iPhone 17: price, release window, new features, design, everything you need to know about Apple's next smartphones
Some iPhone generations are more exciting than others, and the iPhone 17 is definitely one we'll be keeping an eye on. From a brand-new model with a design that aims to revolutionize the industry to a replacement for the iconic camera that's defined the iPhone's identity in recent years, and much more, discover everything you need to know about the iPhone 17.
Will 2025 be the year of renewal for Apple? 2024 was rather disappointing, with the iPhone 16s whose main new feature was the integration of Apple Intelligence . Except that Apple's AI features are still not available here and they are not living up to expectations in the United States, not to mention the delay in the deployment of the new version of Siri.
But with the next generation of iPhone 17 , we should finally have something to get our teeth into from a hardware and design perspective, with some major changes coming. The apple brand already surprised us with its iPhone 16th , and it still has a few tricks up its sleeve. We're talking about a brand new model, the iPhone 17 Air , and major design changes for the iPhone 17 Pro . We'll tell you all about it in the rest of this article.
iPhone 17 Plus to be phased out in favor of iPhone 17 Air?
It's almost a given, as all sources agree on this: there will be no iPhone 17 Plus . This model, which takes the technical specifications of the basic iPhone, but in a larger format, is the one that sells the least well at Apple. It replaced the iPhone mini, which existed for only two generations, because it too had difficulty finding its audience. The replacement will be a device all in thinness and lightness, which is called iPhone 17 Air or iPhone 17 Slim while waiting for Apple to reveal its real commercial name.
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When will the iPhone 17 be released?
Apple isn't one to disrupt its release schedule. The iPhone 17 series is expected to be announced at a keynote in the first half of September 2025. Typically, pre-orders open on the Friday of the week the products are officially announced, and sales begin a week later, again on Friday. September 12 and 19, 2025 , therefore, appear to be prime dates for the iPhone 17's release.
How much do all iPhone 17 models cost?
With the iPhone 16, Apple has not increased its prices compared to the iPhone 15 . It is not yet known if the manufacturer will change its pricing policy with the models of this generation. As a reminder, here are the prices charged for all variants of the latest iPhones:
iPhone 16:
- 128 GB: 969 euros
- 256 GB: 1,099 euros
- 512 GB: 1,349 euros
iPhone 16 Plus:
- 128 GB: 1,119 euros
- 256 GB: 1,249 euros
- 512 GB: 1,499 euros
iPhone 16 Pro:
- 128 GB: 1,229 euros
- 256 GB: 1,359 euros
- 512 GB: 1,609 euros
- 1 TB: 1,859 euros
iPhone 16 Pro Max:
- 256 GB: 1,479 euros
- 512 GB: 1,729 euros
- 1 TB: 1,979 euros
For the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max, prices are expected to remain the same or increase slightly. For the iPhone 17 Air, we have little visibility on its pricing given that it's the first device of its kind. Some sources believe that Apple will try to keep the price close to that of the iPhone 16 Plus, but we wouldn't be surprised if the iPhone 17 Air costs more than that.
A new camera block for the iPhone 17?
The biggest changes expected in this generation are clearly related to the design of the smartphones. As for the base iPhone 17, the evolutions should be the most timid. We don't expect any particular changes to the Dynamic Island or the camera block on the back. However, it is possible that Apple will compensate for the disappearance of the iPhone Plus by increasing the size of the iPhone 17's screen. The display diagonal could thus go from 6.1 to 6.3 inches . Such an increase had already been achieved with the iPhone 16 Pro , whose screen gained 0.2 inches compared to that of the iPhone 15 Pro.
For its part, the iPhone 17 Air would measure 6.6 or 6.7 inches, placing it between the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro (6.3 inches) and the large iPhone 17 Pro Max (6.9 inches) in terms of size. But it is above all its slim design and lightness that will make this phone attractive. The iPhone 17 Air would be only 5.5 mm thick (9.5 mm if we take into account the prominent camera block) at its thinnest point, which would make it the thinnest iPhone ever released by Apple. We don't know its weight, but this device should also be much lighter than other models, especially since its thinness will not allow the integration of a large battery.
The iPhone 17 Air is said to feature a completely new design element to house the camera: a horizontal bar that runs the entire width of the back panel. The iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max could also benefit from this new feature . This would be a major transformation for Apple, which has barely redesigned its camera unit since the iPhone 11. This square housing the camera sensors in the upper left corner has even been the visual identity of the iPhone in recent years.
The new camera bar is reminiscent of the design of recent Google Pixels, but the iPhone's could be positioned a little higher. On the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max, however, the three camera sensors won't necessarily be aligned horizontally. They could adopt a layout similar to the current one, but would be integrated into a large rectangle occupying the upper part of the device, as can be seen in the image below.
The possibility of reducing the size of the Dynamic Island has been discussed on the iPhone 17 Pro or only on the iPhone 17 Pro Max, but information on this differs. Apple would achieve this by using metalenses for Face ID, flat lenses, thinner and lighter than those currently used, which are curved and capture light in a different way. This could happen on future generations if the technology is not ultimately used for the next models.
Both iPhone 17 Pros could lose their titanium coating : Apple is reportedly considering a return to glass and aluminum. Titanium has the advantage of combining lightness, strength, and durability, but it's also an expensive material. The action button and camera key will return on all iPhones in the 17 series, even the iPhone 17 Air, which won't be without a physical button. The latter will also be equipped with a USB-C port for charging, so it won't be the first iPhone to opt for 100% wireless charging.
Finally a 120Hz display on the standard iPhone 17?
On the display side, we also expect serious improvements, especially for models that are not part of the Pro range. The iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air could feature the same LTPO OLED screen technology used in the iPhone 16 Pro. This means that for the first time, we will have a ProMotion display with a variable refresh rate between 1 and 120 Hz on the least expensive iPhones in the series. The switch to ProMotion also theoretically allows the famous Always-On Display to be unlocked, this function that allows important information (time, battery level, notifications) to be displayed even when the screen is off. It remains to be seen whether Apple will offer it or keep it as an exclusive for the Pro models.
The iPhone 17 and 17 Air are also expected to feature 30% more screen brightness than the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus, improving user comfort in bright environments. All four models in this generation could benefit from an anti-reflective coating that's more scratch-resistant than the current Ceramic Shield protective glass. Otherwise, Apple is expected to stick with the 19.5:9 screen ratio and aim for a resolution of around 460 pixels per inch for each version.
More RAM for AI?
The iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air are likely to be powered by an A19 chip , and the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max by a slightly more powerful A19 Pro chip . Both SoCs are expected to be based on a 3nm process using TSMC's own process. So there's no major change there, although some improvements are expected with the N3P process , which offers better power efficiency and higher transistor density. TSMC plans to launch its first 2nm node in 2025, but we'll have to wait until at least the iPhone 18 to see such technology in Apple's phones.
The iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max are said to feature a vapor chamber for more efficient cooling. With better heat dissipation, the devices should avoid overheating, which can cause performance instability, with the system throttling power when temperatures get too high.
Historically lacking in RAM (iOS optimization compensates for this hardware shortfall), iPhones have seen their RAM increase lately. This is due to all the AI features and language models operating locally that are now integrated into devices and that require a lot of resources to function. We also explained to you that at Google, the Pixel 9a is deprived of advanced and multimodal AI options because of its insufficient RAM. The iPhone 17 and 17 Air are expected to remain at 8 GB of RAM, while the Pro models would increase to 12 GB. It is also possible that only the iPhone 17 Pro Max will benefit from an increase to 12 GB of RAM, leaving the iPhone 17 Pro at the same level as the other two.
The entire iPhone 17 series could feature Apple's first-ever Wi-Fi chip . It would be compatible with the latest tri-band Wi-Fi 7 standard. A home-grown 5G modem is also expected to power the iPhone 17 Air. It's unclear whether this will be the same C1 modem already found in the iPhone 16e, or a new version. More energy-efficient than Qualcomm's solutions, this 5G modem developed by Apple will help preserve the iPhone 17 Air's battery life despite its reduced capacity.
What battery life for the iPhone 17?
We don't have reliable information on battery capacity at this time. It's safe to assume that the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max will have roughly the same battery life as their predecessors. The addition of a more energy-efficient SoC and the potential addition of a proprietary, more energy-efficient Wi-Fi chip could help improve battery life .
As for the iPhone 17 Air, we're still in the dark and don't really know what to expect. Given its extremely thin design, the battery size will inevitably be reduced. It's expected to be limited to 2800 mAh, well below the iPhone 16's, which range from 3,561 to 4,685 mAh.
To address this weakness, Apple is working on new battery technologies that should increase the energy density of the cells, and therefore the battery's capacity. The iPhone 17 Air could benefit from this. The manufacturer is also looking to improve the energy efficiency of the display driver integrated circuit, which serves as an interface between the microprocessor and the display.
This new feature is expected on the foldable iPhone of 2026 , but why not see it arrive this year? Another solution remains based on software: iOS 26 would include an intelligent energy saving mode that would automatically adjust the performance and use of system resources according to needs .
The maximum wired charging power would reach 35W , which is far from the prowess of the competition on Android, whether from Xiaomi, OnePlus, Oppo or others. Wireless charging is still expected at 25W with a charger compatible with the MagSafe protocol and at 15W for Qi 2 devices.
Better quality selfies on the photo side?
The camera department isn't what Apple will be focusing on this generation, at least from a hardware perspective. The front-facing camera, for selfies, is expected to increase from 12 to 24 MP . We can expect more detailed shots and the ability to crop the image more easily without losing too much quality.
Like the iPhone 16e, the iPhone 16 Air could feature a single 48MP wide-angle camera sensor . This choice would allow Apple to save space and production costs, allowing it to sell the device at a lower price than the iPhone 17 Pro. There is talk of integrating a variable aperture camera sensor on at least one model in the series, but this information should be taken with a grain of salt. This technology could instead arrive with the iPhone 18 models of the following year. But it remains possible that Apple will do a test run as early as 2025. Present on some models of high-end Android smartphones, the variable aperture provides greater versatility to adapt to lighting conditions. It is also very useful for adapting to different focal lengths. We can think that it would be welcome on the iPhone 16 Air to benefit from several zoom levels with a single sensor.
Additionally, the iPhone 17 Pro Max could feature a 48MP periscope telephoto lens , up from the current 12MP. This would mean it would have a triple 48MP camera setup for the first time, with the ultra-wide-angle lens already being bumped up to 48MP. It's unclear if the iPhone 17 Pro will also get this special treatment. Optical zoom would remain at 5x, as is the case on the latest models. This feature will still be reserved for the Pro models.
Beyond the modest hardware upgrades, we can hope that software optimizations or the use of AI will improve the photo quality of the iPhone 17.
A software revolution with iOS 19?
Apple has announced the dates for its long-awaited annual developer conference. WWDC 2025 will be held from June 9 to 13. The American company will present, among other things, the new features introduced by iOS 19. We don't have any official information on this yet, but early leaks seem to indicate that this will be an update that should shake up the iPhone experience. The iOS 19 interface is expected to be completely redesigned , and be inspired by Apple's work on VisionOS, the operating system for the Vision Pro mixed reality headset . We expect a more modern design, with transparency effects, floating menus, rounded icons and window corners, or even a kind of translucent glass filter giving a very particular aspect to the aesthetic.
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