Accordingly, Apple is expected to increase the thickness of the iPhone 17 Pro Max to 8.725mm, compared to the 8.25mm of the iPhone 16 Pro Max launched last year, which is 0.475mm thicker.

iPhone 17 Pro Max screen.jpg
The iPhone 17 Pro Max may have a redesigned body to accommodate a larger battery. (Image: Macrumors)

According to Ice Universe , this increase in thickness "definitely means a larger battery." Aside from the thickness change, the iPhone 17 Pro Max's frame is said to remain the same, with no differences from the previous generation.

To date, there have been no leaks about the iPhone 17 Pro Max having longer battery life or a change in battery size compared to its predecessor. Therefore, if Ice Universe 's information is accurate, this would be a significant upgrade.

A series of upgrades on the iPhone 17 Pro Max

Previously, according to Sonny Dickson , a source who specializes in revealing news about upcoming Apple products, the most notable difference from the iPhone 17 Pro Max released this year is the redesigned rear camera module.

Instead of the camera module located in the upper left corner as before, the new camera system has a more expansive layout, separating the flash, microphone, and LiDAR sensor from the main triple-lens cluster.

This horizontal camera design is predicted to appear on the iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and the all-new ultra-slim iPhone 17 Air model.

Furthermore, according to Apple supply chain analysts Ming-Chi Kuo and Jeff Pu, all four iPhone 17 models will feature a 24MP front camera. Therefore, it's natural that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will receive this upgrade.

Furthermore, the iPhone 17 Pro Max is rumored to feature an upgraded 48MP telephoto camera, instead of the 12MP found on the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the telephoto camera on the iPhone 17 Pro Max will use a 48MP sensor with a 1/2.6-inch size, an improvement over the 12MP 1/3.1-inch sensor of the iPhone 16 Pro.

The iPhone 17 Pro Max is also rumored to have 12GB of RAM, an increase from the 8GB of RAM in the iPhone 16 Pro Max. This upgrade would improve the performance of Apple Intelligence features and multitasking capabilities. All four current iPhone 16 models only have 8GB of RAM.

Another exclusive upgrade for the iPhone 17 Pro Max is that the Dynamic Island feature will be "significantly smaller" thanks to hardware changes related to the Face ID system.

According to Jeff Pu, Apple is applying metallized technology to the Face ID system. This technology allows Apple to reduce the size of the Face ID system without reducing its effectiveness, while simultaneously expanding the display area on the screen.

Apple's top-of-the-line iPhone models consistently receive more favorable annual upgrades. This is understandable, as Apple continues to focus on differentiating between the "Pro" models and the non-"Pro" models.

Perhaps that's why the rumor that only the iPhone 17 Pro Max will be equipped with Apple's own Wi-Fi 7 chip is also highly credible.

The new iPhone lineup will be launched in September 2025, following Apple's annual tradition. The 2025 iPhone models are expected to include: iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and the ultra-slim iPhone 17 Air.

Watch the iPhone 17 Pro Max sample video (Source: Asher Dipprey):

The ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air still boasts a massive battery. Despite its ultra-thin design, the iPhone 17 Air will not be inferior in battery capacity compared to other members of the Apple family, thanks to new battery technology.