These Rumored iPhone 17 Pro Max Features Make Me Want It Now
But that's the catch, isn't it? September is suddenly not so far away, which means now is the time when people start thinking about fall budgets and whether the iPhone they've been holding onto can make it through one more year -- or even just the summer.
So maybe right now is not such a bad time to check in on what we might expect to see in the next generation of Apple's most important products. In this case, I'm curious about the iPhone 17 Pro Max, not just because it's the largest iPhone model each year, but because Apple sometimes uses it to introduce features that sometimes don't come to the regular-size iPhone Pro until later. The 5x telephoto camera in the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, for example, first appeared on the iPhone 15 Pro Max -- a lot of photographers I know had to choose a better zoom or easier pocketability.
What I'm seeing so far has me very interested indeed. Now, I'm looking forward to September for more than simply cooler weather and hot beverages. Here's a rundown of some of the features rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro Max that I'm most curious about.
Making the case to go larger
The iPhone Pro Max models are tanks compared to the rest of the line -- well, they're not on the toughness level of the Samsung Galaxy XCover7 Pro, so maybe they're more like solid midsize SUVs. But they're notable for their larger screens, bigger bodies and especially for having room for more of everything in an iPhone.
And that includes a larger battery. The Max models already have more battery space than other models, but the iPhone 17 Pro Max could end up being almost half a millimeter thicker, at 8.725 mm, according to a May post by 9to5Mac. Has anyone ever asked for a more bulky iPhone? Actually, yes, yes and yes.
The iPhone 17 Pro Max could get thicker.
Apple/Lily Yeh/CNET
Add the new Adaptive Power feature in iOS 26, which uses AI to distribute power more efficiently when demand is high, and we could see a boost in daily use before reaching for a charger. (Then again, Adaptive Power could be a software workaround that could mean longer life using the same physical battery size.)
If you're already committed to carrying a larger iPhone, a tad more thickness and heft isn't too much more to shoulder.
There are also rumors that the iPhone lineup will include a new sky blue color, about which I have opinions.
Bring on all the camera upgrades
We can't talk about the case without mentioning the camera bump, which could become a more expansive camera island (or maybe on the larger iPhone 17 Pro Max, it will be more like a camera continent) that stretches across the width of the iPhone back, according to CAD renders by Majin Bu.
That expanse may include an upgraded 48-megapixel telephoto camera, which feels overdue for a top-tier camera system. Granted, it will probably take extra steps to capture photos in the full 48-megapixel resolution, as is the case with the current main Fusion camera in the iPhone 16 Pro models, where images are "pixel-binned" with multiple pixels grouped together to enhance light gathering ability. But given the great results we've seen from the 48-megapixel camera in the current models -- the iPhone 16E leans heavily on that resolution using its sole rear-facing camera -- extending it to the telephoto camera would definitely be a win for photographers.
Will the layout and configuration of the cameras change from the iPhone 16 Pro shown here in the new iPhone 17 Pro Max?
James Martin/CNET
Speaking of resolution, a 24-megapixel front-facing camera is expected, up from 12 megapixels, so perhaps my selfies will look better. More likely, it's to boost the next rumored feature.
Video recording makes a leap
Cameras on both sides will reportedly work together with dual video recording using the built-in Camera app, a boon for conducting interviews or making reaction videos where you want to see both sides of a conversation. Third-party apps have been able to tap into this capability for some time, but haven't been available as a default option.
Not as important for everyday use, but interesting in terms of advancing the state of the art, the iPhone 17 Pro Max could support 8K video recording, as speculated by MacRumors after reports that 8K was tested for the iPhone 16 Pro. The iPhone is swiftly turning into a production video camera, from features such as 28 Years Later to custom cameras built from iPhone tech in the F1 movie.
Wi-Fi 7 and fast cellular via a new Apple modem
This is more geeky and less obvious to everyday phone owners, but that's also kind of the point. The iPhone 16E shipped with Apple's C1 cellular modem, Apple's first homebrew cellular hardware it has been trying to build in order to wean its dependence on Qualcomm, which has provided the modem hardware in previous iPhone models.
However, the C1 lacks a faster millimeter wave cellular network and does not support Wi-Fi 7, even though it's more conservative about power usage (and still performs well), an acceptable tradeoff for the budget phone in Apple's lineup.
The C1 is Apple's first cellular modem. We could see a more capable C2 chip in the iPhone 17 Pro models.
Apple/Screenshot by Jeff Carlson/CNET
But for the iPhone 17 Pro Max, we're talking about the next professional models, and an iPhone Pro in 2025 can't ship without the latest, fastest wireless technology. It would be more realistic to see Apple stick with Qualcomm for the Pro line than include the C1 -- but I suspect a C2 is coming.
According to MacRumors, the Wi-Fi 7 compatibility could be provided by a separate dedicated chip designed by Apple.
These aren't the only iPhone 17 Pro rumors we're tracking, but right now they're the ones that have me looking at my calendar and wishing September could arrive just a little faster.
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