The iPhone 16 has been around for less than six months, but it's never too early to speculate what Apple's next flagship device could look like. There's already been plenty of buzz about what we could see with the next iPhone, likely called the iPhone 17, from a slimmer version of the upcoming handset to -- finally -- a new screen with a higher refresh rate on baseline models.
Here's what analysts are predicting about the iPhone 17 lineup, which is expected to be announced around September.
A slimmer iPhone
One of the biggest rumors surrounds a possible iPhone "Slim," a thinner version of Apple's flagship device that would replace the iPhone Plus option. It could feature a 6.6-inch screen, making it slightly smaller than the iPhone 16 Plus and iPhone 16 Pro Max but still bigger than the baseline model, according to analysts Jeff Pu and Ming-Chi Kuo. Similarly, it's likely the Slim will be more expensive than the baseline 17, but cheaper than the Pro models -- maintaining the Plus' place in the iPhone hierarchy.
The thinner phone could also feature an aluminum-based frame, Pu and Kuo have each suggested. This wouldn't be much of a leap, since Apple added a polished aluminum finish to the Apple Watch Series 10.
To slim down a device, there will need to be hardware tradeoffs, and that may include the phone's camera. It's possible this version of the iPhone 17 would only have one main camera, Kuo speculates, doing without the ultrawide and 5x telephoto lenses that have been staples of Apple's premium iPhones for years. This would place the slim iPhone in the same camp as the $429 iPhone SE when it comes to cameras, as that phone only has one rear lens as well (and the rumored iPhone SE 4 could maintain that design). The good news, though, is that the selfie camera on the iPhone Slim could get a boost; more on that later.
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When it comes to what's on the inside, the iPhone 17 Slim will likely feature an A18 or A19-branded chip, Pu suggests. This would reportedly match the chip in the baseline iPhone 17. It could also include 8GB of RAM and, potentially, an Apple-developed 5G modem.
What remains to be seen is what battery capacity could look like. A slimmer build typically means less space for the battery and, by extension, potentially a compromise on battery life. Hopefully, that's not the case here, but we'll have to see.
A higher refresh rate across the board
Rumor has it all models of the iPhone 17 will feature a 120Hz display, bumping the non-Pro models up from their current 60Hz refresh rate. That could be a welcome change, as the discrepancy between the Pro and non-Pro refresh rate is surprising; when Apple debuted the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus with a 60Hz display, there was a bit of an outcry from folks who expected more in 2024. This rumored update could remedy that -- and possibly bring the always-on display to the baseline model.
Camera upgrades
It's not an iPhone release without a camera upgrade. The biggest rumor so far is that the selfie camera on all iPhone 17 models, including the Slim, will be upgraded to 24 megapixels, Pu reports. That's a decent bump from the current 12-megapixel front-facing camera on the iPhone 16 lineup, though it's important to remember that more megapixels doesn't automatically mean better photos. Still, given how much people increasingly rely on their front cameras to snap selfies and record videos for TikTok and Instagram, this is sure to be a welcome advancement.
One of the biggest rumors regarding the iPhone 17's camera has to do with its layout; a leaked image from Majin Bu on X suggests the phone could feature a pill-shaped camera bar, essentially resembling what you'd find on Google's Pixel 9 phone. The validity of this rumor is unclear, and there's also been some debate over which upcoming iPhone might feature this design: the 4th-gen SE, the 17 Slim or another iPhone 17 model. Only time will tell.
Other possible features
While rumor has it the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Slim and iPhone 17 Pro will all have an aluminum design, Pu suggests the iPhone 17 Pro Max will maintain a titanium frame. Additionally, the iPhone 17 Pro Max could have a narrower Dynamic Island, thanks to a smaller Face ID sensor. Dynamic Island on other iPhone 17 models would reportedly stay the same size, Pu says.
We'll continue to update this piece as more rumors surface, so be sure to follow along.
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