The iPhone 17 may debut a new ‘slim’ model

A new research note from Jeff Pu of Haitong International Securities predicts some changes for the iPhone lineup of 2025. The contents of the note were first reported by 9to5Mac.

According to Pu, the larger non-Pro iPhone 17 will be referred to as a “slim” model, though we don’t know how much thinner it will be than the current iPhone 15 Plus and expected iPhone 16 Plus. According to Pu, the iPhone 17 lineup and its screen sizes will be as follows:

• iPhone 17: 6.1-inch display
• iPhone 17 Slim: 6.6-inch display
• iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3-inch display
• iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9-inch display

All but the iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature aluminum designs that are said to be more complex, while the iPhone 17 Pro Max will be the lone titanium phone in the lineup.

The iPhone 17 Pro Max will also be the only model to use “metalens” technology to dramatically reduce the size of the proximity sensor which will allow for a narrower dynamic island. A metalens is a microscopic flat structure with an array of microscopic waveguide pillars made of titanium dioxide. The waveguides focus light much like a traditional lens but at a tiny fraction of the size.

In addition, Pu claims that the iPhone 17 and 17 Slim will feature 8GB of RAM with either the A18 or A19 chip, while the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max will jump up to the A19 Pro with 12GB of RAM. All models are expected to include a 24MP front-facing camera. Previous rumors have suggested that all iPhone 17 models will get always-on displays as well.

Pu has been accurate in some past predictions and less accurate in others, but it’s worth noting that the iPhone 17 lineup’s exact design and features are probably not written in stone yet even within Apple, so there’s plenty of time for things to change.