Here's What's Rumored for the Regular iPhone 17 This Year

Rumors indicate that the lowest-end iPhone 17 model will have the same overall design as the lowest-end iPhone 16, so what is actually changing this year?

iphone 16 teal
Below, we recap three key features that are coming on the regular iPhone 17, according to sources such as Ross Young, Ming-Chi Kuo, and Jeff Pu.

ProMotion Display

The regular iPhone 17 and the ultra-thin "iPhone 17 Air" are expected to feature ProMotion, for a variable refresh rate up to 120Hz.

ProMotion has been limited to the Pro models since it debuted on the iPhone 13 Pro and the iPhone 13 Pro Max back in 2021.

ProMotion support would result in smoother-looking scrolling and videos, and the technology contributes to longer battery life. It could also pave the way for an always-on display, so long as the refresh rate can ramp down to as low as 1Hz.

Upgraded Front Camera

All four iPhone 17 models are expected to have a 24-megapixel front camera, up from 12 megapixels on all iPhone 16 models.

With a higher 24-megapixel resolution, photos can maintain their quality even when cropped to a greater degree, providing more flexibility in post-processing.

Kuo said the upgraded camera will "significantly improve" image quality.

Apple-Designed Wi-Fi 7 Chip

Apple's first custom-designed Wi-Fi chip is expected to debut in all iPhone 17 models.

The chip is expected to support Wi-Fi 7, which allows for data transmission over the 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bands simultaneously, with a supported router. Benefits include faster Wi-Fi speeds, lower latency, and more reliable connectivity.

The entire iPhone 16 lineup already supports Wi-Fi 7, so the spec is not much of a surprise, but the fact that the chip will be designed by Apple is notable.

A19 Chip

The A19 chip in the regular iPhone 17 is expected to be made with TSMC's newer third-generation 3nm process, which is known as "N3P."

Expect year-over-year performance and power efficiency gains as usual.

Related Roundup: iPhone 17
Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Friday July 4, 2025 1:05 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are just over two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:Apple logo repositioned: Apple's logo may have a lower position on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models, compared to previous...
iphone 16 pro models 1

Here's How the iPhone 17 Pro Max Will Compare to the iPhone 17 Pro

Saturday July 5, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
Apple should unveil the iPhone 17 series in September, and there might be one bigger difference between the Pro and Pro Max models this year. As always, the Pro Max model will be larger than the Pro model:iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3-inch display iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9-inch displayGiven the Pro Max is physically larger than the Pro, it has more internal space, allowing for a larger battery and...
iPhone Car Key Kia

Here's Which Vehicles Offer iPhone Car Keys

Sunday July 6, 2025 3:03 pm PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. Apple has a web page with a list of vehicle models that ...
imac video apple feature

Apple Launching These 15+ Products Later This Year

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
The calendar has turned to July, meaning that 2025 is now more than half over. And while the summer months are often quiet for Apple, the company still has more than a dozen products coming later this year, according to rumors. Below, we have outlined at least 15 new Apple products that are expected to launch later this year, along with key rumored features for each. iPhone 17 Series iPho...
airpods pro 2

AirPods Pro 3 to Help Maintain Apple's Place in Earbud Market Amid Increasing Low-Cost Competition

Thursday July 3, 2025 7:25 am PDT by
Apple's position as the dominant force in the global true wireless stereo (TWS) earbud market is expected to continue through 2025, according to Counterpoint Research. The forecast outlines a 3% year-over-year increase in global TWS unit shipments for 2025, signaling a transition from rapid growth to a more mature phase for the category. While Apple is set to remain the leading brand by...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Max Battery Capacity Leaked

Thursday July 3, 2025 5:40 am PDT by
The iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature the biggest ever battery in an iPhone, according to the Weibo leaker known as "Instant Digital." In a new post, the leaker listed the battery capacities of the iPhone 11 Pro Max through to the iPhone 16 Pro Max, and added that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature a battery capacity of 5,000mAh: iPhone 11 Pro Max: 3,969mAh iPhone 12 Pro Max: 3,687mAh...
Apple Watch Ultra Night Mode Screen

Apple Watch Ultra 3 Launching Later This Year With Two Key Upgrades

Wednesday July 2, 2025 1:13 pm PDT by
The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 appears to be nearly over, and it is rumored to feature both satellite connectivity and 5G support. Apple Watch Ultra's existing Night Mode In his latest Power On newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is on track to launch this year with "significant" new features, including satellite connectivity, which would let you...
Prime Day 25 Feature Warm Triad

The Best Early Prime Day Deals on Apple Products

Saturday July 5, 2025 7:22 am PDT by
Amazon is soon to be back with its annual summertime Prime Day event, lasting for four days from July 8-11, the longest Prime Day yet. As it does every year, Prime Day offers shoppers a huge selection of deals across Amazon's storefront, and there are already many deals you can get on sale ahead of the event. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a ...

Top Rated Comments

iObama Avatar
16 weeks ago
This may be the year I go standard iPhone...

ProMotion's been the only thing holding me back (and Apple knows that).
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
I/0 Avatar
16 weeks ago
This will be the only good looking iPhone in this year’s lineup.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JokoWidodo Avatar
16 weeks ago
it might also get :

- new 6.3" display
- vapor chamber
- apple wifi chip
- new colors
- bigger battery
- some exclusive software features
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JohnRckr Avatar
16 weeks ago
Big pile of nothing.
At least it will look nice, unlike the rest of the lineup
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DrWojtek Avatar
16 weeks ago

Again MacRumors trying to make people getting the standard 17 feel bad by calling it the lowest end etc!
Maybe if people feel bad about what they buy based on what someone else says, the problem is not with that someone else but the people themselves.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JohnLuke Avatar
16 weeks ago
If it has ProMotion, that's what I'll buy! I don't need that huge rectangle on the Pro camera
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)