iPhone 17, 17 Air, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max: Design Revamp, India Prices, Massive Camera Upgrades, and Everything We Know So Far

Apple iPhone 17: The rumours around the iPhone 17 series have been pouring in since last year, even before the iPhone 16 debuted. There are lot of changes expected this time. For starters the Plus model is going away, and Apple is making a new “Air” iPhone. 

This year, Apple’s iPhone 17 lineup is likely to look considerably different.  Rumour has it that Apple will get rid of the iPhone 17 Plus completely, instead of the regular base, Plus, Pro, and Pro Max.  The iPhone 17 Air, a new, very thin model, could take its place.  In 2025, there will be four models: the iPhone 17, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max, and this one.

While iPhone 17 Air will not be a replacement for the Plus Model, it is expected to be placed between the Pro and non-Pro models in terms of pricing and size.  Multiple sources say that the iPhone 17 Air could be Apple’s thinnest iPhone ever, coming in at less than 6mm thick.  The screen will be about 6.6 inches, which is in between the Pro (6.3 inches) and Pro Max (6.9 inches).  It should also be quite light, weighing only 145 grams, which is less than the iPhone 13 Mini. 

Apple might change the look of the back of the iPhone 17 Air and Pro.  People are saying that the new body will be made of half glass and half metal, which will make it stronger but still operate with MagSafe.  We might also see a change from the square camera bump we’ve had for years to a horizontal, pill-shaped one.  This year, the Dynamic Island cutout might go smaller because of new Face ID tech. Not all leakers agree, though. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes that the Dynamic Island will be pretty much the same as the iPhone 16. 

All four iPhone 17 models could have a 24MP front camera, which would make your selfies and video calls twice as good. On the rear, the iPhone 17 Air is expected to hold a single 48MP lens, and the iPhone 17 has a dual-camera configuration with Wide and Ultra-Wide lenses.  The iPhone 17 Pro Max will likely have three 48MP cameras (Wide, Ultra-Wide, Telephoto) and maybe support for 8K video. The Pro models might also include an adjustable aperture. A variable aperture will result in better photos under all lighting conditions and sharper focus. 

It is said that all iPhone 17 models could feature a 120Hz ProMotion display. This is a big update, as this time not just the pro models, but also the non-pro models are expected to get the ProMotion Display. It means speedier scrolling and better gaming.  LTPO OLED panels power these screens and help save battery life at the same time.  Apple may also add always-on display to more models, but that is still up in the air.

Most of the iPhone 17 variants will employ Apple’s new A19 chip. The Pro and Pro Max models will probably use the more powerful A19 Pro chip.  One report indicates that the base iPhone 17 might still use the A18 chip, but nothing is confirmed yet.  The Air, Pro, and Pro Max could all get 12GB of RAM, while the base iPhone 17 may still have 8GB. 

Apple plans to make the battery replacement easier in iPhone 17 leveraging a new battery adhesive technology that loosens with a little electric current. The charging speeds may be the same- 35W for wired charging and MagSafe for wireless charging. However, Apple might include compatibility for the new Qi 2.2 standard, which could allow for quicker wireless charging. Some models may also have vapor chamber cooling, which helps keep the heat down when gaming or using a lot of power. 

Apple’s iPhone 17 Air may be the first iPhone to have its own modem and Wi-Fi 7 chip, which would be superior for control and efficiency than Qualcomm’s. 

Every year we get to see new iPhone colours and this year it won’t be any different. Apple is said to be prepping both green and purple colour options with only of them to likely make the final cut. There have also been leaks of a bright blue Pro model but again, all these are just leaks and rumours. 

A lot of factors are going to affect the pricing strategy of the iPhone 17 this time. Prices could be – iPhone 17 could launch at Rs 79,999, the iPhone 17 Air is said to launch at Rs 89,999, iPhone 17 Pro at Rs 1,39,900, while the Pro Max could set you back at Rs 1,64,900. Prices may go up a little this year because parts cost more. 

The iPhone 17 launch is expected in September this year, with sales to follow later in the month. Usually, the pre-order begins on the Friday after the keynote. The phones are most likely to enter the shipment phase the same week as the pre-order.