What specs will the iPhone 17 series have? Here are my expert predictions
Date:
Wed, 03 Sep 2025 23:00:00 +0000
Description:
These are the key iPhone 17 series specs I expect, based on leaks, rumors,
and analysis.
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The iPhone 17 series is almost here, with Apple set to unveil the iPhone 17 itself along with the iPhone 17 Pro , the iPhone 17 Pro Max, and likely the iPhone 17 Air on September 9. But you dont have to wait until then to get a good idea of what to expect.
Between leaks, rumors, past form, and my own expert analysis, Ive pulled together a likely specs list for all four of these phones.
So read on to see which aspects will probably be improved, which wont, and whether these phones are likely to be worth upgrading to. iPhone 17 series specs comparison
Below youll find a closer look at all the specs I predict these phones will offer, but first, heres a brief comparison of the key specs you might find with each of these handsets. iPhone 17 series predicted specs
iPhone 17
iPhone 17 Air
iPhone 17 Pro
iPhone 17 Pro Max
Display:
6.1-inch OLED
6.7-inch OLED
6.3-inch OLED
6.9-inch OLED
Resolution:
1179 x 2556
1290 x 2796
1206 x 2622
1320 x 2868
Refresh rate:
120Hz
120Hz
120Hz
120Hz
Chipset:
A19
A19 Pro
A19 Pro
A19 Pro
Rear cameras:
48MP wide, 12MP ultra-wide
48MP wide
48MP wide, 48MP ultra-wide, 48MP telephoto (5x zoom)
48MP wide, 48MP ultra-wide, 48MP telephoto (5x zoom)
Front camera:
24MP
24MP
24MP
24MP
RAM:
8GB
8GB
12GB
12GB
Storage:
128GB, 256GB, 512GB
128GB, 256GB, 512GB
256GB, 512GB, 1TB
256GB, 512GB, 1TB
Battery:
3,561mAh+
Under 3,000mAh
3,582mAh+
~5,000mAh iPhone 17 specs predictions The iPhone 16 (Image credit: Future)
As you can see in the specs list above, the iPhone 17 might have a lot in common with the iPhone 16 , with leaks pointing to a screen thats once again 6.1 inches. And if it is the same size Id expect it would also be the same resolution meaning 1179 x 2556. However, one widely rumored upgrade the display could get is a 120Hz refresh rate , up from 60Hz on the current
model.
We havent heard much about the rear cameras, which suggests they will
probably be largely unchanged so expect a 48MP wide and 12MP ultra-wide camera again. However, the front-facing camera has been rumored multiple
times to be getting boosted from 12MP to 24MP , so that seems likely.
The chipset should also be improved, with leaks and common sense pointing to an A19 up from the A18 in the iPhone 16. However, most sources reckon the iPhone 17's RAM will once again come in at 8GB.
We havent heard much about the iPhone 17s storage, so thats likely unchanged from the 128GB / 256GB / 512GB capacities of its predecessor, and theres little news on the battery capacity either, so Id expect it will be at least 3,561mAh like last year.
However, based on past form theres a fair chance it could have a bigger battery, especially as Apple might be using a lighter and thinner motherboard , which would leave more space for extra battery capacity. iPhone 17 Air
specs predictions The iPhone 16 Plus (Image credit: Future)
The iPhone 17 Air would be a completely new model for Apple, so we cant look at it in terms of upgrades from its predecessor, but its screen at least
might be similar to the iPhone 16 Plus s, with leaks putting it at 6.7
inches. That said, some reports suggest it could instead be 6.6 inches, or somewhere in the middle.
Im going to guess 6.7 inches though, since thats what the iPhone 16 Plus has and the iPhone 17 Air is reportedly taking the Pluss place in the line.
In which case, it would probably also have the same resolution as the iPhone 16 Plus, meaning 1290 x 2796. However, as with the base model it could be boosted to a higher 120Hz refresh rate, going by numerous leaks.
The iPhone 17 Airs cameras though could be a downgrade, with leaks consistently pointing to the presence of just a single 48MP snapper on the back this presumably being a compromise necessary to make the phone thin. That could be joined by a 24MP camera on the front, though some leaks suggest it will instead have a 12MP one.
There are conflicting reports over whether the iPhone 17 Air will have an A19 chipset or an A19 Pro with one less GPU core than the Pro phones. Weve heard the latter more recently though, so thats my best guess for now.
Theres also no real agreement on whether the iPhone 17 Air will have 8GB of RAM or 12GB, but given that reports put the price similar to that of the iPhone 16 Plus, Id guess it will just have 8GB.
That reportedly similar pricing also makes me think storage could be the same as the iPhone 16 Plus, meaning 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB configurations.
However the battery will almost certainly be smaller, given that this is set to be a slim phone. In fact, weve heard that it could be under 3,000mAh , which seems believable. iPhone 17 Pro specs predictions The iPhone 16 Pro (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
Now we come to the iPhone 17 Pro, and as with the base model there might not be many screen upgrades. In fact, its possible that this will have exactly
the same display as the iPhone 16 Pro .
Specifically, leaks suggest it has a 6.3-inch 120Hz screen (with that refresh rate not being an upgrade here), and if the size is the same, the resolution probably will be too so Im predicting a resolution of 1206 x 2622.
However, the cameras could be in for some upgrades, because along with the same 48MP wide and 48MP ultra-wide cameras as last year, weve heard from numerous sources that the telephoto camera could also be 48MP up from 12MP
on the iPhone 16 Pro.
Whether it will still offer 5x optical zoom is less clear, with one source saying it will instead be a 3.5x zoom camera , and another going in the opposite direction and saying it could reach 8x zoom . But as theres a lack
of consensus Im going to guess its still 5x for now.
As with the other phones in the iPhone 17 series, the front camera here is widely rumored to also be getting an upgrade, from 12MP to 24MP.
The iPhone 17 Pros chipset will of course also almost certainly be better, with an A19 Pro probably set to replace the current models A18 Pro, and several sources also claim that it will have 12GB of RAM up from 8GB in the iPhone 16 Pro. That said, one source says it will still have 8GB , so it
could go either way.
Weve also heard from numerous sources that the iPhone 17 Pro might start with 256GB of storage , rather than the 128GB of its predecessor. But its unlikely to go beyond the current 1TB at the top end.
And finally, the iPhone 17 Pro will presumably have a battery thats at least as high capacity as the 3,582mAh one in the iPhone 16 Pro. But if anything,
it will probably be higher capacity, as Apple often increases the capacity on new models. iPhone 17 Pro Max specs predictions The iPhone 16 Pro Max (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
The iPhone 17 Pro Max is expected to be the flagship model in the iPhone 17 series. But as with the other phones its screen might not be a major focus, with leaks suggesting that like the iPhone 16 Pro Max it will have a 6.9-inch 120Hz display.
We havent heard much talk about the resolution, but as with the other models Id assume it would be the same again if the size remains the same, meaning 1320 x 2868.
Its cameras could be in for the same upgrades as the iPhone 17 Pros will reportedly have meaning a new 48MP telephoto camera in place of its 12MP predecessor, and a new 24MP camera on the front, with the wide and ultra-wide lenses probably remaining at 48MP, like last year.
The iPhone 17 Pro Maxs chipset will also almost certainly be improved, with the consensus being that it will have an A19 Pro chipset, likely paired with 12GB of RAM (up from 8GB in the iPhone 16 Pro Max).
We havent heard much about its storage though, so that will likely remain unchanged with 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB options.
And the battery is an interesting element because we havent heard many rumors about that either, but one suggests that it could reach 5,000mAh , which
would be a fairly sizable jump over the 4,685mAh of the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Thats a bigger increase than Apple usually goes for, but an increase of some amount is likely, and reaching around 5,000mAh certainly doesnt sound impossible. You might also like When can we expect the iPhone 17 to be released? Here are my expert predictions 5 ways the iPhone 17 Air could beat the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge 5 ways the iPhone 17 Pro can (and should) beat
the iPhone 16 Pro
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Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/phones/iphone/what-specs-will-the-iphone-17-series-h ave-here-are-my-expert-predictions
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