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We Are Days Away From the iPhone 17 Pro’s Likely Reveal: Will Apple Raise the Price?

These are the biggest iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max rumors and leaks we found: From a new aluminum and a full-width camera bump to an 8x telephoto and a price increase.

Apple’s «Awe Dropping» event is Sept. 9, 2025 and we expect to see new iPhone models like the iPhone 17 Air. But according to leaks rumors and leaks the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max should arrive with plenty of upgrades and new features, too.

Last week, the MacRumors reported (citing a Trendforce report ) that the base iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max models will cost $1,199, $200 more than the iPhone 16 Pro, but will have twice as much storage: 256GB instead of the standard 128GB. The entry-level iPhone 17 Pro Max will also have 256GB, but the price will start at $1,299 ($100 more than the 16 Pro Max).

This pricing news follows a recent alleged image of the iPhone 17 Pro’s aluminum chassis that appeared on the Chinese social media site Weibo, as reported by MacRumors. The photo shows an unfinished aluminum frame with cutouts for the cameras and a full-body wide camera bump (that lines up with other rumors). It’s impossible to know if this is an actual body for an iPhone 17 Pro or just a mock-up that someone made. But if it’s true, it validates previous rumors that Apple could be changing the iPhone Pro models’ frame from titanium to aluminum, which is much lighter.

Although speculation about an ultrathin iPhone 17 Air has hogged the spotlight, the Pro models tend to have more upgraded features. In addition to the camera, the Pro could get a surprising new color and the much-coveted scratch-resistant, antireflective display. 

There’s even a rumored video of the iPhone 17 Pro posted from the X account @skyfops, although there’s no confirmation this was in fact the actual iPhone 17 Pro or perhaps a dummy model:

Apple hasn’t announced anything or confirmed any rumors, and we likely won’t find out for sure until the next iPhone officially comes out. Until then, we’re tracking all the biggest leaks and rumors about the iPhone 17 Pro and sharing what we’ve heard so far. 

Read more: I May Upgrade to the iPhone 17 Pro Max If These 6 Rumors Are True

iPhone 17 Pro’s rumored camera bump redesign and movable telephoto lens

The iPhone 17 Pro’s camera has been the subject of multiple rumored changes, but recent ones come from an anonymous tipster.

MacRumors says a tipster who claimed to be familiar with an iPhone Pro commercial revealed features that included a telephoto lens — upgraded to 8x optical zoom from 5x on the iPhone 16 Pro — that can apparently move. A moving lens could allow continuous optical zoom at various focal lengths, according to MacRumors.

CNET Managing Editor Patrick Holland, who’s been reviewing phones for CNET since 2016, noted that Sony, which for years made the sensors for the iPhone, had a couple of phones with a variable zoom lens that worked like an actual camera zoom lens. While Apple may not use the exact same technology as Sony’s, Holland notes, it could adapt some of it for the iPhone 17 Pro.

MacRumors also reported the iPhone 17 Pro could have an additional Camera Control button, which would be in addition to the bottom-right edge camera button the iPhone 16 models sport, as well as a new camera and video app.

In January, Bu posted a leaked image on X suggesting that the phone could feature a pill-shaped camera bar that looks a lot like the camera bar on Google’s Pixel 9 phone.

That raised the question of whether the iPhone 17 Pro would align the three camera lenses in a single row or leave them stacked in a pyramid design, as it did with the iPhone 16 Pro.

In February, Bu posted CAD renders of what could be the iPhone 17 lineup, and Front Page Tech also shared iPhone 17 Pro renders in this video on YouTube (Apple filed a lawsuit against YouTuber Jon Prosser, featured in this video, over leaks about the iOS26): 

Both showed horizontal camera bars for the iPhone 17 Pro models that keep the stacked lens layout. 

Pu wrote in March that the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max will feature a 48-megapixel telephoto rear camera, up from 12 megapixels on the iPhone 16 Pro models. That would mean all three cameras on the iPhone 17 Pro models — wide-angle, ultrawide and telephoto — would be 48 megapixels.

And as for your selfies, analyst Jeff Pu reports that the front-facing camera will be upgraded from 12 megapixels on the iPhone 16 to 24 megapixels on all iPhone 17 models.

Front Page Tech reported in April that the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max may also add a built-in video feature that allows you to record with the front and rear cameras simultaneously. The feature would let you overlay a shot of your face over an outward-facing video. A video upgrade from the already stellar iPhone 16 Pro could add some serious value for video creators considering the iPhone 17 Pro.

Read more: Apple, Please Don’t Let AI Ruin the iPhone 17’s Camera

Pro displays could get an antireflective upgrade

On July 16, MacRumors cited a «reliable source» in reporting that the Pro and Pro Max could get a scratch-resistant antireflective display, reversing itself on previous reports that Apple had to scrap plans due to scaling issues. If the latest rumor proves true, the upgrade from Apple’s Ceramic Shield display could prove an enticing feature for the Pro and Pro Max. 

Holland called the antireflective display one of the best attributes of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. 

Apple Insider reported in May that the iPhone 17 could get a larger display than the iPhone 16. DSCC founder and Counterpoint Research VP Ross Young posted on X that the base iPhone 17 will be 6.3 inches, an upgrade from the iPhone 16’s 6.1-inch display. In theory, that means the iPhone 17 would have the same screen size as the iPhone 17 Pro.

The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max are rumored to continue with a 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display, respectively, similar to the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Rumored design changes for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max

The latest rumors about the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max design include colorful developments and a new frame composition.

Orange among the Pro color lineup

Rumors of a new color for the iPhone started in April, when Twitter user and leaker Majin Bu (not the Dragon Ball Z character) posted that the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max could get a sky blue option. 

But on July 14, Bu posted that Apple is ditching sky blue for the Pro Models, with only the rumored iPhone Air claiming the hue. Then on July 29, Bu posted a video on X of Pro mockups in four colors: 

  • black
  • silver
  • dark blue
  • orange 

Digital blogger Weibo said that one of the colors is «related to the liquid glass design of iOS 26,» saying it would be white but with different visual effects depending on which light it was in. 

For reference, the iPhone 16 and Plus made a splash last year when they debuted pink, teal and ultramarine color options, alongside the standard white and black. The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max introduced a new color, desert titanium — a restrained shade of peach — alongside the classic natural titanium, white titanium and black titanium options. 

The Pro models have traditionally featured more muted colors, so the prospect of an orange or glass-inspired color could offer an exciting new look for the Pro.

Apple logo moving lower

The Apple logo on the back of the phone may be moving lower on the Pro models, as shown in a Bu post on X of an iPhone 17 mockup:

The change in location is reportedly coming to make room for the larger camera bump design.  

Improved audio quality

On June 2, wccftech, said the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max would get longer earpieces, citing a post on X from @duanrui1205. In theory, that could signal improved audio clarity. At the Worldwide Developers Conference later in June, Apple said audio quality will improve with software updates in AirPods with H2 chipsets. CNET got to learn firsthand how Apple tests, calibrates and tunes the audio (and video) on an iPhone. Additional improvements in audio quality could potentially elevate an already impressive feature.

More RAM for iPhone 17 lineup

Apple Intelligence and AI are likely to play more prominent roles with the iPhone 17. To support the new features, all the iPhone 17 models will step up to 12GB of RAM, tipster Digital Chat Station reported in April. Kuo said the iPhone 17 Air and Pro models would get that increased 12GB of RAM, but not the base model.

Considering that the iPhone 16 lineup had 8GB of RAM across all models, this could be a big upgrade for the iPhone 17. 

Aluminum frames for all, except Air

There’s been plenty of discussion about whether the iPhone 17 Pro will ditch its titanium alloy frame for an aluminum one. In February, MacRumors said Pu predicted that the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will have all-aluminum frames or potentially part glass, part aluminum for better durability. The iPhone 17 Air would stick with Apple’s current titanium frame — or possibly a mix of titanium and aluminum.

Dynamic Island size in question

Pu predicted in May that all iPhone 17 models will use a new metalens technology for the proximity sensor, which could result in a smaller Face ID sensor and Dynamic Island, according to a report by 9to5Mac. However, Pu’s report contradicts Kuo, who said that the iPhone 17’s Dynamic Island would remain «largely unchanged» compared with the iPhone 16.

Dimensions

According to a report by 9to5Mac in May, the iPhone 17 Pro line may be thicker, 8.725mm, compared with the iPhone 16 Pro, which clocks in at 8.25mm thick. That larger size could potentially make room for more battery.  

In a post on X on July 11, Majin Bu showed a video of a case for a thicker iPhone 17 Pro model, with the design likely based on the iPhone 17 Pro’s rumored dimensions: 

New A19 Pro chip could improve performance

There’s been some back and forth about the chip for the rest of the iPhone 17 lineup, but rumors have consistently given the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max the A19 Pro chip. 

More recently, MacRumors reported that a Weibo account known as Fixed Focus Digital said the iPhone 17 Air will also come with an A19 Pro chip, like the Pro models. But the Air would have a 5-core GPU, according to the rumor, whereas the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max would get a 6-core GPU. An upgraded GPU could improve graphics and video rendering.

Battery life could get a big boost 

What good is a new phone if it doesn’t last all day, right? The iPhone 17 Pro Max will get the biggest ever battery in an iPhone, the Weibo leaker known as Instant Digital said in a post on X, as reported by MacRumors. However, the site noted Instant Digital’s spotty record with Apple rumors. If the Pro’s dimensions are identical to the Pro Max’s, as they’re rumored to be, it stands to reason that the Pro could get the bigger battery, too.

And Majin Bu posted on July 3 that the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max will feature a vapor chamber cooling system, which could help prevent the bigger battery from overheating.

iPhone 17 Pro release date expected in September

In the past several years, Apple has consistently announced its new phones on the first Tuesday of September after Labor Day. However, the first Tuesday is the day after Labor Day in 2025, so that could push the date for the iPhone event to Wednesday, Sept. 3 or Tuesday, Sept. 9. That would mean a release date of Sept. 12 or 19.

This likely will be the case with the full iPhone 17 lineup, with the exception of the iPhone 17E, which could arrive in early 2026, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and a report from The Information.

The iPhone 17 lineup may be the last to follow this fall-release model. Starting with the iPhone 18, Apple will reportedly split its phone releases so that lower-cost iPhones launch in the first half of the year and the higher-end Pro models become available later in the year. But that isn’t expected to happen until 2026 so you can likely still expect the iPhone 17 Pro to become available this fall.

Preorders for a new iPhone typically begin the Friday after the announcement, with the phone shipping a week later. Based on the expected announcement on Sept. 3 or 9, the preorder date could be either Sept. 5 or 12.

Tariffs could raise the price, but there are other factors

Trump has raised, lowered and paused tariffs a dizzying number of times since February, all of which could affect the cost of the iPhone 17 Pro. 

Apple, which says it could move much of US iPhone production from China to India, has escaped many of the tariff hikes thanks to a reciprocal tariff exemption list that includes many phones, laptops and other electronics that Apple produces. 

However, all the reprieves appear to be temporary so reciprocal tariffs could still affect prices by the time the iPhone 17 is released. 

Trump threatened Apple with a 25% tariff on all iPhones made outside the country in a social media post on May 23. Later that day, he said that all smartphones — not just iPhones — would be hit with the 25% tariff by the end of June if they don’t move operations to the US.

Regardless of how tariffs play out, Apple plans to raise iPhone prices later this year, The Wall Street Journal reported. Apple apparently plans to ascribe the price increase to better features and design costs so it can avoid pointing the finger at tariffs and incurring the wrath of Trump (like Amazon temporarily did). 

Holland points out that the iPhone is overdue for a price bump. He noted that Apple has never increased the price for an iPhone Pro ($999) since the iPhone X was first introduced in 2017. 

So yes, you should expect to pay more for the iPhone 17, regardless of tariffs.

Read more: Thinking About Buying a New iPhone? Here’s Why You Should Wait

Are new iPhone rumors and leaks to be trusted?

Here’s the part where I come in and say: Everything’s a rumor until Apple officially releases the next iPhone. Rumors and speculation leading up to the iPhone’s release are often based on insider knowledge or leaked information from teams working on the iPhone’s designs, but those designs are works in progress — not necessarily the final product.

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Technologies

How Sonic Rumble Spins Away From Mario Party With Its Own Multiplayer Style

Sonic Rumble producer Takashi Iizuka explains how the team built a party game suiting the blue hedgehog’s style.

For decades now, the Mario Party franchise has dominated the niche of the best multiplayer party games you can play with friends on your couch — or now, online. Despite challenges from games like Fuzion Frenzy, Super Monkey Ball, Rayman Raving Rabbids and more, none have stolen Nintendo’s crown. 

But now, Sega is making a play for the casual party game space with Sonic Rumble, a new title featuring the company’s iconic hedgehog and his friends. The free-to-play game is now available on PC, as well as on mobile for iOS and Android phones, allowing up to 32 players to join in on matches. 

Sega’s hedgehog mascot is no stranger to party games, but entries like Sonic Shuffle on Dreamcast and Sega Superstars on the PlayStation 2 came out decades ago. For the publisher’s newest take on Sonic multiplayer, Sonic Rumble producer Takashi Iizuka answered questions over email, from adapting Sonic’s «gotta go fast» action to party multiplayer and whether other iconic Sega stars will make cameo appearances.

Q: There are some party games that have cemented the genre, like Mario Party. Aside from a cast of Sonic characters, how does Sonic Rumble distinguish itself from other party games?
Iizuka: While many other party games have their charm, our vision for Sonic Rumble was to combine the speed of classic arcade games with the competitive, high-stakes energy of a battle royale game. We call this mix an «Arcade Royale.»

Each stage is designed to keep the mayhem on full blast, whether players are dashing through obstacle courses or scrambling to collect rings before time runs out. What really sets Sonic Rumble apart is how it blends approachability with intensity. We wanted it to be easy for anyone to jump in and play, while still maintaining the intensity that fans have come to know and love from the Sonic franchise. 

With the live service aspect of Sonic Rumble, we plan to consistently introduce new elements, from surprising collaborations to limited-time events, keeping the game fresh and fun for years to come.

When designing Sonic Rumble, what guidelines did the team/studio abide by to ensure it feels like a Sonic game?
Iizuka: We wanted to create a game that both new and longtime fans would love, and that could be played on the go or at home on their PC. 

Sonic Rumble needed to embody what makes Sonic special, not just through the characters, but through the gameplay itself. That meant focusing on movement, momentum and control of the characters within the environment, so even in this new multiplayer format, gameplay still feels authentic to the Sonic experience. We also wanted to ensure that Toy World itself captured that Sonic spirit, with bright arenas, upbeat music and plenty of personality. Even if Sonic Rumble is an entirely new kind of Sonic game, players will instantly recognize the spirit and rhythm of the franchise in every match and mode.

The gameplay shown in the trailer has a distinctly Sonic feel — racing along tracks, jumping on bumpers, collecting rings and so on. How did the team adapt this to party gameplay?
Iizuka: We didn’t just place Sonic characters in a stereotypical party environment; we made Sonic mechanics and gameplay the foundation of Sonic Rumble. We achieved this adaptation through strategic twists on familiar elements. 

In Sonic Rumble, rings are the high-stakes resource, rather than protection like in previous Sonic titles. We’ve made the Ring collection central to victory, allowing players to steal them from each other. The Dashing mechanic is another example, something usually used for speed can now also be used for attacking. By updating these core movements and abilities, we’ve added another layer of strategy and skill to the competition.

The recently released Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds had a deep roster of Sonic characters along with several from other Sega franchises, like Yakuza and Super Monkey Ball. Will Sonic Rumble also have crossover characters? What about characters from Sonic lore (like the Chaotix or Sonic the Werehog)?
Iizuka: Our immediate priority is to ensure Sonic Rumble is both fun and fulfilling for our core fan base as well as for players new to the Sonic franchise. That means focusing on the incredible depth of the Sonic Universe. We know how necessary customization is and are heavily committed to allowing players to fully personalize Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Shadow, and Dr. Eggman with unique skins, in-game skills, and emotes.

As Sonic Rumble is a live-service title, it has the potential to evolve and expand over time. At launch, fans can look forward to the Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Movie Crossover Event, which brings in elements like the Movie Shadow skin and epic battles in the iconic Shibuya Crossing arena. We’ve also integrated characters and skins from a SEGA Stars Crossover Event, featuring beloved icons like Opa-Opa and Upa-Upa from Fantasy Zone, AiAi and MeeMee from Monkey Ball, and characters from Altered Beast, Bonanza Bros, Pengo, and Phantasy Star.

Sonic Rumble is available now on PC, iOS App Store and Google Play Store.

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Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Friday, Nov. 7

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Nov. 7.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? Hope you don’t have a cold — although two of the clues are related to the sounds you might make if you do have one. If you need the answers, read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Toddler’s go-to question
Answer: WHY

4A clue: Sound heard during cold season
Answer: ACHOO

6A clue: Move stealthily, like a cat
Answer: SLINK

7A clue: Breadcrumb coating in Japanese cuisine
Answer: PANKO

8A clue: Conduct surveillance
Answer: SPY

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Prone to complaining
Answer: WHINY

2D clue: Sound heard during cold season
Answer: HONK

3D clue: Artist/musician Ono
Answer: YOKO

4D clue: Egyptian vipers
Answer: ASPS

5D clue: Show appreciation for a performance
Answer: CLAP

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Technologies

Be Sure to Back Up Your iPhone the Right Way Before Installing iOS 26

If you’re upgrading to a new iPhone 17 or installing the latest operating system, you’ll save yourself a lot of trouble by making a good backup first. Here’s how to do it.

Now that iOS 26.1 is out, you might be more comfortable updating to Apple’s latest iPhone operating system. Or maybe it’s time for a bigger upgrade to a new iPhone 17, iPhone Air or iPhone 17 Pro? Before you do, take a little time to ensure you’ve made a good backup you can fall back on just in case something goes sideways.

I’m not talking about any regular backup, though. Hopefully, you already have your Apple Account settings configured to automatically back up the phone to iCloud, which is invaluable for everyday peace of mind. I’m talking about creating an archive that can save your hide in the unlikely event something goes wrong with the iOS 26 update.

Why an archive is essential before installing a new version of iOS

You’re probably accustomed to using iCloud Backup to maintain a regular fallback for your data. It works in the background (when you’re asleep and charging your device) and involves the least amount of backup friction, as long as you have sufficient iCloud storage space available. Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup and turn on Back Up This iPhone if it’s not already active.

However, when it comes to moving to a full release version of iOS, such as from iOS 18 to iOS 26, an iCloud Backup introduces a problem: You cannot restore from that cloud backup if you revert back to iOS 18. And unfortunately, iCloud keeps just the most recent backup — you can’t pick and choose from previous backup iterations. If you try to use an iOS 26 cloud backup to restore back to iOS 18, you’ll get an error. (Making an archive is also an important step when you install iOS betas.)

This is why you need to archive a backup on your computer.

Should you encrypt the local backup?

Before you create this archived backup, you should decide if you want to enable one of the options, Encrypt local backup. For security, this feature scrambles the data to prevent someone with access to your computer from accessing it. This option also preserves sensitive information in the backup such as saved passwords and personal data in the Health and Fitness apps.

The downside is that it requires you to create a separate password for the backup. If you forget or lose that password, the entire backup is useless. And so you should write this password down somewhere you can easily retrieve it. In the context of creating an iOS 18 backup as a fallback for installing iOS 26, you’ll have to decide if that’s an acceptable trade-off. 

Create a local iPhone archive on your Mac

Making this type of backup requires only disk space and some patience:

  1. Plug the iPhone into your Mac.
  2. Open a new Finder window (choose File > New Finder Window, or press Command-N).
  3. In the sidebar at left, select your iPhone under Locations.
  4. If you want to encrypt the data, click the Encrypt local backup checkbox and set a password. 
  5. In the General tab, click Back Up Now.
  6. When the backup completes, click Manage Backups.
  7. Right-click (or Control-click) the backup you made and choose Archive. 

Taking the extra step of marking the backup as an archive protects it from being overwritten by the next local backup or automatically deleted if the Mac is low on space.

Create a local iPhone archive on Windows

The iTunes app is still the main conduit for working with a connected iPhone under Windows. Open iTunes and do the following:

  1. Plug the iPhone into your Windows computer.
  2. Open the Apple Devices app and click the iPhone button at the top left.
  3. Click General.
  4. If you want to encrypt the data, click the Encrypt local backup option and set a password.
  5. Click Back Up Now.
  6. Click Manage Backups.
  7. Right-click the backup you made and choose Archive. Taking this extra step protects the backup from being overwritten by the next local backup or automatically deleted if the computer is low on space.

With an archive in place, you can start using the iOS 26 beta secure in the knowledge that should anything warrant a retreat to iOS 18, you can quickly get your iPhone back into service.

For more, here is your reminder to clear your iPhone cache. And if you are moving to a new iPhone, here are the ways to transfer your data safely.

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