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iPhone 17 vs. iPhone 17 Air, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max: Rumored Specs Rundown

Apple launches its new iPhone 17 lineup tomorrow, Sept. 9 — here’s how the models stack up, based on the latest rumors.

The iPhone 17 lineup will be revealed tomorrow, but we couldn’t wait until the phones are released — we’re comparing them now. How? Using the most credible rumors of what’s coming in the iPhone 17 series, including a potential super-thin iPhone 17 Air, to speculate on how Apple’s next big smartphones will stack up.

Last year’s iPhone 16 series added a handful of upgrades over its predecessors, most notably the new Camera Control key. While the basic iPhone 16 and Plus models got a new ultrawide camera and bigger battery, as is typical with Apple’s phones, the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max got the lion’s share of the improvements with upgraded rear cameras, pro video recording modes and thinner bezels. 

Last year’s iPhone upgrades are a template for what we expect in the iPhone 17 — here’s how we anticipate those comparisons to shake out. 

iPhone 17 lineup price comparison

Apple will hold its iPhone 17 launch event on Sept. 9, with the tagline «Awe dropping» — and since its cutesy mantras usually hint at products being released, there’s plenty of speculation going around as to its meaning. The iPhone always goes on sale the Friday of the week after it’s announced, which should be Friday, Sept. 12, though Apple could always change it.

The iPhone 17 prices are up in the air, mainly due to tariffs. Increased costs of imports mean Apple could raise iPhone price tags, with Jefferies analyst Edison Lee predicting a $50 price hike across the lineup aside from the base iPhone 17 model. If that’s the case, then anticipated US starting prices could be as follows:

  • iPhone 17: $829 — Rumors suggest the baseline iPhone 17 won’t get as aggressive of tariff hikes, but market fluctuations could bump the price up slightly.
  • iPhone 17 Air: $979 — If the iPhone 17 Air is slotted into the lineup where the iPhone 16 Plus was priced (as the more expensive standard model), and with the rumored tariff hikes, its price could creep to nearly four figures.
  • iPhone 17 Pro: $1,049 — Rumors suggest the smaller Pro model could get a small price hike to start at $50 above last year’s iPhone 16 Pro.
  • iPhone 17 Pro Max: $1,249 — Likewise, the higher-spec iPhone 17 Pro Max may get the same $50 price hike.

iPhone 17 lineups’ design and display changes, compared

  • iPhone 17: Camera bump redesign — Rumors suggest that the square-shaped camera bump from prior years will give way to a vertical pill-shaped ovoid with the usual two cameras (main and ultrawide). 
  • iPhone 17 Air: Thinner, single-camera — Leaked CAD renders suggest the new, thin model will take the place of the iPhone 16 Plus as the larger non-Pro model, but could differ in only a single main rear camera. Unlike the standard iPhone 17, the CAD suggests this will have a horizontal camera bump.
  • iPhone 17 Pro: Larger horizontal camera bump — Rumors suggest the smaller Pro model won’t have any big changes aside from its rear cameras, which will be in their same offset three-lens triangle configuration but with a wide horizontal bump that extends the width of the phone.
  • iPhone 17 Pro Max: Same larger horizontal camera bump — Likewise, the iPhone 17 Pro Max may just differ from last year’s model in a camera bump that extends horizontally across the entire rear width of the phone.

The biggest change we expect in the iPhone 17’s design is in a single model potentially added to the lineup: the iPhone 17 Air. Following plenty of rumors, the Air would be a thinner model of the iPhone line, akin to the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, which would focus on a slimmer, lighter body that might have reduced battery life as a consequence. CNET Senior Reporter Abrar Al-Heeti found that with the S25 Edge. The Air could take the place of the larger Plus model in the iPhone 17 lineup, though whether that means the thinner phone is also bigger than the standard model is far from certain.

We’ve also heard rumors that the iPhone 17 line could swap from the square camera block it’s used for years to more of a pill-shaped camera bar that runs across the width of the phone’s body. Leaker Majin Bu posted a leaked image and CAD renders on X that show a differently shaped camera setup for each phone. And case-maker Dbrand is preselling an iPhone 17 Pro Tank case that shows off the wider camera bump as well.

A Bloomberg report in April affirmed that other than the camera block, the iPhone 17 lineup will look much like last year’s phones, at least as far as rumors go, with the standard iPhone 17, Pro and Pro Max models largely unchanged from their iPhone 16 predecessors. 

Assuming Apple isn’t changing the sizes of the smartphones, expect the iPhone 17 to have a 6.1-inch display, the iPhone 17 Pro to get a 6.3-inch screen and the iPhone 17 Pro Max a 6.9-inch display. The iPhone 17 Air’s size is uncertain, but Apple does have a tendency to retain phone sizes for years (just look at the iPhone SE line using the same display dimensions as the iPhone 6), so if the new thin phone has the same dimensions as the iPhone 16 Plus, it could have a 6.7-inch display.

Another display rumor suggests that Apple will close a feature gap between the baseline and pro models by making all phones have a maximum 120Hz refresh rate (prior lineups have kept the cheaper phones at 60Hz).

Comparing iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max Cameras

  • iPhone 17: No changes — Rumors haven’t hinted at anything changing in the iPhone 17 from the 48-megapixel main camera and 12-megapixel ultrawide in last year’s iPhone 16.  
  • iPhone 17 Air: Single camera — CAD renders suggest the iPhone 17 Air will have a single camera, presumably the 48-megapixel main camera found on the iPhone 16E.
  • iPhone 17 Pro: Improved zoom camera — While not widely corroborated, one rumor suggests the Pro models will get an up to 8x zoom camera, up from the 5x telephoto found in last year’s iPhone 16 Pro. It would presumably inherit its predecessor’s 48-megapixel main and 48-megapixel ultrawide cameras.
  • iPhone 17 Pro Max: Improved zoom camera — Likewise, the iPhone 17 Pro Max could get a better telephoto camera and keep its predecessor’s 48-megapixel main and 48-megapixel ultrawide cameras.

We expect the usual feature gap to split the iPhone 17 generation, with the standard iPhone 17 having two cameras (48-megapixel main and 12-megapixel ultrawide) while the Pro and Pro Max models bump the ultrawide to 48 megapixels and also include a third telephoto camera (presumably the 12-megapixel with 5x optical zoom inherited from last year’s iPhones). One of the wildest rumors is that the 17 Pro and Pro Max will have 8x telephoto cameras. The report comes from MacRumors and mentions the lens having moving elements for continuous optical zoom at various focal lengths (think Sony Xperia 1 V).

Rumors suggest the fourth model — possibly the iPhone 17 Air — will only have one camera, which would likely be a 48-megapixel main shooter similar to the iPhone 16E. That would set it apart from last year’s iPhone 16 Plus, which had the same two cameras as the standard iPhone 16.

The only other significant camera rumor suggests that the front-facing shooters on all the phones will be upgrading to 24-megapixel cameras, up from 12 megapixels on last year’s phones.

All iPhone 17 model specs compared

  • iPhone 17: Same CPU, possibly new modem — Rumors suggest the new iPhone 17 will pack the same A18 chip as its predecessor, but could get the Apple-made C1, a 5G modem, that debuted on the iPhone 16E.
  • iPhone 17 Air: New CPU, possibly new modem — Intriguingly, rumors suggest the thinner iPhone 17 Air may get the same A19 chip that’s expected to be in the Pro models out this year. It could also get the C1 modem.
  • iPhone 17 Pro: New CPU, possibly new modem — The iPhone 17 Pro is expected to get an upgrade to a new A19 chip, as well as possibly the C1 modem.
  • iPhone 17 Pro Max: New CPU, bigger battery — Similarly, rumors suggest the iPhone 17 Pro Max is anticipated to pack an A19 chip and potentially the C1 modem, as well as a slightly larger battery.

As is typical with the feature gap between standard and pro models, rumors suggest the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max (as well as the Air) will get the newest A19 chip, while the regular iPhone 17 will get the same A18 chip that powered last year’s iPhone 16.

It’s unclear if the new phones will get another tech advancement — Apple’s C1 chip, the internally developed 5G modem that debuted in the iPhone 16E released earlier this year. Presumably, the company will want to bring it to the new iPhone 17 lineup, but we haven’t heard rumors suggesting so.

While Apple never explicitly says how much RAM its iPhones pack, most phones require 8GB of RAM to use AI features — and given Apple Intelligence debuted on the iPhone 16 lineup, it’s heavily suspected that those devices were given 8GB of RAM. Presumably, the iPhone 17 series will have the same amount. 

There’s also no reason to believe Apple will switch up its storage options. The standard iPhone 17 will likely be offered in 128GB, 256GB and 512GB tiers, while the iPhone 17 Pro should have those and a 1TB version. The iPhone 17 Pro Max will likely only have 256GB, 512GB and 1TB options.

The batteries of the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro aren’t expected to change, though a leak suggests the iPhone 17 Pro Max could expand its capacity to 5,000 mAh, up from the 4,685 mAh on the iPhone 16 Pro Max. The big question will be the size of the iPhone 17 Air’s battery, which will almost surely be smaller due to the thinner body; by comparison, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge only has a 3,900 mAh capacity.

All iPhones will almost surely launch with iOS 26, the next version of Apple’s iPhone software that was renamed to align with the year following its release. 

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Hurry to Nab the Baseus Bowie MH1 Headphones for Over Half Off With This Early Black Friday Deal

This deal drops the price of this premium pair to just $47, but this discount ends soon.

High-quality noise-canceling headphones can cost a pretty penny, especially if you are after adaptive ANC, all-day comfort, and a reliable battery life. Most options with all these features sit well over $100, but we just found a way to score a premium pair for less than $50.

Amazon has a solid early Black Friday deal on the Baseus Bowie MH1 headphones. You can get them for 20% off right now, which drops the price to $80. But stack that with the $25 on-page coupon and use the promo code 8JWTGEUN at checkout, and you slash another $33 off. That brings the final price down to just $47, which is a steal considering all the features you are going to enjoy.

The headphones come with cloud-soft protein leather earcups with resilient memory foam for cloud-like comfort. The pair is capable of blocking up to 99.8% of noise with –48 dB deep noise cancellation, and it adapts to your surroundings as needed.

Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money.

The 36mm drivers and full-range LCP diaphragms give you clear, rich sound no matter what you listen to. In addition, with Baseus Immersive Spatial Acoustics, the audio surrounds you for a more natural listening experience. For clearer calls, the headphones also pack 5-mic sound sensors with AI-powered voice enhancement and wind-noise reduction. You won’t have to repeat yourself constantly.

Battery-wise, you get up to 80 hours of playtime with ANC off, and 55 hours with it on. A quick 10-minute top-up can also get you up to an additional 10 hours of playback, which is great for when you’re out and about.

HEADPHONE DEALS OF THE WEEK

Deals are selected by the CNET Group commerce team, and may be unrelated to this article.

Why this deal matters

High-end audio gear doesn’t come cheap. This deal takes over 50% off a powerful pair of headphones, making the upgrade easy. It won’t last long, though, so it’s best to snap it up sooner rather than later.

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Apple’s iPhone Pocket Is a $230 Gadget Mankini. We Tried It Out to Size It Up

The stretchy fabric satchel for your iPhone makes a fashion statement. CNET’s Bridget Carey wore it and waved it, and dubbed the iPhone Pocket «Apple’s Labubu.»

Remember iPod socks? Those brightly colored woolly wraps that swaddled your iPod like it was an infant? Apple sold them starting in 2004 for the better part of a decade. In things we did not have on our bingo card for 2025, Apple has decided now is the time to bring back the knitwear for the latest iPhones.

Meet the iPhone Pocket: a glorified yarn sling for your phone and whatever else you can cram in there without stretching the poor thing into oblivion. If we’re being catty, it does look a bit like a sweater you shrank in the wash and then tried to stretch out. Or maybe a mankini.

But hey, it could just be the zhuzh you’re looking for.

The iPhone Pocket is on sale now, but you can’t walk into just any old Apple Store and get it. Apple is selling it in 10 select shopping locales, like SoHo in New York, Regent Street in London, Marché Saint-Germain in Paris and Orchard Road in Singapore. Everyone else will just have to order it online like it’s from Temu.

High fashion does not come cheap. The short strap design will set you back $150, while the long strap version costs $230.

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Getting our hands on an iPhone Pocket

On Friday, the first day the iPhone Pocket went on sale, CNET’s Bridget Carey picked up one each of the long and short versions (blue and pink, respectively) at the Apple Store in fashion-centric SoHo, the only Apple retail store selling it in the US. Customers there could go hands-on with the woven slings, giving the Pocket a stretch or sample slipping their iPhones into it.

The longer, crossbody model held Carey’s phone securely, and she felt confident wearing it around New York throughout the day. She also put it through some impromptu testing. «I’ve been swinging it around and stuffing other items in it,» she said. «I’ve even tied it around my neck as a scarf and put it on my foot as a sock.»

So far, the Pocket has kept its shape. The material has some spring to it, and Carey thinks she could take it on errands with her kids and not have to worry. But it’s not tough enough for the washing machine. Instructions inside say the Pocket is to be hand washed and should not go in the dryer.

One of Apple’s suggestions for accessorizing with the iPhone Pocket, if you’re not doing crossbody, is to tie it onto the bag you’re carrying. That was not Carey’s first inclination. «I’m not sure I would feel comfortable hanging my phone like a keychain on my bag,» she said. «But I still wanted to get a short Pocket because, well, I wanted to have a bit of fashion history. And I love pink.»

If she does go the bag-Pocket route, Carey said, «I’ll hook my Labubu off it, too. After all, this is Apple’s Labubu now, a hard-to-find fashion accessory that hangs on your bag.»

The fashion sense of the iPhone Pocket

Apple designed the iPhone Pocket in collaboration with fashion brand Issey Miyake, the designer behind the endless supply of black turtlenecks worn by Steve Jobs (and an Apple employee uniform that almost happened).

I’m no fashion expert, but fashion writer Tiffany Lo is, and she told me «the design embodies Issey Miyake’s signature pleat pattern and the idea of crafting it from a single piece of fabric. It’s instantly recognizable.»

The iPhone Pocket is a stretchy 3D-knitted pouch with ribbed textures that hugs your iPhone. It’s see-through when you tug at it, so you can glimpse your lockscreen. But Apple wants you to put more than your iPhone in this accessory. You’re encouraged to slip in AirPods, lip balm, a key fob, breath mints or any other pocketable item. The shorter iPhone Pocket is more like a wristlet bag, while the longer one turns your iPhone into a crossbody accessory.

The wearable tech pouch is certainly a fashion statement if you decide to drape it across your torso, perhaps like a sash of questionable decisions. Whether you carry it in-hand, tie it to your bag, or sling it on like a fashion-forward postman, you will definitely get some looks, perhaps confused ones. The short strap version comes in eight colors: lemon, mandarin, purple, pink, peacock, sapphire, cinnamon and black. The long strap comes only in those latter three colors.

So who is the iPhone Pocket for? Lo says it «could appeal to younger generations thanks to the design that allows users to wear it as a crossbody.» Given that Apple released crossbody straps for all its iPhones earlier this year, maybe it has some insights into what Gen Z really wants. Is it worth the $230, or even $150? Yes or no, it’s a far cry from the $29 the iPod socks went for back in the day.

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