There are plenty of iPhone 17 Pro rumours around – but which are most likely to come true?
September isn't far off, which means a new iPhone is nearly here. Or rather four new iPhones: the standard iPhone 17, the iPhone 17 Air, Pro and Pro Max.
The last two are what we're interested in here. The Pro models offer the best technology that Apple has to offer, and in the case of the Pro Max, a massive screen to boot.
The latest rumours say that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will have a big battery to go with its big screen – the biggest battery ever seen in an iPhone, in fact. Hopefully that will mean longer battery life (though it could just mitigate against any further energy-draining needs Apple has introduced for this model).
What else are we expecting from the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max? Let's see...
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There's no official launch date for the iPhone 17 Pro. We can, however, be pretty darn sure that it will be revealed in September 2025, given that Apple almost always announces its new iPhone line in early to mid-September.
More specifically, Apple typically announces new iPhones on a Tuesday in the second week of September, meaning that Tuesday 9th September 2025 is the most obvious candidate for the iPhone 17 series' announcement. You can see the past launch dates below:
iPhone 11: 10th September 2019
iPhone 12: 13th October 2020
iPhone 13: 14th September 2021
iPhone 14: 7th September 2022
iPhone 15: 12th September 2023
iPhone 16: 9th September 2024
Previous launch patterns also suggest that we should expect pre-orders to open shortly after the announcement, with retail availability following roughly a week later.
This could be the last year with the current iPhone launch schedule. One recent report says that Apple might split future iPhone launches across two separate release windows – retaining the traditional autumn schedule for Pro models while shifting standard models to the following spring.
This would take effect from 2026, possibly the same year that the foldable iPhone launches (here's everything we know so far about Apple's folding iPhone).
The recent bout of US tariffs is causing chaos across many industries, including electronics, and that makes it very hard indeed to predict pricing for the next iPhone.
That of course means that rumours are thin on the ground, and also that past prices are not the general guide that they usually are.
We can simply say that the iPhone 16 range launched at similar prices to the iPhone 15 before it, so we're hoping the same for the iPhone 17 Pro and its siblings, but we're not holding our breath.
Still, for context, the prices for the current iPhone 16 range are below:
iPhone 16
iPhone 16 Plus
iPhone 16 Pro
iPhone 16 Pro Max
128GB
£799 / $799 / AU$1399
£899 / $899 / AU$1599
£999 / $999 / AU$1799
N/A
256GB
£899 / $899 / AU$1599
£999 / $999 / AU$1799
£1099 / $1099 / AU$1999
£1199 / $1199 / AU$2149
512GB
£1099 / $1099 / AU$1949
£1199 / $1199 / AU$2149
£1299 / $1299 / AU$2349
£1399 / $1399 / AU$2499
1TB
N/A
N/A
£1499 / $1499 / AU$2699
£1599 / $1599 / AU$2849
While most smartphones tend to look the same – there's only so much you can do with a slab of glass and some cameras on the back, after all – there may be a few tweaks in line for the iPhone 17 Pro.
One of the latest rumours points to a potential change in materials, marking a departure from the titanium frame used in the iPhone 15 Pro and 16 Pro models (and the stainless steel used in earlier Pro iPhones).
According to The Information's Wayne Ma, the iPhone 17 Pro will feature a new part-aluminium, part-glass design that could improve durability while still enabling wireless charging.
The top portion could reportedly be aluminium for improved durability, while the bottom section would be glass in order to support wireless charging functionality. It's an interesting concept, though time will tell if the rumours are accurate.
The camera module, meanwhile, is expected to see a significant redesign too. Multiple sources, including MacRumors, report that the iPhone 17 Pro could adopt a large rectangular camera bump spanning nearly the entire width of the device – similar to Google's Pixel phones. A recent render from Majin Bu (above) shows how this design might look.
Majin Bu also reports that Apple will likely introduce a new Sky Blue colour for the iPhone 17 Pro models, similar to the recently introduced MacBook Air M4.
According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman (below), the camera bump will also be the same colour as the rest of the device, rather than featuring a two-tone design as seen in some early renders.
The iPhone 17 Pro is expected to retain the same 6.3-inch display size introduced by the iPhone 16 Pro, but with some notable improvements to the screen technology.
Reports from Instant Digital (via MacRumors) indicate that the iPhone 17 Pro's display will feature a new anti-reflective coating, significantly increasing its scratch resistance compared with previous models, as well as improving visibility in direct sunlight.
Elsewhere, the standard 120Hz ProMotion refresh rate is expected to return, though PhoneArena reports that the display could achieve higher peak brightness levels, potentially by using Samsung Display's M14 panels, which can apparently reach up to 3000 nits.
Interestingly, MacRumors also indicates that the ProMotion technology will no longer be exclusive to Pro models, with all iPhone 17 models expected to feature 120Hz displays, thanks to the adoption of LTPO OLED technology across the entire 17 series lineup.
Lastly, a smaller and less intrusive Dynamic Island could also make an appearance. Analyst Jeff Pu says (via MacRumors) that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will reportedly have a narrower Dynamic Island thanks to the Face ID system using a smaller "metalens".
Instead of being curved like a traditional lens, the newest version is apparently thin and flat enough to be able to focus light more precisely. That would mark the first change to the Dynamic Island since it was introduced in 2022.
In classic Apple rumour-mill fashion, however, another well-respected Apple analyst believes that the Dynamic Island will remain "largely unchanged".
Surprise, surprise, the iPhone 17 Pro will feature the most powerful iPhone processor to date. According to multiple reports from sources including MacRumors and Tom's Guide, the iPhone 17 Pro will be powered by Apple's next-gen A19 Pro chip, which is expected to be manufactured using TSMC's newer third-generation 3nm process.
This should deliver improved performance and power efficiency over the current A18 Pro silicon, though it looks as though Apple will need to wait until the iPhone 18 in 2026 for TSMC's more advanced 2nm process.
Memory is also rumoured to receive a significant boost. Multiple sources suggest that the iPhone 17 Pro could feature 12GB of RAM, up from the 8GB found in the iPhone 16 Pro models. MacRumors reports that this additional memory would particularly benefit the Apple Intelligence features while improving multitasking performance as AI capabilities continue to expand.
Another notable improvement could be thermal management. Reports from the above two sources indicate the iPhone 17 Pro will incorporate vapour chamber cooling technology, which disperses heat more efficiently across a larger surface area to prevent thermal throttling and maintain stable performance during demanding tasks such as gaming.
This would address occasional overheating issues reported with some previous models under heavy loads.
All iPhone 17 models are also expected to feature a Wi-Fi 7 chip designed by Apple rather than Broadcom, marking another step in Apple's transition to in-house component design. However, MacRumors notes that the 5G modem in the iPhone 17 Pro models will still come from Qualcomm, as Apple's in-house modem development appears to be progressing at a slower rate than expected.
As for the operating system, it will come as no surprise to hear that iOS 19, which was unveiled at Apple's WWDC in June, will be landing on the next-gen iPhones.
Apple Intelligence will, also unsurprisingly, continue to be a major focus, with Tom's Guide reporting that iOS 19 will bring expanded AI capabilities, building on the foundation established with iOS 18.
Lastly, on the battery front, we could see improvements in longevity thanks to the more efficient A19 Pro processor, along with a rumoured larger battery capacity.
PhoneArena reports that the iPhone 17 Pro could house a 3700mAh battery, while the Pro Max variant might reach 4700mAh, which would be slightly bigger than the respective models in the iPhone 16 range. But a more recent rumour says the iPhone 17 Pro Max's battery could be 5000mAh – the largest of any iPhone so far (the iPhone 16 Pro Max's battery is 4685mAh capacity).
The iPhone 17 Pro's camera system looks set for one of its most significant upgrades in recent years. According to MacRumors and PhoneArena, all three rear cameras on the iPhone 17 Pro are expected to feature 48MP sensors, including an upgraded telephoto lens that would replace the current 12-megapixel telephoto camera.
This would make the iPhone 17 Pro the first iPhone with three 48MP lenses, though there are conflicting reports about how this might affect zoom capabilities.
Some sources, such as Tom's Guide, suggest the telephoto camera may shift from the current 5x optical zoom to a 3.5x (85mm equivalent) zoom, which could be better optimised for portrait photography.
The front-facing camera is also due for a substantial improvement, according to the rumour mill. Multiple sources report that all iPhone 17 models will feature a new 24MP selfie camera – a significant upgrade from the 12MP front camera found in the iPhone 16 range. This should provide noticeably improved image quality for selfies and FaceTime calls, along with greater flexibility for cropping.
Additional camera features also reportedly include new shooting modes. Jon Prosser of Front Page Tech, as reported by The Shortcut, claims that the iPhone 17 Pro models will feature a new dual-capture mode that would allow users to record video simultaneously with both front and rear cameras.
There's also speculation from multiple sources that 8K video recording – a feature reportedly tested but not implemented on the iPhone 16 Pro – could finally debut with the iPhone 17 Pro, taking advantage of the higher-resolution sensors.
The rumours suggest that the iPhone 17 Pro is shaping up to be a more substantial upgrade than the iPhone 16 Pro was on its predecessor.
The potential combination of a trio of 48MP cameras, improved display technology and faster innards makes for a tempting proposition – assuming they all come to fruition. And the 17 Pro Max's bigger battery could make it a real warhorse of a phone.
There will be plenty more rumours to sift through between now and the official launch, though, so watch this space!
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