A major design change is coming to the iPhone 17 Pro that could surprise fans. What new features will make creators switch for good?

The iPhone 17 lineup looks like it’s getting some serious upgrades, especially for the Pro models. According to iPhone 17 Pro leaks, Apple plans to replace the usual square camera bump with a panel that stretches across the full width of the phone. Plus, Apple seems to be aiming at vloggers and video creators, hoping they’ll ditch their old cameras and use the iPhone instead.

Lately, Apple has focused a lot on making the Pro models stand out. They want buyers to skip the basic iPhone and choose the premium version. Think they’ll succeed in pushing fans toward the fancier model?

Release date

Apple often rolls out new iPhones right after Labor Day. If that pattern stays, the big keynote should land the week of September 8. Apple likes Tuesdays for these events, though sometimes it shakes things up. In 2024, for instance, the “It’s Glowtime” event happened on a Monday.

I’m expecting the iPhone 17 will show up between September 8 and 10, with Tuesday the 9th as the prime pick. Pre-orders could open Friday the 12th, and the phones might hit shelves Friday the 19th.

iPhone 17 design

The iPhone 17 Pro comes in at 8.725 mm (0.34″) thick, up from last year’s 8.25 mm (0.32″). Thin phone fans could see that as bad news. Not me, though.

Give me a 1.5 cm (0.59″) phone with a huge 10000 mAh battery any day. I care about the grip and balance more than the numbers. A phone can weigh 150 g (5.29 oz) and still feel awful if the weight sits in the wrong spot.

That’s not the only change coming. Apple plans to move the Apple logo on the iPhone 17 Pro for the first time in 6 years. Majin Bu says it will drop lower, closer to the bottom-center of the back—a tweak driven by the new full-width camera bar stretching across the rear.

iPhone 17 Pro camera design

Rumors suggest the iPhone 17 Pro will feature a fresh rectangular camera bar with smooth corners running across its back. The iPhone 17 Air might follow suit, but the base iPhone 17 probably won’t.

I like the softer middle frame on the iPhone 17 Pro prototype. If Apple keeps the rounded frame in production, it might inspire more Android makers to ditch sharp flat edges and embrace shapes that feel better in hand.

Colors

Jon Prosser, even with Apple suing him over iOS 26 leaks, spilled the beans on 4 colors for the iPhone 17 lineup. You’ll get the usual silver and black, plus a fresh blue and a playful orange.

People have talked about a bronze iPhone forever, but it never showed up. I’m guessing that orange camera ring might belong to the bronze version. It’ll probably look better in real life, but I still think sales won’t match the others.

Display

As you can see in the tweet above, the iPhone 17 screen protectors sit side by side, growing bigger with each model. The base iPhone 17 is set to jump to a 6.3-inch screen, matching the size of the iPhone 17 Pro. Meanwhile, the iPhone 17 Air might come with a 6.6-inch display.

Is it a bummer that Apple kept the Pro model’s screen size the same? Well, that depends. One of my friends likes the smaller screen because their hands are smaller. I prefer the bigger screen since I get more real estate. What’s more, bigger phones usually have longer battery life, which is a nice bonus.

Specs

Mark Gurman says every model, even the iPhone 17 Air, will come with the A19 chip. The Pro and Pro Max get a boost with the A19 Pro chip.

On top of that, all 4 phones should have 12 GB of RAM, which is more than the 8 GB in the iPhone 16 Pro. This upgrade is meant to help power new Apple Intelligence features.

Camera

In recent years, Apple has put a lot of effort into improving the iPhone’s photo capabilities. This time, they’re all about improving video recording. For 2025’s iPhones, Apple wants vloggers and video creators to ditch their regular cameras and do even more with their iPhones, says Gurman. When the new models drop in September, expect Apple to highlight those video skills like never before.

Most people use their smartphone as their main gear—and these days, smartphones can shoot video that looks almost like movies. Flagship phones work well for vlogging since they capture sharp images, have good sound, and steady shots. Still, there comes a point when a smartphone doesn’t cut it, and you switch to a vlogging camera. With the iPhone 17 Pro, hopefully, you won’t have to make that jump.

Before you go

Someone spotted what looks like an iPhone 17 Pro in San Francisco. For over 15 years, Apple employees have taken unreleased iPhones out in public to test cellular performance, camera improvements, and other features.