Apple is gearing as much as unveil its next-generation iPhones this fall, and as standard, the rumor mill is already in full swing. Whereas the same old minor efficiency enhancements and design tweaks are anticipated, this 12 months’s iPhone 17 lineup can also be anticipated to convey extra significant adjustments than we’ve seen shortly, together with some beautiful options we’ve by no means seen earlier than.
After all, a few of these adjustments could also be restricted to sure fashions, and Apple typically retains a number of surprises below wraps till launch day. None of that is assured to occur. But when these rumors are true, Apple followers can be speeding to improve their iPhones this fall.
1. A very new thermal system
After years of complaints from avid gamers and energy customers, Apple might lastly be addressing thermal throttling this 12 months. The iPhone 17 Professional is rumored to function an all-new inside cooling system to raised dissipate warmth throughout intense duties reminiscent of video modifying.
This know-how, which is rumored to be based mostly on a vapor chamber system, can be particularly helpful for retaining the iPhone cool when working 3D video games and AI-based duties. In different phrases, making a Genmoji will not soften your cellphone.
2. An ultra-thin and ultra-light design
Whereas this 12 months’s Professional fashions will get thicker to accommodate higher cameras and batteries, Apple can also be rumored to be introducing a brand-new type issue referred to as (presumably) the iPhone 17 Air.
A number of sources counsel that the 17 Air would be the thinnest iPhone ever launched, measuring simply 5.5mm at its slenderest level. This can be potential due to new engineering processes that make parts smaller. Inside, this ultra-slim iPhone could have the identical new A19 chip as the remainder of the iPhone 17 lineup.
Whereas an ultra-thin cellphone sounds thrilling to many individuals, it’s value noting that every one this thinness should include some compromises, reminiscent of a smaller battery and solely a single digital camera lens on the again.
3. Considerably sharper selfies (and FaceTime calls)
The iPhone selfie digital camera hasn’t seen a serious decision bump in years. In truth, the final time Apple improved the front-facing digital camera in any respect was on the iPhone 14, which gained a bigger sensor than the previous mannequin, plus auto-focus.
Fortunately, that’s all about to alter with the launch of the iPhone 17 lineup. Apple reportedly plans to double the front-facing digital camera’s spec from 12 to 24MP, delivering higher-resolution selfies and clearer FaceTime video calls. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo additionally suggests that the brand new selfie digital camera could have a six-element lens (in comparison with 5 on the iPhones 15 and 16), which ought to enhance photos captured in low gentle. Good for vlogging, must you occur to be a content material creator.
Apple
4. New high-performance chips
Apple is predicted to proceed its latest technique of utilizing totally different chips to upsell its dearer iPhones. Which means the common iPhone 17 fashions can be powered by the brand new however workhorse-like A19, whereas the Professional and Professional Max variations will use the significantly extra tempting A19 Professional.
In truth, even the usual fashions are headed for a critical increase: each new chips can be constructed on TSMC’s N3P course of, which is extra environment friendly and consumes much less battery than the N3 and N3E variations from earlier years. However the A19 Professional could have a greater GPU and 12GB of RAM as a substitute of 8GB. For customers, this implies much more energy to run intensive duties reminiscent of rendering movies, taking part in 3D video games, and working AI duties regionally–which ought to go properly with the upgraded cooling system talked about earlier.
Felipe Esposito / Foundry
5. Homegrown wi-fi
The newest iPhones already help Wi-Fi 7 and 5G, however Apple needs to make wi-fi connectivity even higher with the iPhone 17. That’s as a result of not less than one of many new fashions, presumably the iPhone 17 Air, will use the identical C1 modem because the iPhone 16e.
C1 is Apple’s first 5G modem, and it’s way more energy-efficient than the Qualcomm modems inside the opposite iPhone fashions. The brand new modem might assist Apple prolong battery life on the ultra-slim iPhone 17 Air regardless of having much less bodily battery capability.
On the identical time, analyst Jeff Pu believes that every one iPhone 17 fashions can be geared up with a brand new Wi-Fi 7 chip designed by Apple, which may also cut back battery consumption in comparison with present chips.
