The anticipated reveal of Apple’s newest iPhone is just days away, with the big unveiling slated for Sept. 9 at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET. Rumors have been swirling for months about what the upcoming device, likely called the iPhone 17, could look like, from a redesigned camera module to fresh colors and a higher refresh rate. 

Apple has yet to confirm anything related to its expected phone lineup, which is likely to include the iPhone 17 Pro models and a thinner iPhone 17 Air. Be sure to follow CNET’s coverage for all the live updates on Sept. 9.

Perhaps the biggest looming question is whether iPhones could get pricier, especially with tariffs. President Donald Trump has said Apple will have to pay a 25% tariff on iPhones made outside the US. This would almost certainly lead to a price hike for consumers. We’ll have to wait to see how Apple responds and if shoppers really do end up shouldering that extra cost. But even without tariffs, the iPhone may be due for a markup, as it’s been years since Apple raised prices on its handsets.

Here’s everything analysts and leakers predict about the baseline iPhone 17. 

See also: Thinking About Buying a New iPhone? Here’s Why You Should Wait

Camera bump redesign

It’s not an iPhone release without a camera upgrade, and there have been plenty of rumors about what the camera module could look like on Apple’s upcoming phones. As early as January, a leaked image from Majin Bu on X suggested the phone could feature a pill-shaped camera bar, essentially resembling what you’d find on Google’s Pixel 9 phone. In February, Bu followed up with CAD renders of what’s said to be the iPhone 17 lineup, featuring horizontal camera bars, as well as larger rectangular bars on the iPhone 17 Pro models. 

In April, Bloomberg reported the «iPhone 17 Pro will look a lot more like the 16 Pro than anticipated,» adding, «From the front, the 17 Pro will appear quite similar to the 16 Pro. It’s the back camera that will look meaningfully different.» The latest rumors suggest the iPhone 17 Pro’s three-lens camera arrangement will be maintained but will sit on a new panel that stretches across the phone’s width and is the same color as the rest of the phone.

Later in April, Bu again posted an image of the purported iPhone 17 lineup, showing those wider camera bars with the stacked lenses still configured to the left. 

A more recent post from August supposedly shows the full lineup, with those redesigned camera bars:

Not until next year, for the 20th anniversary of the iPhone, will Apple be «preparing a major shake-up» for the phone’s design, Bloomberg says. That includes a (long-rumored) foldable version and a «bold new Pro model that makes more extensive use of glass.»

Another camera-related rumor is that the selfie camera on all iPhone 17 models will be upgraded to 24 megapixels, according to analyst Jeff Pu. That’s a decent bump from the current 12-megapixel front-facing camera on the iPhone 16 lineup, although it’s important to remember that more megapixels don’t automatically mean better photos. Still, given how much people increasingly rely on their front cameras to snap selfies and record videos for TikTok and Instagram, this surely will be a welcome advancement.

iPhone 17 display upgrade

The iPhone 17 could have a slightly larger 6.3-inch display, instead of the 6.1-inch one on the iPhone 16, tipster Digital Chat Station said in June. That means it could be the same size as the iPhone 16 Pro, as well as the rumored iPhone 17 Pro, 9to5Mac reported. 

Rumor has it that all models of the iPhone 17 will feature a 120Hz display, bumping the non-Pro models up from their current 60Hz refresh rate. That could be a welcome change, as the discrepancy between the Pro and non-Pro refresh rate is surprising; when Apple debuted the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus with a 60Hz display, there was a bit of an outcry from folks who expected more in 2024. This rumored update could remedy that — and possibly bring the always-on display to the baseline model. 

There’s been a lot of back-and-forth about whether the latest iPhones will have a scratch-resistant, anti-reflective display. A July report from MacRumors suggests that feature will in fact be arriving on the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, just not the baseline iPhone 17 or the Air. This would make the Pro models the first iPhones with an anti-reflective screen, giving them a feature that CNET’s Patrick Holland deemed one of the best attributes of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.  

There also have been contradictory reports on whether the Dynamic Island on the iPhone 17 lineup will look any different. In May, Pu said all iPhone 17 models will use a new metalens technology for the proximity sensor, which could allow Apple to reduce the size of the Face ID sensor and the Dynamic Island, according to 9to5Mac. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, on the other hand, said in January that the Dynamic Island would remain «largely unchanged» in the iPhone 17 lineup compared to the iPhone 16. We’ll have to see what ends up being true. 

Rumors on what frames the iPhone 17 lineup will feature have gone back and forth. In February, Pu suggested the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will all have aluminum frames. He noted that the iPhone 17 Air could be the outlier with a titanium frame. 

New chipset

In May, Pu noted the iPhone 17 would have the same A18 chip used in the iPhone 16, while the iPhone 17 Air could have an A19 chip and the Pro models would feature an A19 Pro chip. 

But a conflicting rumor from leaker Fixed Focus Digital on Weibo suggests the baseline iPhone 17 will have an A19 chip as well. (The leaker also suggest the iPhone 17 Air could have the more advanced A19 Pro chip). Ice Universe also said the iPhone 17 will have an A19 chip, 9to5Mac reported in July.

It’s possible the phones could also include the Apple-developed 5G modem, called the C1 chip, which debuted on the iPhone 16E.

In February, Kuo noted Apple will swap out Broadcom’s Wi-Fi chips for in-house chips across the iPhone 17 lineup, stating this would «enhance connectivity across Apple devices.» It’s not yet clear what exactly this would mean, but it would be interesting if Apple’s C1 chip was also accompanied by its own Wi-Fi chip.

iPhone 17 battery

So far, rumors suggest only the pricer iPhone 17 Pro Max could get a bigger battery, according to Ice Universe. The leaker says the top-of-the-line phone could go from 8.25mm-thick on the iPhone 16 Pro Max to 8.725mm on the iPhone 17 Pro Max as a result. In addition, leaker Instant Digital suggests the high-end phone could have about a 5,000 mAh battery, a notable increase over the 4,685 mAh on the iPhone 16 Pro Max, according to third-party tests. 

But that doesn’t mean the baseline version won’t get any boost. Even if battery capacity stays the same (which it may not), the AI-powered Adaptive Power feature arriving with iOS 26 can help extend battery life. The feature automatically adjusts your iPhone’s performance based on how you’re using it at the moment, according to Apple. This could especially be helpful with the slimmer iPhone 17 Air, which will likely have a thinner battery.

iOS 26 brings a fresh look

Apple has revamped its mobile operating system with iOS 26 (not iOS 19), which is named after the last two digits of the upcoming year. And with iPadOS, MacOS, WatchOS, TVOS and VisionOS following the same naming convention, the move is designed to bring more uniformity — naming-wise and appearance-wise — across the operating systems.

The new Liquid Glass interface brings a more transparent, lens-like look to the iPhone and other Apple devices. With iOS 26, the Camera app also adopts a more minimalistic design and Photos once again makes it easier to find your albums by adding separate tabs for your Library and Collections, instead of forcing you to scroll through a single cluttered screen. Updates to Messages include being able to add backgrounds to chat windows and create polls in group chats, and a new screening tool can better detect spam texts and move messages from unknown senders to a dedicated folder. You can read more about iOS 26 features here.

In April, tipster Digital Chat Station noted that given the use of Apple Intelligence and AI on a «large scale,» the iPhone 17 lineup will come with 12GB of RAM, instead of the current 8GB. Kuo noted the iPhone 17 Air and Pro models would sport that increased 12GB of RAM, but that Apple was still deciding whether to equip the baseline model with 8GB or 12GB of RAM. In May, Pu noted the baseline would remain at 8GB. 

Price and release date

We expect the iPhone 17 to be available for preorders on Friday, Sept. 12, in line with Apple’s previous release schedules, and it’ll likely ship a week later.

Price is a big unknown. Jefferies analyst Edison Lee has said the iPhone 17 Air, 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max will get a $50 price increase to offset tariffs and the higher cost of components, but didn’t mention the baseline iPhone 17. If that’s true, the starting prices for the full lineup could be:

• iPhone 17: $829
• iPhone 17 Air: $979
• iPhone 17 Pro: $1,049
• iPhone 17 Pro Max: $1,249

Regardless of higher component costs or tariffs, the iPhone is overdue for a price increase, because the last price hike was five years ago.

The latest rumors suggest the iPhone 17 could be available in black, blue, silver, purple and green. 

In late July, Bu posted a photo on X of the predicted color lineup across the iPhone 17 series:

We’ll continue to update this piece as more rumors surface, so be sure to follow along. 

Check Out the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s Cameras, Display and Colors

+9 More

See all photos

I love this time of year. The days are getting cooler, the air is getting crisper and the NFL season is now in full swing. And I can make every day game day thanks to Apple Arcade’s latest football game, NFL Retro Bowl ’26.

Apple Arcade is filled with familiar and classic games, alongside exclusive titles, that you can play for $7 per month (£7, AU$10). Many of these games can be found in the App Store but they may have paywalls and ads that hinder your gaming experience.

An Apple Arcade subscription gives you access to games without paywalls and ads, a feature usually denoted by «Plus» in the name. Here are all the games Apple plans to bring to the service on Sept. 4. You can also check out the games Apple added in August, like Worms Across Worlds. 

NFL Retro Bowl ’26

Developer: New Star Games

This NFL and NFLPA-licensed game brings authentic team rosters and NFL players to your mobile screen in fun retro visuals, just like last year’s Retro Bowl ’25. This year’s game introduces a game mode called NFL Retro Bowl Championship Leaderboard. In this mode, you can play as your favorite teams in weekly matchups that align with the 2025 season. 

Hopefully, my Cincinnati Bengals will return to the Super Bowl this year but if not, I can at least take them there in this game.

Jeopardy! Daily

Developer: Frosty Pop Games

Jeopardy! Daily is a daily game that brings clues crafted by the show’s writers to your screen, where you have to answer in the form of a question. In this trivia game, you can upload your score to the global leaderboards, test your knowledge in unique game modes and more.

My Talking Tom Friends Plus

Developer: Outfit7

Join Talking Tom, Angela and other virtual pets as they go on adventures into town, play minigames and more. This interactive life-sim brings all the Talking Tom and Friends characters together in one place, so you can take care of the different pets, dress them up in fun costumes and create your own adventures.

You can access these games, and plenty of others, in Apple Arcade now for $7 a month or $50 annually. You can also try Apple Arcade free for one month with your first sign-up, or you can get a three-month free trial when you buy an Apple device. To access Apple Arcade, open the App Store on your iOS or iPadOS device and tap the joystick in the menu bar.

By this time next week, we’ll know exactly what Apple has planned for its new Apple Watch lineup. But one thing already seems very likely: a refreshed version of the rugged Ultra. Not only is it due for an upgrade (the Ultra 2 debuted in September 2023), but Apple may have actually dropped the biggest clue yet. Buried in the public beta of iOS 26 (first spotted by MacRumors) are screen specs that don’t match any existing Apple Watch model on the market, hinting at the arrival of an Apple Watch Ultra 3. For a company as secretive as Apple, this slip might be the clearest sign yet of what’s next for its most durable smartwatch.

Here’s everything we’re expecting for the Ultra 3 at Apple’s September 9 event based on the latest reports, leaks and usual upgrade patterns.

Don’t miss any of CNET’s unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add us as a preferred Google source on Chrome.

Apple Watch Ultra 3 design and display

If the leaked iOS 26 imagery holds true, the Ultra 3 will feature a slightly larger screen with a 422×514-pixel resolution (up from the Ultra 2’s 410×502 pixels). In keeping with Apple’s tradition of maximizing screen real estate without adding bulk to the already giant Ultra, the upgraded screen size wouldn’t increase the actual footprint and could be achieved by reducing the bezel size. 

Apple Watch Ultra 3  performance

The Ultra is due for a performance bump to at least keep up with the S10 chip on the current Series 10 (the Ultra 2 runs on the S9 chip). The more likely scenario is that both the Ultra 3 and Series 11 get a new S11 chip that would typically bring faster performance and greater efficiency. The bump up in processing power could support new features such as enhanced GPS tracking, satellite connectivity, more advanced health monitoring and potentially some additional Apple Intelligence integrations like Workout Buddy which Apple announced in WatchOS 26 (and which I’ve started to think might be a bigger deal that it first appeared).

Apple Watch Ultra 3 satellite connectivity 

One of the more intriguing Ultra 3 rumors comes from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who has reported that Apple is exploring satellite connectivity for the next Apple Watch Ultra model. This would enable emergency messaging and location sharing even in areas without cellular coverage. 

If implemented, it could build on the Apple Watch’s existing lineup of potentially life-saving features like emergency SOS, fall detection and car crash detection to outdoor enthusiasts going off the grid or even people who live in remote areas.

Gurman’s report also suggests the Ultra may gain 5G connectivity, a step up from its current LTE-only support.

Apple Watch Ultra 3 health and fitness 

Several rumored health upgrades for the Series 11 could also make their way to the Ultra 3, the most anticipated being blood pressure tracking. According to Gurman, Apple is already testing the feature, though accuracy challenges could delay a public release this year.

Blood glucose monitoring is another long-rumored addition, but it’s expected to be even further out than blood pressure tracking, making it highly unlikely for 2025.

In another Bloomberg report, Gurman says Apple is developing a broader AI health initiative, code-named «Project Mulberry,» aimed at bringing personalized health and fitness insights to the Apple Watch. This would build on Apple’s recently announced AI powered Workout Buddy which delivers personalized motivation for certain workouts with Watch OS 26. The Ultra’s durability and long battery life could make it an ideal platform for round-the-clock training guidance, though based on current rumors, the rollout may be better aligned with a 2026 release.

Apple Watch Ultra 3 battery life

The Ultra already boasts the longest battery life of any Apple device (save for the Airtag of course), with up to two full days or 72 hours in low-power mode. While there are no concrete leaks about changes in battery capacity, pairing an S11 chip with a more efficient display could result in significant gains — potentially approaching three days or up to four days in low-power mode. The faster charging Apple introduced with the Series 10 could also make its way to the Ultra line, reducing the amount of time the watch spends off your wrist.

Apple Watch Ultra 3 price and release date

Barring unexpected price hikes from tariffs or component costs, the Ultra 3 is expected to keep the same $799 starting price as the Ultra 2.

Apple typically unveils its new watches at the same event as the iPhone, which this year is expected in early September (date not yet announced). If the pattern holds, preorders should begin a few days after the keynote and arrive in stores (or at your doorstep) one to two weeks after that.