It’s June, and the iPhone 17 isn’t official yet. But that hasn’t stopped a flood of leaks from sketching a fairly complete picture of Apple’s upcoming lineup. 

As expected, there will be some usual generational upgrades, including a new chip, some performance gains, and maybe a camera tweak or two. But Apple is reportedly planning some bigger shifts this year, including the debut of a brand-new model called the iPhone 17 Air.

The iPhone 17 series is expected to be unveiled in September, on schedule. But if you’re thinking about upgrading now, it might be worth holding off. Here’s why.

Four iPhones again, but with a new model

Apple will launch four iPhones yet again this year. But there will be a notable change. Based on leaks so far, the iPhone 17 Air will replace the Plus model and join the regular iPhone 17, the 17 Pro, and the 17 Pro Max.

Here’s how the lineup is expected to look:

• iPhone 17 is the standard model with a 6.1-inch display.
• iPhone 17 Air is expected to have a 6.5-inch screen, a thinner chassis than any iPhone ever (rumored at 5.4mm), and likely priced just under the Pro models.
• iPhone 17 Pro will feature a 6.3-inch screen, upgraded internals, and a redesigned camera.
• iPhone 17 Pro Max is a 6.9 model with the same camera bar redesign.

All four models may get 120Hz displays

If you were hoping for ProMotion and always-on display on last year’s iPhone 16 or 16 Plus, you were out of luck. That might finally change this year. 

The iPhone 17 and 17 Air are rumored to support a 120Hz refresh rate. It’s still unclear if Apple will limit the base models to fixed 120Hz while reserving variable refresh (and always-on display) for the Pros. Either way, it’s better than the 60Hz panels that feel outdated on a $799 phone in 2025.

Apple also seems to be testing a new anti-reflective, scratch-resistant coating for all iPhone 17 displays. Not much has been confirmed, but it’s being described as tougher than Ceramic Shield.

Minor design changes, but more uniform materials

Design-wise, the iPhone 17 will likely look similar to recent models, but with some subtle changes. According to reports, Apple is moving back to aluminum for all devices, not just the entry-level ones. 

That’s interesting considering how much marketing was put behind titanium on the iPhone 15 Pro. The switch may have less to do with aesthetics and more to do with manufacturing consistency (or cost).

The iPhone 17 Pro models are also expected to shift the rear camera design to a horizontal aluminum bar that spans the top portion of the device. Meanwhile, the base iPhone 17 and the Air will reportedly maintain simpler, smaller camera modules with fewer sensors.

iPhone 17 Air’s tradeoff

There’s one obvious downside to making a phone thinner: battery capacity. The iPhone 17 Air is rumored to ship with a 2,800mAh battery, significantly smaller than the iPhone 17’s reported 3,500mAh. 

Apple seems to be aware of this and is expected to mitigate it with a combination of software optimizations (possibly in iOS 26), a power-efficient A19 chip, and even a return of the long-dead battery case accessory.

Still, anyone hoping to get all-day battery life in a super-slim phone should manage expectations. In exchange for the thinnest iPhone ever, you’re likely sacrificing longevity.

Chips and performance

On the processor side, Apple will again split its chips between tiers. The iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air are likely to run the A18 Pro chip—carried over from the iPhone 16 Pro—while the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max will get the new A19 Pro, built on a more efficient 3nm process.

The Pro models may also include 12GB of RAM for the first time. The increased RAM will contribute to enhancing Apple Intelligence and other AI features’ performance. 

Meanwhile, all models are said to include Apple’s in-house C1 modem, which first appeared in the iPhone 16e. 

Cameras upgrades 

The headline camera improvement this year will be on the Pro models. Both are expected to feature a 48MP telephoto lens with a 3.5x zoom (down from 5x last year).

The reduced optical zoom might be seen as a downgrade, but the idea is to deliver better framing and cropping for typical use cases like portraits. Apple will likely pitch this as more practical than its prior approach.

All models will reportedly get a new 24MP front-facing camera. That’s double the resolution of last year, and enough to maintain quality when zooming or cropping. 

Video might get its moment too. The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max could finally support 8K video capture. Apple reportedly tested this for the iPhone 16 Pro, but it never shipped. Given that competitors like Samsung already offer this, Apple may have finally decided to close the gap.

The usual launch timeline

If you’re considering waiting, here’s what you should expect. Apple will likely unveil the iPhone 17 lineup in the second week of September, followed by preorders on that Friday and availability a week later. 

The timeline hasn’t changed much in years, and unless something major disrupts production, this year shouldn’t be any different.

Final thoughts

The iPhone 17 doesn’t appear to reinvent the smartphone, but it does reshape Apple’s lineup in a few key ways. The iPhone 17 Air could replace the Plus model and set the tone for a new design era. 

The base models may finally get high-refresh displays. And Apple is pushing more advanced features—like 8K video, new wireless tech, and upgraded cameras—deeper into the Pro tier.

For users still on an iPhone 13 or earlier, the jump will be noticeable. For those with a recent iPhone 15 or 16, the appeal might be less obvious, unless you’re waiting for a thinner, lighter model or always-on display on something other than a Pro.

The bottom line is that if your current phone works fine and you’re even slightly curious about Apple’s next design phase, waiting for the iPhone 17 is probably the smarter move.

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