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The upcoming iPhone 16 models we expect to see in September will be very similar to the iPhone 15 models, but rumors suggest that Apple will make big changes in 2025. We’ve already heard hints about an all-new device coming to the iPhone lineup, and it could be the most expensive iPhone Apple has ever released.

New "ultra-thin" design

Rumor has it that Apple's planned new iPhone 17 is the "iPhone 17 Slim," but Apple will almost certainly not use that name. The "slim" refers to the device's sleeker, thinner design.

On the 12.9-inch M4 iPad Pro model, Apple has shaved more than a millimeter off the thickness, making it the thinnest device Apple has ever produced. Apple is expected to adopt the same thin and light design in 2025, with the upcoming iPhone said to be "significantly thinner" than the current iPhone.

We don't yet know the exact details of how thin Apple will make this iPhone, but the iPad Pro, at just 5.1mm thick, serves as a blueprint for what we can expect.

As for size, the iPhone 17 Slim is expected to slot in between the 6.1-inch iPhone 15 Pro and the 6.7-inch iPhone 15 Pro Max. Other rumors have Apple settling on display sizes of 6.55 inches, 6.6 inches, and 6.65 inches, which would make it smaller than the iPhone 15 Pro Max (and the rumored iPhone 16 Pro Max).

Although Apple has been using titanium for its high-end iPhone models since last year, the iPhone 17 Slim is rumored to have an aluminum body. Initial rumors about the device actually suggested that it would replace the "Plus" iPhone in Apple's camp, but later information suggested that the new high-end iPhone model would be even more expensive than the Pro Max.

Based on the rumors we've heard so far, it sounds like the iPhone 17 Slim will be similar to 2017's iPhone X. The iPhone X marked a major leap forward in technology, and it was sold alongside the standard iPhone 8 model.

It sounds like we’ll be getting the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and this new high-end iPhone 17 Slim, with Apple doing away with the Plus model entirely. The iPhone 17 Slim will likely be more expensive than the iPhone 15 Pro Max, which Apple currently starts at $1,199.

Relocate the camera

In addition to a thinner and lighter design, the high-end iPhone 17 may also feature a major rear camera adjustment for the first time. Rumors suggest that the camera may move from the top left corner of the iPhone to the top center, which could lead to a design similar to the Google Pixel. The Pixel 8 Pro has a raised band on the back that houses three cameras, a laser detection autofocus sensor, and a flash.

Apple is still testing the design of the iPhone 17, but the position of the camera bump may shift.

Display improvements

ProMotion display technology enables variable refresh rates from 1Hz to 120Hz and is expected to be used in all 2025 iPhone models, including high-end models.

The new coating is said to have better anti-reflective and scratch resistance than the current Ceramic Shield coating. In the leaked information, it is described as an "ultra-hard anti-reflective layer."

Apple began using Ceramic Shield in 2020. It's a ceramic-glass hybrid material developed in partnership with Corning. Corning has since improved its protective glass offerings, with the company's Gorilla Armor material reducing reflectivity by 75% while also offering enhanced drop protection and scratch resistance. Corning has a long-standing relationship with Apple, and while Gorilla Armor was developed for Samsung, Corning could make something similar for Apple as well.

Better selfie camera and smart island changes

The new iPhone 17 is expected to feature a slimmer display that takes up less screen real estate. Rumors about under-screen Face ID technology have been circulating for years, and we may see some signs of it in 2025.

There will be a smaller hole and pill-shaped cutout for the front-facing camera, but it sounds like Apple hasn't reached its goal of an all-display design yet.

As part of the redesign of the Smart Island, Apple is rumored to adopt a 24-megapixel front-facing camera, which will be an upgrade from the current 12-megapixel selfie camera. It will use a six-element lens to improve image quality, and the increase in resolution will capture more details and allow for more cropping without sacrificing quality.

Faster chips

It sounds like the iPhone 17 series won’t use TSMC’s next-generation 2nm chips, but we expect the A19 chip technology will likely use an upgraded 3nm process. Apple typically upgrades the iPhone with faster and more efficient chip technology every year, and we expect the iPhone 17 Slim to use the highest-end chip in 2025.

TSMC is developing 2-nanometer chips, but mass production is not expected until the end of 2025, which is too late for the iPhone 17 models. If the pace of research and development is accelerated, the situation may change. Compared with 3-nanometer chip technology, the 2-nanometer manufacturing process can increase speed by 10% to 15% at the same power consumption, or reduce power consumption by 25% to 30% at the same speed.

Chips made with the upgraded 3nm process won’t see as big a performance boost as those made with the 2nm process, but we can still count on modest CPU and GPU speed improvements. With Apple’s heavy focus on artificial intelligence, the dedicated Neural Engine for machine learning tasks is also likely to see improvements.

TSMC is developing the N3P process and will begin mass production at the end of 2024. Compared with earlier versions of 3nm chips, N3P chips have higher performance efficiency and greater transistor density.

Rumors suggest that higher-end iPhone 17 models could get up to 12GB of RAM, which would make sense for the pricier iPhone 17 Slim. Current models max out at 8GB of RAM.