17 Air’. Said to fit between the base model and Pro iPhone 17 devices, this would be a brand-new model for Apple to replace the Plus. The Plus has struggled in sales since its introduction. As the name suggests, the key selling point here would be the phone’s slim design, making it the most compact iPhone to date.
Meanwhile, Mark Gurman claims in his latest Power On newsletter that Apple will “give this fourth-model concept another try” next year with a thinner design. The idea, he says, is to create a MacBook Air version of the iPhone, so it may not have the Air title but would have a similar design ethos to the long-running Mac series.
Would you want a slim iPhone 17? We’re still looking forward to the iPhone 16 launch which may come sooner than we think, and may introduce the new feature of a new iPhone 16 capture button.