iPhone 17: Everything we know so far
The iPhone 16 is still many months away, but leaks about the iPhone 17 lineup are already coming out in full intensity. We’ve gathered everything known about the 2026 iPhone lineup.
The iPhone 17 is rumored to be a huge upgrade compared to the iPhone 16 lineup. Apple might introduce changes to the display, cameras, and even the dimensions. We might see new iPhones in slimmer-than-ever sizes and may also have to say goodbye to one iPhone model.
However, the iPhone 17 lineup isn’t expected to be announced until late 2026, and a lot could change before the phones are officially revealed. We’ll update this article as new information emerges, but take everything with a pinch of salt.
Rumored release window
Apple/PexelsApple hasn’t announced the iPhone 17’s launch date yet, but you can expect the new lineup to debut in 2026. The Cupertino company usually holds its smartphone launches in September, so it’s reasonable to expect the iPhone 17 to launch around the same time.
For reference, the iPhone 15 was announced in September 2023, the iPhone 14 in September 2022, and the iPhone 13 in September 2021.
Expected price
The pricing of any smartphone depends a lot on the prices of its components and the cost a company has to put into research and development. Apple has so far been pretty consistent with the iPhone prices, but we might see a slight price increase with the iPhone 17.
Nikkei Asia reported that the production costs for the iPhone 15 were higher than those for the iPhone 14 models. Apple absorbed the increased costs to keep the prices the same as the iPhone 14 series. It might not do the same for the iPhone 16 or iPhone 17 series.
Design & display speculation
AppleAll recent iPhones have debuted with almost the same design as their previous generation models. This is reported to change with the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus, and we might see even more drastic changes on the iPhone 17 lineup.
Apple might have big changes in store, at least for the iPhone 15 Plus. In a post shared on X, display industry expert Ross Young said the “iPhone 17 Plus” will be equipped with a smaller screen than the current-generation iPhone 15 Plus, which has a 6.7-inch display.
The iPhone 15 Plus has the same screen size as the iPhone 15 Pro Max. One reason why Apple could be trimming down the Plus model might be to further differentiate it from the Pro Max model, starting with the iPhone 17 lineup. Another reason could be to discontinue the phone entirely and replace it with an iPhone 17 Slim.
In a research note with investment firm Haitong, analyst Jeff Pu said Apple is planning an “iPhone 17 Slim” model that would replace the Plus model in the lineup. Pu said this model will feature around a 6.6-inch display and a slimmer design.
Pu reports that the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Slim, and iPhone 17 Pro models will ditch the usual aluminum design for a more complex one (details yet to be revealed).
The iPhone 17 Pro Max will stick with the titanium build. It will also sport a slimmer notch at the top of the screen, thanks to a new “metalens” technology that shrinks the Face ID sensor. The other iPhone models will keep the current notch size.
Here are the expected display sizes of all four models, according to Pu:
- iPhone 17: 6.1-inch display
- iPhone 17 Slim: 6.6-inch display
- iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3-inch display
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9-inch display
The Elec reported in February 2024 that the iPhone 17 and 17 Plus (or 17 Slim) will receive upgrades in their display technology. Both the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus models stick to a 60Hz panel, and the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus are expected to do the same.
However, the iPhone 17 models might feature a 120Hz refresh rate, which Apple calls the ProMotion screen. The smartphones will also support an always-on display feature.
Specs rumors
AppleIn terms of performance and specifications, Pu reports the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Slim might come with 8GB of RAM and either an Apple A18 or A19 chip. The iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are expected to feature up to 12GB of RAM with an A19 Pro chip.
Right now, the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus come with 6GB of RAM, while the Pro models, the 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max, bump it up to 8GB.
This year, Apple is expected to offer 8GB of RAM across the board for the iPhone 16 lineup, making things uniform. However, Pu suggests Apple will bring back different RAM tiers with the launch of the iPhone 17 in 2025.
On top of that, the analyst says all iPhone 17 models will pack a whopping 24MP front-facing camera. This is a major jump from the current 12MP selfie snappers Apple uses. This upgrade aligns with a previous report by Ming-Chi Kuo, who earlier mentioned the iPhone 17 getting a 24MP front camera.