iPhone 17: Here are all the new features coming soon, and there are lots of them!
The new iPhone 17 will be officially unveiled this Tuesday, September 9th. Apple is expected to spend a good portion of its September keynote detailing all the new features coming to this new generation. These new features are already well known, as numerous leaks have been pouring in online for several weeks. On the agenda: new camera sensors, a new design, an extremely thin version of the iPhone, an improved battery...
While we wait for the Apple keynote , find out everything you need to know about the iPhone 17, its price, new features, release date and different versions.
The iPhone 17 Air , a slimmer version of the iPhone 17, is expected to slot in between the standard iPhone 17 and the Pro variants in terms of price. Apple is banking on sales of this new format and intends to compete with Samsung and its Galaxy S25 Edge released this year.
Apple is likely looking to relaunch variants of its popular smartphone after the poor sales success of the Mini and Plus models. "The idea is to sort of create a thinner version of the iPhone, something that sits between the iPhone 17 and the iPhone 17 Pro. The most relevant comparison is probably the MacBook Air from over a decade ago, which sat somewhere between the base MacBook and the MacBook Pro ," explains Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman.
From a design perspective, the iPhone 17 Air (sometimes called "Slim") will be thinner than a standard iPhone. It will have a 6.6" display, larger than the 6.3" iPhone 17 but smaller than the 6.9" iPhone 17 Pro Max. It will share some specs and may have the cameras positioned in the center rather than on one side of the phone .
This new iPhone 17 Air could boost sales for the American company, something the Plus or mini models failed to do. According to the latest information, the iPhone 17 Air would be "the thinnest iPhone ever" created by Apple.
The classic iPhone 17 wouldn't be left out in terms of design either. According to early production units spotted on social media, the base version of the iPhone 17 would have a new camera module placed entirely on the edge of the device and extending from one edge of the smartphone to the other. This is reminiscent of Google's Pixel phones.
Changes are also expected for the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max. Apple is reportedly making the camera unit even larger, moving it from one edge of the device to the other. The result would be a fairly massive camera unit, but the sensors would still be housed in the top left corner of the iPhone.
According to information from the MacRumors website (corroborated by several Apple sellers in France), the Cupertino company is preparing to remove the SIM card tray from certain iPhone models. The iPhone 17 range would therefore only be compatible with virtual SIMs (generally called eSIM). However, this information could only concern the new model exclusive to this generation, namely the iPhone 17 Air.
New chip for more powerA new iPhone means a new chip, or rather, new chips! Apple is expected to equip its iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max with an A19 Pro chip capable of handling your resource-intensive games and apps. The iPhone 17 and 17 Air, meanwhile, will have to make do with an A19 chip, which will be designed for everyday tasks and Apple Intelligence management.
Improved selfie photos and zoomsThere are some nice changes to highlight this year in terms of photography, notably the selfie sensor, which is expected to go from 12 MP to 24 MP across the entire range. This increase should allow the iPhone 17 to capture more details to provide better selfies.
On the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, the telephoto lens would also increase from 12 MP to 48 MP for more detail captured when zooming in. The full configuration of the iPhone 17 range would therefore be as follows:
| iPhone 17 | iPhone 17 Air | iPhone 17 Pro | iPhone 17 Pro Max | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main sensor | 48 Mpx | 48 Mpx | 48 Mpx | 48 Mpx |
| Ultra wide angle | 12 Mpx | X | 48 Mpx | 48 Mpx |
| Telephoto lens | X | X | x8 / 48 Mpx | x8 / 48 Mpx |
| Selfie sensor | 24 Mpx | 12 Mpx | 24 Mpx | 24 Mpx |
While the iPhone remains a highly versatile smartphone in terms of battery life, Apple isn't planning on resting on its laurels. The iPhone 17 is said to benefit from battery upgrades across the entire lineup to more efficiently manage the power consumption of the new A19 and A19 Pro chips. The new battery capacities are said to be as follows:
- iPhone 17 : 3,600 mAh (compared to 3,561 mAh on the iPhone 16 )
- iPhone 17 Air : 2,900 mAh
- iPhone 17 Pro : 3,700 mAh (compared to 3,582 mAh on the iPhone 16 Pro)
- iPhone 17 Pro Max : 5,000 mAh (compared to 4,685 mAh on the iPhone 16 Pro Max)
In addition to these improvements and the 5000 mAh barrier crossed for the Pro Max model, we note that the iPhone 17 Air would be equipped with a 2900 mAh battery. A figure that seems tiny, especially compared to the iPhone 16 Plus from 2024, but which is explained by the thinness of the device. There's no doubt that Apple has worked on its energy optimization to ensure decent battery life.
A completely redesigned new iPhone FoldAccording to Bloomberg's very well-informed Mark Gurman, who revealed this in-depth transformation of the iPhone over three years at the end of August, the biggest upheaval would come in 2026, with the launch of the very first folding iPhone. Codenamed V68, this "iPhone Fold" will usher in a new era for Apple's flagship smartphone. Mark Gurman mentions two screens (external and internal), four photo sensors, no Face ID but the return of Touch ID. Mass production would begin in spring 2026 with only two colors planned (black and white). The iPhone Fold would also include the new Apple C2 modem, finally on par with those of Qualcomm.
Finally, 2027 should be the year of consecration for the next-generation iPhone. To mark the product's 20th anniversary, Apple is expected to unveil an iPhone 20 with an all-glass design, without rectangular metal borders. Transparency would be the focus, as a nod to the Liquid Glass that appeared in iOS 26. A way to celebrate the iPhone's two decades of innovation.
This iPhone revolution is still hard to imagine. The presentation of the highly anticipated iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air is a prerequisite, and these are already the first to be dissected from every angle.
Several new colors for the iPhone 17Every year, Apple surprises its community with new colors for its popular smartphone. For the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air, the company is expected to return to pastel tones, while the iPhone 17 Pro will reportedly opt for a brand new orange color.
Barring a major turnaround and unannounced new features, we don't think the iPhone 17 will see a price increase compared to previous generations. The prices in France would therefore be as follows:
- iPhone 17 : from €969
- iPhone 17 Pro : from €1,229
- iPhone 17 Pro Max : from €1,479
Then comes the question of the iPhone 17 Air. While several sources have already suggested that its price could fall somewhere between the standard iPhone 17 and the Pro version, it's important to keep in mind that miniaturizing components is an expensive process. Reducing the size of such a device would likely cost Apple more than increasing it, since it would require a complete rethink of the placement and layout of the components. It's therefore not impossible that the iPhone 17 Air could end up costing around €1,119 in France.
The iPhone 17 will be officially unveiled at the back-to-school keynote, scheduled for September 9, 2025. Traditionally, the iPhone is then available for purchase in the following days. Pre-orders should be available as early as mid-September. The first iPhone 17s should be delivered or available in Apple Stores around September 20.
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