August is nearly over, which means Apple’s iPhone event is just around the corner — usually held in mid-September. That’s when we’ll likely get our first official look at the iPhone 17 lineup. The new phones will come preloaded with iOS 26, along with any other features Apple chooses to announce. Until then, we can only speculate, but as usual, leaks and rumors have already given us some hints about what to expect. Here’s a breakdown of the latest chatter and what seems likely.
Latest iPhone 17 Rumors
Leaker Majin Bu, as reported by MacRumors, suggests that Apple could release new “TechWoven” cases alongside the iPhone 17. These cases are said to match the rumored wide camera bump design and might be a redesigned version of the older FineWoven cases, which were discontinued due to scratches and stains. The new cases are rumored to include lanyard holes for easier carrying, possibly allowing the phone to be worn around the neck.
Majin Bu also shared alleged color options for these cases: grey/black, blue, green, purple, and orange. Of course, this remains speculative, and we won’t know the final designs until the official Apple event.
Pricing Expectations
Apple’s efforts to expand US-based manufacturing could shield it somewhat from tariffs, but with ongoing trade policy uncertainties, price changes remain possible. One rumor from leaker “Instant Digital” suggests that the iPhone 17 could start at 256GB of storage, doubling the current 128GB baseline, which may come with a modest price increase. While Apple has occasionally increased specs at no extra cost — like doubling Mac RAM in 2024 — tariffs could make this less likely.
Event Timing
Flagship iPhones traditionally launch in September. Reports from MacRumors, citing German sources, indicate the iPhone 17 event could be on Tuesday, September 9. Apple sometimes gives only a short notice between invites and events, but historically, mid-September is the expected timeframe. It’s worth noting that the iPhone 18 launch in 2026 might follow a different schedule, with a staggered release for Pro and standard models.
What’s Expected in the iPhone 17 Lineup
Leaks suggest Apple is aiming for an ultra-thin model, likely called the iPhone 17 Air, echoing the “Air” branding of its laptops. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports it could feature a basic A19 chip, a single camera lens, and potentially Apple’s new in-house modem introduced on the iPhone 16e.
Analyst Jeff Pu noted the Air may use a titanium frame, making it the only model in the 17 series to use that metal, while the standard 17, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max are expected to be aluminum. There were earlier rumors of a titanium-aluminum blend, so the exact build may not be confirmed until launch.
Battery rumors suggest the Air will have a 2.49mm-thick internal battery, about half the thickness of the iPhone 17 Pro’s battery, with a capacity around 2,800 mAh, smaller than current iPhone 16 models.
The iPhone 17 Pro is rumored to feature an all-aluminum chassis, according to a leak from Majin Bu. The frame includes a large round opening on the back for MagSafe charging, and the aluminum design could reduce weight compared to the titanium Pro models. The same leak suggests the iPhone 17 Pro may have improved wireless reception, thanks to a redesigned antenna system that wraps around the wider camera bump. These are renderings rather than confirmed photos, but the concept seems plausible.
The lineup will likely include a base iPhone 17, an iPhone 17 Pro, and a Pro Max model with a larger screen and battery. The new Pro iPhones could feature a full-width “camera island” on the back, a first for Apple, as seen in purported images of a black-cased iPhone 17 Pro. While social media images can be faked, the dual-angle leaks lend some credibility.
What to Expect from iOS 26
At WWDC 2025, Apple shook up its OS naming scheme, matching the version number to the year of release. So, the upcoming iPhones will run iOS 26.
Visually, iOS 26 introduces Liquid Glass, a design style with a glass-like aesthetic. Apple has been toning down the transparency effects in recent beta updates, but the signature look remains.
The update brings both major and minor changes. Phone and Photos apps have been redesigned, and Apple is adding several AI-driven features. This includes live translation in Phone, FaceTime, and Messages, as well as a sensitive content warning for child accounts, which can pause FaceTime if nudity is detected via on-device machine learning. Another AI feature, Visual Intelligence, lets users search for specific elements within images.
There are also plenty of small, quality-of-life tweaks: group texts will now support polls, and the alarm system has been updated so the default nine-minute snooze is no longer mandatory.
iOS 26 is currently available as a public beta and works on devices going back to the iPhone 11. Early impressions highlight the Liquid Glass design and the mix of AI and interface improvements.
About the Author
