APPLE is cooking up huge design changes for this year’s big iPhone release – including tempting tweaks to the battery and screen.
That’s according to a list of 10 rumoured features for the upcoming iPhone 17 Pro revealed by Apple watchers.
3
Apple is expected to unveil as many as four new iPhone models later this year.
The tech giant normally hosts a major event every September to show off its new mobiles.
And this year, we’re expecting the lot to include a premium iPhone 17 Pro smartphone, an upgrade on the rumoured iPhone 17.
Now expert Apple blog MacRumors has revealed 10 of the changes we’re expecting, including a larger battery.
This will reportedly be made possible thanks to a slightly thicker design.
Last year’s iPhone 16 models were hailed for their impressive battery life (including in our iPhone 16 review), but the iPhone 17 Pro could offer even more juice.
Secondly, Apple is reportedly working on a more scratch-resistant screen.
The blog reports that Apple may be creating a new anti-reflective coating for the display that makes it tougher.
So hopefully your screen will stay pristine for longer, giving you better resale value when you’re done with it.
Another quirky design change is the claimed move to a rectangular camera bump.
On current iPhone Pro models, there’s a raised square on the top-left of its rear casing where the camera lives.
But the iPhone 17 Pro could see this bump stretch right across the back of the handset.
It’s still expected to only feature three cameras, keeping the current triangle layout.
However, it would dramatically change how the back of your iPhone looks.
3
In terms of cameras, it’s rumoured that we’ll see an upgraded 24-megapixel selfie camera (up from the current 12 megapixels).
That’s in addition to the reported 48-megapixel telephoto camera on the back, which would be an increase from the 12-megapixel zoom lens on the iPhone 16 Pro.
Other rumoured tweaks include a new aluminium frame (swapping away from titanium), an upgrade to 12GB of RAM, better cooling, a more powerful Apple A19 Pro processor, and an Apple-built Wi-Fi 7 chip for connecting to the internet.
So to recap, the 10 features would be:
- Bigger battery
- Scratch-resistant screen
- Rectangular camera bump
- 24-megapixel selfie camera
- 48-megapixel telephoto camera
- Aluminium frame
- 12GB RAM
- Improved cooling
- Apple A19 Pro chipset
- Apple Wi-Fi 7 chip
Of course these changes aren’t guaranteed – they’re simply based on leaks.
And even if Apple is working on these tweaks, its plans could always change in the meantime.
SO WHEN IS IT OUT?
The big question is: when will you be able to get your hands on it?
IPHONE SCREEN SIZES – A JOURNEY THROUGH TIME
Here’s how iPhone screen sizes have changed over the years – as measured in inches diagonally from corner to corner…
- iPhone (2007) – 3.5 inches
- iPhone 3G (2008) – 3.5 inches
- iPhone 3GS (2009) – 3.5 inches
- iPhone 4 (2010) – 3.5 inches
- iPhone 4S (2011) – 3.5 inches
- iPhone 5 (2012) – 4 inches
- iPhone 5S (2013) – 4 inches
- iPhone 5C (2013) – 4 inches
- iPhone 6 (2014) – 4.7 inches
- iPhone 6+ (2014) – 5.5 inches
- iPhone 6S (2015) – 4.7 inches
- iPhone 6S+ (2015) – 5.5 inches
- iPhone SE (2016) – 4 inches
- iPhone 7 (2016) – 4.7 inches
- iPhone 7+ (2016) – 5.5 inches
- iPhone 8 (2017) – 4.7 inches
- iPhone 8+ (2017) – 5.5 inches
- iPhone X (2017) – 5.8 inches
- iPhone XS (2018) – 5.8 inches
- iPhone XR (2018) – 6.1 inches
- iPhone XS Max (2018) – 6.5 inches
- iPhone 11 (2019) – 6.1 inches
- iPhone 11 Pro (2019) – 5.8 inches
- iPhone 11 Pro Max (2019) – 6.5 inches
- iPhone SE 2nd gen (2020) – 4.7 inches
- iPhone 12 Mini (2020) – 5.4 inches
- iPhone 12 (2020) – 6.1 inches
- iPhone 12 Pro (2020) – 6.1 inches
- iPhone 12 Pro Max (2020) – 6.7 inches
- iPhone 13 Mini (2021) – 5.4 inches
- iPhone 13 (2021) – 6.1 inches
- iPhone 13 Pro (2021) – 6.1 inches
- iPhone 13 Pro Max (2021) – 6.7 inches
- iPhone SE 3rd gen (2022) – 4.7 inches
- iPhone 14 (2022) – 6.1 inches
- iPhone 14 Plus (2022) – 6.7 inches
- iPhone 14 Pro (2022) – 6.1 inches
- iPhone 14 Pro Max (2022) – 6.7 inches
- iPhone 15 (2023) – 6.1 inches
- iPhone 15 Plus (2023) – 6.7 inches
- iPhone 15 Pro (2023) – 6.1 inches
- iPhone 15 Pro Max (2023) – 6.7 inches
- iPhone 16 (2024) – 6.1 inches
- iPhone 16 Plus (2024) – 6.7 inches
- iPhone 16 Pro (2024) – 6.3 inches
- iPhone 16 Pro Max (2024) – 6.9 inches
- iPhone 16e (2025) – 6.1 inches
Picture Credit: Apple / The Sun
Apple is a creature of habit, so we can make a good guess at when we’ll get a new iPhone.
In fact, The Sun’s tech editor Sean Keach has already made its prediction for the iPhone 17 release date.
Usually Apple shows off a new iPhone in the first half of September, typically on Tuesday or Wednesday.
Tuesday is more common in recent years, so we’d expect the iPhone 17 launch to take place on September 9, 2025.
3
That would likely be followed by pre-orders on Friday, September 12, with an expected release date of Friday, September 19.
We’d probably expect to hear about the event at the end of the previous month – probably August 26.
With all of that in mind, here’s a re-cap of the key dates we’re expecting:
- Apple iPhone 17 event announcement – Tuesday, August 26, 2025
- Apple iPhone 17 event day – Tuesday, September 9, 2025
- iPhone 17 pre-orders – Friday, September 12, 2025
- iOS 19 release date – Monday, September 15, 2025
- iPhone 17 release date – Friday, September 19, 2025
Sadly there’s no guarantee that Apple will stick to its usual pattern, so mark these in your calendar in pencil for now.
