The upcoming iPhone 16 models that we’re expecting in September will be quite similar to the iPhone 15 models, but rumors suggest that Apple is making some big changes in 2025. We’ve heard hints of an all-new device in the iPhone lineup, and it could be the most expensive iPhone that Apple has offered to date.
iPhone 17 Plus in purple
New “Slim” design
Rumors have started to refer to Apple’s planned new iPhone 17 as the “iPhone 17 Slim,” but Apple almost certainly won’t use that name. The “slim” designation refers to the device’s thinner, sleeker design.
With the 12.9-inch iPad Pro M4 model, Apple shaved more than a millimeter off the thickness, making it the thinnest device Apple has made to date. That same focus on a slim design is expected in 2025, with the next iPhone said to be “significantly thinner” than current iPhones.
We don’t know exactly how thick Apple will make this iPhone, but the iPad Pro is just 5.1mm thick and could serve as a model for what to expect.
Size-wise, the iPhone 17 Slim is expected to slot somewhere between the 6.1-inch iPhone 15 Pro and the 6.7-inch iPhone 15 Pro. Separate rumors have targeted 6.55-inch, 6.6-inch, and 6.65-inch as Apple’s chosen display size, which would make it smaller than the iPhone 15 Pro Max (and the rumored iPhone 16 Pro Max).
While Apple has been using titanium for its high-end iPhone models since last year, the iPhone 17 Slim is said to have an aluminum chassis. Early rumors about the device actually suggested it would replace the iPhone “Plus” in Apple’s lineup, but later reports point to a new high-end iPhone that’s even more expensive than the Pro Max.
From the rumors we’ve heard so far, it seems like the iPhone 17 Slim will be similar to the 2017 iPhone X. The iPhone X marked a huge leap forward in technology and was sold alongside the standard iPhone 8 models.
It looks like we’re getting an iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and this new premium iPhone 17 Slim, with Apple eliminating the Plus model altogether. The iPhone 17 Slim could be more expensive than the iPhone 15 Pro Max, which currently starts at $1,199.
Cameras moved
In addition to a thinner and lighter design, the top-of-the-line iPhone 17 could feature the first major rear camera redesign. Rumors suggest that the cameras could be moved from the top-left corner of the iPhone to the top-center, which could result in a design similar to the Google Pixel.
The Pixel 8 Pro features a raised bezel on the back of the device that houses a trio of cameras, a laser-detecting autofocus sensor, and a flash.
Apple is still testing designs for the iPhone 17, but moving the camera is a possibility.
Display improvements
ProMotion display technology that allows for variable refresh rates from 1Hz to 120Hz is expected for all iPhone models in 2025, including the top-of-the-line model, but the bigger news is that Apple is reportedly using a new display coating.
The new coating is said to have improved anti-reflective properties and better scratch resistance than the current Ceramic Shield coating. It has been described as an “ultra-hard anti-reflective layer” in the leaks.
Apple has been using Ceramic Shield since 2020. It’s a ceramic-glass hybrid material developed in partnership with Corning. Corning has since improved its protective glass products, and the company’s Gorilla Armor material reduces reflectivity by up to 75% while improving drop protection and scratch resistance. Corning has a long-standing relationship with Apple, and while Gorilla Armor was developed for Samsung, Corning could make a similar product for Apple.
Better selfie camera and changes to Dynamic Island
The new iPhone 17 is expected to feature a more compact Dynamic Island, which takes up less screen space. Rumors have been circulating for years about under-display Face ID technology, and we could see the first hints of it in 2025.
There will be a smaller hole and a pill-shaped cutout for the front-facing camera, but it doesn’t look like Apple is reaching its all-screen design goals just yet.
As part of the “Dynamic Island” redesign, Apple is reportedly adopting a 24-megapixel front-facing camera, which would be an upgrade from the current 12-megapixel selfie camera. It will feature a six-element lens for better image quality, and the increased resolution will capture more detail and allow for more cropping without sacrificing quality.
Faster chips
It looks like the iPhone 17 series won’t benefit from TSMC’s next-gen 2-nanometer chips, but we’re expecting A19 chip technology that’s likely built on an improved 3-nanometer process. Apple typically upgrades iPhones with faster and more efficient chip technology every year, and we’re expecting the best chip available in 2025 to be included in the iPhone 17 Slim.
TSMC is working on 2nm chips, but mass production isn’t expected until late 2025, which would be too late for the iPhone 17 models. If work accelerates, that could change. Compared to 3nm chip technology, the 2nm manufacturing process could deliver a 10-15% speed improvement at the same power, or a 25-30% power reduction at the same speed.
Chips built on an improved 3-nanometer process won’t have the same gains as chips built on a 2-nanometer process, but we can still expect modest improvements in CPU and GPU speeds. With Apple’s heavy focus on AI, the Neural Engine dedicated to machine learning tasks should also see improvements.
TSMC is working on its N3P process, which is expected to begin mass production in late 2024. Compared to earlier versions of 3nm chips, N3P chips offer increased performance efficiency and increased transistor density.
Rumors have been pointing to 12GB of RAM for the high-end iPhone 17 models, and that increase would make sense for the more expensive iPhone 17 Slim. Currently, RAM tops out at 8GB.
Learn more
For more on what to expect from the iPhone 17 lineup in 2025, be sure to Check out our iPhone 17 previewOur roundups receive regular updates with all the latest rumors, making them a great resource for tracking rumor developments over time.
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