The iPhone 17 is a few months away, but in typical Apple fashion, we’re already deep into the leak and rumor mill. So many things about the upcoming iPhone series have been leaked that it’s difficult to keep a track of them all. From the iOS 26 not iOS 19 news, to the silicon battery tech in iPhone 17 Air, there’s a lot we already know. Well, I’ve gone through all the rumors and collected only the ones that are most plausible or verified. So here’s everything we know about the iPhone 17 Pro.
1. New Camera Island Design
First, and probably the most noticeable, physically, is the rear camera design. We’ve been getting pretty much the same camera layout on the back of the Pro iPhones since the iPhone 11 Pro. However, it looks like the iPhone 17 Pro will make some major changes.
According to leaked CAD drawings, renders, and reports, the iPhone 17 Pro will come with a rectangular camera island on the rear. And a long one at that. It will reportedly span across the back of the iPhone from one side to the other.
This new layout will allow Apple to place the flash, the rear-mic, and the LiDAR scanner on the other edge of the island, resulting in a cleaner design overall.
2. Vapor Chamber Cooling
The iPhone 17 Pro is also rumored to finally get a proper vapor chamber cooling system to help keep temps under check. iPhones are notorious for running warm, and for the irritating drop in screen brightness when the phone gets a tad warmer than it likes.
If a vapor chamber is indeed in the offing for the iPhone 17 Pro, it will likely help in better performance under sustained loads, better gaming performance, and a better experience overall for the users.
While some leakers such as Instant Digital (link) claim that both the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max will get the cooling system, Apple analyst Ming Chi-kuo has said (link) that only the Pro Max will get the new vapor chamber system.
3. New Back Design with Aluminum
Another thing that will be new with the iPhone 17 Pro is the back design. Unlike the iPhones we’ve had so far, Apple is reported to be doing away with the uniform-looking single glass back design.
As per some reports, the new iPhone will have an Aluminum back with a glass window that will allow for wireless charging and MagSafe accessories.
Personally, I’m not entirely sure how this will turn out, and it might look extremely bad. However, Apple usually doesn’t do that poorly on the design front for the iPhone, so it might just be okay. We’ll just have to wait and see.
4. 12GB RAM
Also rumored for this year’s iPhone is a RAM bump to 12GB. However, as per Ming Chi-kuo, this increase is also going to be limited to the iPhone 17 Pro Max. Kuo states that more powerful on-device AI features are going to be major selling points for the Pro Max this year.
Meanwhile, the rest of the iPhone line-up, per Kuo, will get 8GB of RAM, which should be enough, and which should imply that the new Apple Intelligence features for iPhone 17 series should be backwards compatible with the iPhone 16 series and the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, since all these phones come with 8GB RAM as well.
5. In-House WiFi 7 Chip
Apple is also going to chuck in its in-house WiFi 7 chip on the iPhone 17 line up this year. This report also comes from Ming Chi-kuo (link) who stated that the entire iPhone 17 series will get Apple’s in-house WiFi chip.
This follows Apple bringing its own 5G modem, the C1 chip, in the iPhone 16e earlier this year. The new WiFi chips are expected to reduce costs for Apple, which has been using Broadcom WiFi chips on iPhones so far. Plus, according to Kuo, the chip will “enhance connectivity across Apple devices.”
6. 48MP Telephoto Lens
Last year, Apple upgraded the ultrawide angle camera on the iPhone 16 Pro to a 48MP unit. This year, multiple leakers with excellent track records have mentioned that the iPhone 17 Pro will bring the telephoto lens to the 48MP group as well.
This means all three rear cameras on the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max are likely to be 48MP sensors. While several leakers are stating that both the Pro and Pro Max will get the 48MP telephoto camera, Kuo has said that it might be limited to the Pro Max this year, with the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max both getting a 48MP telephoto camera in 2026.
7. 24MP Selfie Camera
Alongside the same reports about the 48MP telephoto lens, Kuo had also mentioned that the 17 Pro models will get a 24MP selfie camera as well. Kuo stated that the new lens will be a 6P (six element) lens as compared to the current 12MP/5P set up we see on the iPhone 16 series.
A 24MP selfie camera with a 6 element lens should result in much better quality photos from the front camera.
8. iPhone 17 Pro Launch Date
The new iPhone is expected to launch in September, since that’s when Apple usually launches new iPhones. The company has been picking September launch windows for its iPhones since the iPhone 5, and there’s little to suggest a change this year.
Apple usually announces the new iPhone on a Tuesday, with a Friday release date for the phone. Going by that logic, the iPhone 17 series my best guess for an announcement is September 16 with a September 19 release date. Obviously these dates are expected and we will only know the exact date when Apple sends out the invites for the iPhone launch.
When Will iPhone 17 Pro be Available to Buy?
We do not yet know when the iPhone 17 Pro will be available to buy. However, Apple usually releases its new phones within a week of their announcement, which means it should be available to buy sometime in September 2025.
How Much Will iPhone 17 Pro Cost?
The iPhone 17 pro might see a price increase this year thanks to the rising costs of components due to tariffs. However, Apple might just be able to launch the iPhone 17 Pro without a price hike from the iPhone 16 Pro as well. That’s the one I’m hoping for, obviously, but it’s looking less likely.
Well, that’s everything you should know about the iPhone 17 Pro and what to expect from it. There’s clearly going to be a lot of new stuff in the iPhone 17 series, and especially in the Pro models. I will be updating this article with new information as and when it comes out, so check back often to see what else we’re expecting from the new iPhone this year.
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