The orange color is already proving divisive.Credit: Zain bin Awais / Mashable
It's September, which means it's new iPhone season, and the iPhone 17 rumor mill has been churning.
The Apple Event 2025 is scheduled for Sept. 9 at 10 a.m. PT (1 p.m. ET), so we should probably stop, catch our breath, and review what we know so far. The tech world is eagerly awaiting the iPhone 17's arrival (and a whole slew of new Apple devices), but Apple could also drop some surprises at its "Awe-dropping" iPhone launch event.
As always, there have been plenty of iPhone 17 rumors over the past year. Some of them will undoubtedly be true, while others seem pretty sketchy. That's just how these launches go.
As a korean, I can tell you the truth: These kinds of spec sheets are made by retail phone sellers and are just based on the rumors. You can find this every year before release and it's never accurate. It's NOT from the carriers.
You do realise that the major networks selling these devices will be well aware of their specs in order to prepare POS, and online spec sheets (especially in Europe now with energy ratings) and the fact that they specify certain networks on their announcements. They are buried under NDAs, but they know.
Again, this is not from carriers. Max Tech is not correct on that one. These retail sellers do “pre-preorders” before the release and create these kinds of documents. A pre-preorder is just a promise to place an actual preorder after the release (a.k.a. BS).
So curious about that new telephoto at this point. This says 8x optical but like someone in the replies there said, it’s possible that this is 4x actual optical lens with an 8x zoom option from sensor cropping. I think that would be much better setup - 0.6x, 1x, 2x (crop), 4x, 8x (crop), compared to if this were an actual 8x optical lens and having cropping for everything between 1x and 8x. Native 4x is a much more useable zoom distance.
There have been leaks that suggest the telephoto actually moves and starts at 5x and gets up to 8x which would be insane if they could pull that off. It would essentially bridge the gap between a good telephoto portrait lens and a very strong zoom lens. The large camera bar makes me think that’s the reason why because they packed in a bunch of new camera tech to achieve this. Realistically I’m expecting 8x at 12MP which is also great!
I feel like the Air must have some sort of camera trickery like this going on since it’s just a single lens camera system. I feel like the price it’s rumored to start at would make a single camera system a hard sell.
Great point didn't think of that. And the fact it has a camera bar too makes me think they could use the same tech where the single lens can start at 1x and get up to 3x or something with a variable zoom.
Completely agree. 3x on my 15 Pro feels fine? 5x is a bit too much it seems from what I’ve heard for reviews… But a 4x with a lossless 8x crop seems super interesting.
I don’t know what any of that means. All I know is my android friends take photos of the same concerts and parties and their photos always look 500x better. Hope iPhone catches up.
Dumb question but I’m going to ask it anyway, is this why the camera on Pro looks much bigger? Like it’s not just a design choice, they actually needed that room?
The jump from 2x crop to 5x optical on the 16Pro is already quite big and noticeable as someone who like taking a lot of pictures. This would be so much better!
Assuming IOS26 gets some decent optimisation, that 5000mah on the pro max is going to destroy competition battery wise, the 16PM is already hard to kill even with heavy use
16PM battery is already not good enough for consistent photo and short video use as a tourist. This will be welcome. As a side effect, battery as a non-camera phone will be that much better
Won't be buying anything before CNY promos, but it will definitely be interesting watching the reviews, and especially the 3 month ones.
Really curious to see how the base model will perform with 120Hz, and what corners they will cut to make it differentiated from the Pro, other than the cameras.
And of course, the Air. The OEM battery case designed specifically for it is very telling.
From the fact that they all have "24 million pixels", this means the Dynamic Island is not getting any smaller on the Pros? Or am I just stupid or Google translated incorrectly?
Initially, I planned to go with the regular 17. Now seeing the specs, I would go with the 17 pro. Because of ram. I definitely could benefited from the 12gb ram.
and better cameras and chip performance obviously.
its more exciting than the jump from 15 to 16 but none of these are revolutionary. maybe the vapor chamber cooling if you're a gamer or power user. the extra ram will also be useful when apple intelligence and siri get a revamp next year and hopefully no longer suck.
Agreed. An equal battery life comparison is more reasonable, and I think the "iPhone Air" will actually have the advantage in most real life situations.
That said, if we pretend that battery life is the only consideration, a buyer should not make a choice based on their median battery use, but somewhere in the 9x'th percentile because running out of battery is much worse than carrying around a slightly larger and heavier phone.
These phone are rumored to support 35w fast charging (20-25w has been the max so far) if that’s the case then topping up an Air should be fast and it’ll get you through another day easily.
Honestly I think the Air exists as a test run for the foldable. Essentially taking two air’s and fusing together. Same battery but 2 of them (one on each side). The whole foldable will be about the same thickness when opened. In the coning year Apple will collect telemetry on battery data for the Air and user feedback and probably be a one-off. I don’t see any other reason why it exists… they had to make a custom screen size and battery just for it…
Haven't the iPhones generally become more durable over time, especially with the display?
Some years ago Apple started to use more shatter-resistant glass, which had the side effect of showing more cracks under normal wear and tear.
I used a thick drop-resistant waterproof case for my iPhone 6s, currently use a slimmer but still drop-resistant case on my iPhone 11, and might actually go caseless for my next iPhone later this decade.
(Well, unless I get a foldable because I'm a bit worried about the hinge after dropping it a few times.)
I've had exactly one repair since buying the 4s in 2011, and that's because I couldn't control my emotions and deliberately threw the phone. We must use our devices differently.
Guess so! I decided going naked was never going to be an option for me- I run screen protectors and cases for resale now at minimum. Whether it was scratches back in the day or recently random incidents (my nieces playing with my phone, it getting pushed off a counter or higher onto precarious materials, what have you)- it’s why I pay for Apple Care. But it’s also why I use a case: having a broken screen or back just because of normal wear and tear is an annoying chunk of time to carve out of life to deal with the most predictable problem of all time.
That’s why they are selling a battery case because of “worse” battery life. They sell you a phone with terrible battery and then sell you the solution. A win win for Apple.
Same. I’d rather they make a sturdier slightly thicker phone that won’t shatter the second it hits the floor, or at the very least a bigger battery. Phones are thin enough.
That’s not the point. An Air with a case on it is still going to be noticeably thinner than a standard iPhone with a case on it.
And yes, 2mm is very noticeable. As is the weight.
Battery could be a concern for some, which only means this device is not for them. Options are good, and believe it or not, not everyone is chronically online and murdering their battery all day. My 16 Pro Max has a ton of battery left at the end of the day, which means I’ve got battery to spare.
Lol, says the people making this into a debate. I don’t care what phone you buy. I don’t like the Air but others do? Cool. Not everything has to be an internet argument
I wouldn't just directly convert like that. US prices do not include sales tax, whereas the Korean prices will include a 10% VAT.
For example, in the UK our prices convert £1 = $1, despite the exchange rate being £1 = $1.35. An iPhone 16 is £799, directly converting that's $1079 USD, but in reality the US prices are $799. The UK prices includes a 20% VAT.
The 1.25 million KRW for the 128 GB iPhone 17 is the same price as the iPhone 16. Hence, in the US base model iPhone 17 is likely to stay at $799.
Of course. The Korean text in the parenthesis, tl2/ *a (je-oe che-keu), translates to "Check for exclusion" or "Consider for removal." Breakdown of the Translation • Tile (je-oe): This word means "exclusion," "exception," or "omission." • *= (che-keu): This is a Konglish (Korean-style English) word for "check" or "mark." In the context of this product label, which appears to be for a future phone model, it implies that the 128GB storage option is being considered for removal from the lineup. Essentially, it's a note to "check" if this option should be "excluded."
$999 for 128GB non-upgradeable storage in 2025 is so, so late-stage capitalism (assuming VAT included).
Given the Galaxy S25 Edge was recieved with lukewarm reception, I wonder how the iPhone 17 Air would fare if the selling point is just the thinness without the battery case. I truly wonder if this product's existence is due to investor pressure to have at minimum something new to prop up the share price given the lackluster rollout of the LLM in Apple Intelligence.
From the mAh listing, it does not look like the 17 Air is using the silicon-doped lithium battery that is currently present in Chinese domestic market devices.
Mostly GPT 5 with Thinking, and o3 as a more reliable fallback. I sometimes play around with abliterated local LLMs but usually just to see how far I could get it to be "unsafe".
For they apple cult of course!
ReplyDeletethey ?
Deleteapple's cult.
DeleteAs a korean, I can tell you the truth: These kinds of spec sheets are made by retail phone sellers and are just based on the rumors. You can find this every year before release and it's never accurate. It's NOT from the carriers.
ReplyDeleteGenuinely curious, why is being Korean significant here?
DeleteKorean source
DeleteKorean sauce
DeleteGotchujang?
DeleteThe text in the photo is in Korean, implying this is from some Korean carrier
Deleteplot twist:
Deleteit is from kim himself
You do realise that the major networks selling these devices will be well aware of their specs in order to prepare POS, and online spec sheets (especially in Europe now with energy ratings) and the fact that they specify certain networks on their announcements. They are buried under NDAs, but they know.
DeleteCarriers might know the specs, but this is NOT from carriers. It even says “제외체크”, so it doesn’t even know if the 120gb variant exists
DeleteIt literally says Koreans carriers in the original tweet though I’m the UK so can’t verify as I don’t know the network
DeleteYou telling a Korean who can actually read the document and is familiar with his telecoms that your interpretation as a UK person is fact over his?
DeleteLmao get a load of that guy eh?
DeleteAgain, this is not from carriers. Max Tech is not correct on that one. These retail sellers do “pre-preorders” before the release and create these kinds of documents. A pre-preorder is just a promise to place an actual preorder after the release (a.k.a. BS).
DeleteSo curious about that new telephoto at this point.
ReplyDeleteThis says 8x optical but like someone in the replies there said, it’s possible that this is 4x actual optical lens with an 8x zoom option from sensor cropping. I think that would be much better setup - 0.6x, 1x, 2x (crop), 4x, 8x (crop), compared to if this were an actual 8x optical lens and having cropping for everything between 1x and 8x. Native 4x is a much more useable zoom distance.
This is likely what’s happening, they already call their 2x zoom optical, this would be the same thing but applied to the telephoto.
DeleteThere have been leaks that suggest the telephoto actually moves and starts at 5x and gets up to 8x which would be insane if they could pull that off. It would essentially bridge the gap between a good telephoto portrait lens and a very strong zoom lens. The large camera bar makes me think that’s the reason why because they packed in a bunch of new camera tech to achieve this. Realistically I’m expecting 8x at 12MP which is also great!
DeleteI feel like the Air must have some sort of camera trickery like this going on since it’s just a single lens camera system. I feel like the price it’s rumored to start at would make a single camera system a hard sell.
DeleteGreat point didn't think of that. And the fact it has a camera bar too makes me think they could use the same tech where the single lens can start at 1x and get up to 3x or something with a variable zoom.
DeleteWell it’ll definitely have the 2x crop “optical” zoom that all the iPhone’s have right now with their main wide cameras.
DeleteNo the air definitely won’t have this because the problem for a system like that is the thickness of the phone.
DeleteThe "big" camera upgrade is supposed to be variable aperture, which was originally rumored years ago for the 17 Pro but got bumped to the 18 Pro.
Deletehttps://www.macrumors.com/2024/12/23/iphone-18-pro-rumored-camera-upgrade/
Aperture just adjusts how much light can enter the sensor and doesn’t have anything to do with zoom.
Deletehttps://www.macrumors.com/2025/07/29/iphone-17-pro-8x-zoom-theory/
The 18 Pro is also supposed to have a stacked sensor leading to better quality photos.
Deletehttps://www.macrumors.com/roundup/iphone-18/
I feel like 2x (crop) to 5x would be to much of a jump and a loss of quality in the range from 3-5x :(
DeleteCompletely agree. 3x on my 15 Pro feels fine? 5x is a bit too much it seems from what I’ve heard for reviews… But a 4x with a lossless 8x crop seems super interesting.
DeletePlus I imagine the 8x would be 12mp but I also imagine they could get a 6x 24mp. Similar to the 24/28/35mm crop modes.
DeleteI don’t know what any of that means. All I know is my android friends take photos of the same concerts and parties and their photos always look 500x better. Hope iPhone catches up.
DeleteDumb question but I’m going to ask it anyway, is this why the camera on Pro looks much bigger? Like it’s not just a design choice, they actually needed that room?
DeleteThe jump from 2x crop to 5x optical on the 16Pro is already quite big and noticeable as someone who like taking a lot of pictures. This would be so much better!
DeleteAssuming IOS26 gets some decent optimisation, that 5000mah on the pro max is going to destroy competition battery wise, the 16PM is already hard to kill even with heavy use
ReplyDelete16PM battery is already not good enough for consistent photo and short video use as a tourist. This will be welcome. As a side effect, battery as a non-camera phone will be that much better
DeleteI just want the dark blue Pro
ReplyDeleteI want you
DeleteBet?
Deletehttps://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpreview.redd.it%2Fadditional-iphone-17-specs-seemingly-confirmed-v0-f18lxefyuonf1.jpeg%3Fwidth%3D500%26auto%3Dwebp%26s%3Dc3c4832457f12d534397883757cca1def787799f
Take this down please.
DeleteI still regret upgrading from my pacific blue 12 😩
DeleteYess I miss mine :(
DeleteGonna be sad times if they raise the price and keep 128GB for the pro.
ReplyDeleteYeah this seems wrong. I think something is fishy here. Just Apple trying to keep the hype cycle and speculation going maybe
DeleteWow does that say 6000mAh for the Pro Max? And 3700 for the Pro?
ReplyDelete5000
DeleteI cannot see for shit lol
DeleteTLDR?
ReplyDeleteiPhone 17 specs better than iPhone 16 specs.
DeleteI hear it’s the best yet
DeleteAnd they think we’re going to love it
DeleteAre we gonna love it?
DeleteYou betcha. It’s the best yet
DeleteLFG
DeleteTSNI: Too short; Not Enough Info.
DeleteWon't be buying anything before CNY promos, but it will definitely be interesting watching the reviews, and especially the 3 month ones.
ReplyDeleteReally curious to see how the base model will perform with 120Hz, and what corners they will cut to make it differentiated from the Pro, other than the cameras.
And of course, the Air. The OEM battery case designed specifically for it is very telling.
Cny?
DeleteChinese New Year
DeleteThis 😄
DeleteWhat promo usually goes on during CNY?
DeleteDon’t know either, maybe „ Christmas new years“ 😂
DeleteThey probably mean Chinese New Year promo
DeleteOnly 8GB of RAM for the Air? 🥺
ReplyDeleteFrom the fact that they all have "24 million pixels", this means the Dynamic Island is not getting any smaller on the Pros? Or am I just stupid or Google translated incorrectly?
ReplyDeleteHolding on to my 13 pro until a Fold gets released
ReplyDeleteFolds: 🤮
DeleteOptions: 😍
Delete128 GB on the Pro 💔
ReplyDeleteMy god, finally. Now my uncle can rest easy tonight.
ReplyDeleteInitially, I planned to go with the regular 17. Now seeing the specs, I would go with the 17 pro. Because of ram. I definitely could benefited from the 12gb ram.
ReplyDeleteI really want the just the iphone 17 (coming from a 13pro), but the 8gb ram is putting me off. I just hope thats not true lol.
DeleteDoes the extra 4gb of RAM make that much of a difference?
DeleteIt does not. Obsessing over specs in 2025 to look at Instagram and open Uber is complete insanity.
DeleteI got a 16 Pro (from an 11) and honestly it’s underwhelming.
ReplyDeleteIs there anything about the 17 that should make anyone excited like the times of yesteryear or is it just another release to release?
more battery capacity.
Delete12gb of ram instead of 8.
vapor chamber cooling.
reverse wireless charging.
anti-reflective screen coating.
and better cameras and chip performance obviously.
its more exciting than the jump from 15 to 16 but none of these are revolutionary. maybe the vapor chamber cooling if you're a gamer or power user. the extra ram will also be useful when apple intelligence and siri get a revamp next year and hopefully no longer suck.
the only thing that pisses me off is what the leaked apple clear case for the 17 pro looks like😭
ReplyDeletedude the cases look like ass 😭😭
DeleteI really don’t get the Air. Ok it’s thinner until you slap a case on it and it’s just as thick as a regular iPhone but with less battery life.
ReplyDeleteWeird to compare Air with case to normal iPhone without.
DeleteAgreed. An equal battery life comparison is more reasonable, and I think the "iPhone Air" will actually have the advantage in most real life situations.
DeleteThat said, if we pretend that battery life is the only consideration, a buyer should not make a choice based on their median battery use, but somewhere in the 9x'th percentile because running out of battery is much worse than carrying around a slightly larger and heavier phone.
These phone are rumored to support 35w fast charging (20-25w has been the max so far) if that’s the case then topping up an Air should be fast and it’ll get you through another day easily.
DeleteAn air with a case is still thinner than a regular iPhone with a case
DeleteHonestly I think the Air exists as a test run for the foldable. Essentially taking two air’s and fusing together. Same battery but 2 of them (one on each side). The whole foldable will be about the same thickness when opened. In the coning year Apple will collect telemetry on battery data for the Air and user feedback and probably be a one-off. I don’t see any other reason why it exists… they had to make a custom screen size and battery just for it…
DeleteThere are dozens of us that don't use a case
DeleteLike meeee
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
DeleteHaven't the iPhones generally become more durable over time, especially with the display?
DeleteSome years ago Apple started to use more shatter-resistant glass, which had the side effect of showing more cracks under normal wear and tear.
I used a thick drop-resistant waterproof case for my iPhone 6s, currently use a slimmer but still drop-resistant case on my iPhone 11, and might actually go caseless for my next iPhone later this decade.
(Well, unless I get a foldable because I'm a bit worried about the hinge after dropping it a few times.)
I've had exactly one repair since buying the 4s in 2011, and that's because I couldn't control my emotions and deliberately threw the phone. We must use our devices differently.
DeleteYes, we do. For instance, I don't throw my phone after losing control of my emotions.
DeleteGuess so! I decided going naked was never going to be an option for me- I run screen protectors and cases for resale now at minimum. Whether it was scratches back in the day or recently random incidents (my nieces playing with my phone, it getting pushed off a counter or higher onto precarious materials, what have you)- it’s why I pay for Apple Care. But it’s also why I use a case: having a broken screen or back just because of normal wear and tear is an annoying chunk of time to carve out of life to deal with the most predictable problem of all time.
DeleteIt’s one half of a fold. They just want to recoup some of their R&D early
DeleteThat’s why they are selling a battery case because of “worse” battery life. They sell you a phone with terrible battery and then sell you the solution. A win win for Apple.
Deletehttps://www.macrumors.com/2025/05/03/iphone-17-air-battery-case-report/
Same. I’d rather they make a sturdier slightly thicker phone that won’t shatter the second it hits the floor, or at the very least a bigger battery. Phones are thin enough.
DeleteRegular iPhones are already bricks. No thanks
DeleteYou say that until you handle a thick phone filled with battery then you’ll call it a brick.
DeleteThere's that controller concept (https://youtu.be/vuSGXmsvp_Q?si=EtDGKO3R9dvHTu_T&t=67) that would pair really well with a thin phone imo
DeleteLol this is such a weird comparison… a regular iPhone with a case on it is much thicker than an Air with a case on it.
DeleteI mean what, 2mm? Are you going to notice that? Probably not. But you will notice your battery life on a constant basis.
DeleteThat’s not the point. An Air with a case on it is still going to be noticeably thinner than a standard iPhone with a case on it.
DeleteAnd yes, 2mm is very noticeable. As is the weight.
Battery could be a concern for some, which only means this device is not for them. Options are good, and believe it or not, not everyone is chronically online and murdering their battery all day. My 16 Pro Max has a ton of battery left at the end of the day, which means I’ve got battery to spare.
Good. Buy it
DeleteYou seem really worked up over someone wanting something you don’t. It’s weird, man.
DeleteLol, says the people making this into a debate. I don’t care what phone you buy. I don’t like the Air but others do? Cool. Not everything has to be an internet argument
DeleteI don’t use cases.
DeleteOk you have my permission to buy it
DeleteYou have my blessing to post the exact same question on presentation day.
DeleteI didn’t ask anything but thank you. Steve Jerbs blesses you
DeleteNeither did I. The Woz will keep you in his thoughts and prayers.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't just directly convert like that. US prices do not include sales tax, whereas the Korean prices will include a 10% VAT.
DeleteFor example, in the UK our prices convert £1 = $1, despite the exchange rate being £1 = $1.35. An iPhone 16 is £799, directly converting that's $1079 USD, but in reality the US prices are $799. The UK prices includes a 20% VAT.
The 1.25 million KRW for the 128 GB iPhone 17 is the same price as the iPhone 16. Hence, in the US base model iPhone 17 is likely to stay at $799.
Because I can't do currency conversion correctly and because Reddit messed up the entire table, I'm just going to retract it. We'll see. Thanks
DeleteNo mention of a 2TB phone. Fuuuuuuuck.
ReplyDeletehttps://imgur.com/a/MMmb3M0
ReplyDeleteCan someone translate this? The 128GB thing in the parenthesis
Of course. The Korean text in the parenthesis, tl2/ *a (je-oe che-keu), translates to "Check for exclusion" or "Consider for removal." Breakdown of the Translation • Tile (je-oe): This word means "exclusion," "exception," or "omission." • *= (che-keu): This is a Konglish (Korean-style English) word for "check" or "mark." In the context of this product label, which appears to be for a future phone model, it implies that the 128GB storage option is being considered for removal from the lineup. Essentially, it's a note to "check" if this option should be "excluded."
DeleteThanks so much! Yes, this matches expectations as we’ve heard rumors about the iPhone 17 Pro coming with 256GB as standard.
DeleteGoogle translate says “exclusion check,” and ChatGPT inferred this must be either a limited stock or special-use basis.
DeleteThanks. My Google translate failed to translate this
DeleteHere is iPhone 17 specs.
ReplyDeletehttps://x.com/jukanlosreve/status/1964162977076023438?s=46
$999 for 128GB non-upgradeable storage in 2025 is so, so late-stage capitalism (assuming VAT included).
ReplyDeleteGiven the Galaxy S25 Edge was recieved with lukewarm reception, I wonder how the iPhone 17 Air would fare if the selling point is just the thinness without the battery case. I truly wonder if this product's existence is due to investor pressure to have at minimum something new to prop up the share price given the lackluster rollout of the LLM in Apple Intelligence.
From the mAh listing, it does not look like the 17 Air is using the silicon-doped lithium battery that is currently present in Chinese domestic market devices.
Alas, another year of incremental upgrade.
of all the things that are late stage capitalism, the amount of storage in a phone is definitely not one of them.
DeleteYeah I bought ice cream today and it melted real quick and got my hands all sticky. Total late stage capitalism.
DeleteI bought a one scoop ice cream, ate it in one go. Totally late stage capitalism.
DeleteThe air is probably a mix of having something new to market and prep for building very thin devices that will roll over into next year’s foldable.
DeleteExactly
DeleteI saw a vid on YouTube saying that air exists because they need to thin the phone before they can create a foldable which makes sense to me.
DeleteAre you all using different LLM’s then me?? The ones I have used are hot garbage. A cursory google search has more relevant information.
DeleteMostly GPT 5 with Thinking, and o3 as a more reliable fallback. I sometimes play around with abliterated local LLMs but usually just to see how far I could get it to be "unsafe".
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
DeleteSeemingly confirmed = not confirmed
ReplyDeleteProduct Red?
ReplyDelete