The still-rumored iPhone 17 Pro Max will almost certainly be one of the biggest and best phones of 2025, leading the iPhone 17 lineup – which likely also includes the iPhone 17 itself, the iPhone 17 Pro and a new iPhone 17 Air or iPhone will include 17 Slim model.
The final phone may be getting a lot of attention, but it's the iPhone 17 Pro Max that will likely boast the most impressive specs.
And while we don't expect it to release until September, leaks and rumors are already starting to emerge – all of which you can find below.
Let's get down to business
- What is that? The next top-of-the-line iPhone
- When does it appear? Expected September 2025
- How much will it cost? Probably over $1,199 / £1,199 / AU$2,149
Keep an eye out in September
- Expected start in the first half of September
- Will probably cost at least $1,199 / £1,199 / AU$2,149
The iPhone 17 Pro Max – along with the rest of the iPhone 17 series – is expected to be announced in September 2025.
A source has specifically indicated that the iPhone 17 range will launch in September, and Apple almost invariably launches its new phones in the first half of September, so we can be pretty confident.
Before the iPhone 16 series, Apple also typically announced phones on a Tuesday or Wednesday, but with the iPhone 16 it was a Monday instead, so we can't be quite as confident about the exact day as in previous years.
However, given the pattern so far, the second week of September is the most likely, i.e. probably Monday September 8th, Tuesday September 9th, or Wednesday September 10th. Thursday or Friday is also possible, but these are not days that Apple normally goes away for.
In any case, iPhone 17 Pro Max pre-orders will most likely begin on Friday of announcement week, so our best guess for that is Friday, September 12th – although a week earlier, on Friday, September 5th, is also possible. And the phone is expected to ship the following Friday – so probably September 19th, but possibly September 12th.
We haven't heard anything about the price of the iPhone 17 Pro Max either and that's a little harder to predict since we don't know whether Apple will increase the price starting with the iPhone 16 Pro Max or not. For reference, the iPhone 16 Pro Max starts at $1,199 / £1,199 / AU$2,149, so it's likely the iPhone 17 Pro Max will cost at least that much.
Can you trust these rumors?
There are no pricing or release data leaks yet, so it's just educated guesses, but we'd be surprised if this phone wasn't announced in September.
One button replaces three
- Could combine the volume and action buttons into one button
- Could have an aluminum frame instead of titanium
- There will probably be a 6.9-inch screen again
So far we've heard about several possible design changes, including that the iPhone 17 Pro Max could get a new button – or more accurately, lose some buttons, as a report suggests it will have a single button replacing the two volume buttons and replaces the action button.
Details about this button are unknown, but if it does appear, we'd imagine it will have a similar design to the camera control button, allowing you to swipe over it to change the volume or press it to trigger a custom action.
You can also get an idea of what it might look like in an iPhone 14 Pro prototype that has a unified volume button (although this only combines two buttons into one, not three). According to various leaks, Apple has been working on versions of this idea for some time, but it remains to be seen whether such a change will actually appear on the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
Another major design leak suggests that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will have an aluminum frame instead of titanium and that the top half of the back will also be made of aluminum (instead of glass), while the bottom half will still be made of glass. The same source claims that the camera bump will be bigger this time too.
We've also seen an image of what this might look like thanks to a leaked iPhone 17 series frame (pictured below), which features a camera cutout like the Pixel 9.
However, on the other hand, another source has said that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will stick with titanium, which seems more likely.
We've also heard that at least some iPhone 17 models may have curvier edges than the iPhone 16 series, which could make them more comfortable to hold.
Also on the design front, a source claims that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will be available in one of the three colors shown below. These are apparently referred to as Dark Green Titanium, Teal Titanium and Green Titanium from left to right. And apparently all three are being considered, but only one, if any, would be used, with the source speculating that Teal Titanium is the most likely.
We've also heard that Apple could hide the Face ID components under the iPhone 17 Pro Max's screen, which could allow for a smaller Dynamic Island, although a smaller Dynamic Island could instead be achieved by using a new “Metalens” technology the proximity sensor of the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
The source of the Metalens claim also says that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will, unsurprisingly, have a titanium frame, just like the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
The same source also says to expect a 6.9-inch screen again, and we've heard elsewhere that the iPhone 17 Pro Max's display may be made of a type of glass that is less reflective and more scratch-resistant.
In addition, the iPhone 17 Pro Max's screen may use new technology that makes it more energy efficient and durable.
Can you trust these rumors?
So far only one source has mentioned a new button, so we're taking this with a grain of salt, especially since the action button was only recently added and therefore it would be strange to remove it already.
We're also a bit skeptical about the phone's switch from titanium to aluminum as it could be seen as a downgrade.
A smaller Dynamic Island is possible and has already been leaked several times, but it's more likely to be achieved through a new proximity sensor design than under-display Face ID.
A new telephoto camera
- Might have a new 48MP telephoto camera
- The front-facing camera could be increased to 24MP
- The main sensor may be downgraded
We've heard pretty consistent tips about the iPhone 17 Pro Max's cameras, with the most exciting claim being that the telephoto lens will have a new 48MP sensor, up from 12MP on the current model. We've heard the claim of a 48MP telephoto camera for the iPhone 17 Pro Max from multiple sources, so this is most likely accurate.
However, this snapper will likely still offer 5x optical zoom and it could be the only rear camera to get a significant upgrade – meaning 48MP main and ultra-wide cameras could return.
However, the front-facing camera could also be improved. One of the same sources says that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature a 24MP selfie camera, up from the current 12MP.
And even more surprising is the news that a source has claimed that the iPhone 17 Pro Max could feature a mechanical aperture that would allow you to adjust the aperture and thus change the depth of field.
However, these may not just be upgrades, as we've heard elsewhere that the main sensor on the iPhone 17 Pro Max could be smaller than the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Can you trust these rumors?
Numerous sources have mentioned a 48MP telephoto camera, so a lot is very likely. Not much has been leaked about the 24-megapixel selfie camera, so we'll take that with a grain of salt, but the claim comes from a credible source.
As for a mechanical bezel, we're skeptical about this one since it sounds like a big, niche upgrade, but it's always possible. We're also not currently convinced that Apple would reduce the size of the main sensor.
A powerful chipset and lots of RAM
- A powerful A19 Pro chipset
- 12GB RAM
The iPhone 17 Pro Max will almost certainly have an A19 Pro chipset – after all, the current model has an A18 Pro. Multiple sources have mentioned an A19 Pro chipset and also said that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will have 12GB of RAM, up from 8GB in the current model.
This could be a huge boon for its AI capabilities. However, there is some debate as to whether both iPhone 17 Pro models will get 12GB of RAM or whether this RAM upgrade will only apply to the Pro Max.
We haven't heard anything about the battery yet, but reports suggest the iPhone 17 Pro Max could have a thinner and lighter motherboard than the current model, which could in turn make room for a larger battery.
Can you trust these rumors?
The iPhone 17 Pro Max will almost certainly have an A19 Pro chipset based on the previous version, and we'd say an increase to 12GB of RAM is also very believable as it could help with AI.