iPhone 17 Air.jpg
The iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air will also feature premium displays. Photo: Macrumors

According to a leak from Instant Digital on Weibo, all of Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 models will use Samsung's high-performance "M14" OLED display panels.

Samsung's "M" series OLED panels are designed for high-end smartphones, while the "14" refers to the amount of high-performance materials used to manufacture them.

The “M14” OLED that powered Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro models last year offered a 30% increase in brightness, along with improved durability over the previous M13 panel, thanks to improvements in the blue light-emitting layer.

It's worth noting that Samsung's latest Galaxy S25 Ultra uses an upgraded version of the older "M13" panel, so it's likely that the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air will have superior displays in some areas.

It makes sense for Apple to use the "M14" panel for all iPhone 17 models, as it plans to extend ProMotion to the entire lineup.

This will allow devices to hit 120Hz refresh rates when needed, providing smoother scrolling and better video content. Previously, only the "Pro" models in the iPhone line had this feature.

On the other hand, ProMotion will also help the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air's screens reduce to a power-saving refresh rate of only 1Hz, allowing the device to have an Always-On Display, helping to display the clock, widgets, notifications and wallpapers on the lock screen even when the device is locked.

Last year, the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max saw screen sizes upgraded from 6.12 and 6.69 inches to 6.27 and 6.86 inches. In 2025, Apple is also said to be bringing a larger 6.27-inch screen to the standard iPhone model, while the iPhone 17 Air – which replaces the Plus line – is rumored to have a 6.6-inch screen, larger than the iPhone 17 but smaller than the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

Last week, the iPhone 17 Air was revealed by Jon Prosser's YouTube channel Front Page Tech with a thickness of just 5.5mm at its thinnest point; a completely new camera bar design on the back of the device, in which a single rear camera is located on the left and the right side has a microphone and LED flash.

iPhone 17 Air 5.png
The iPhone 17 Air is said to be close to the final design. Source: Front Page Tech/YouTube

Jon Prosser is a popular tech YouTuber who accurately predicted the design of the AirTag in 2020, the iPad mini 6 before the device was announced.

In addition, according to a recent report by analyst Ming Chi Kuo, the C1 modem is not the only self-developed chip that Apple has equipped for the newly launched iPhone 16e, the entire iPhone 17 series launched next fall will use Apple's new Wi-Fi chip. It will replace the Broadcom Wi-Fi chip that Apple is currently using.

According to Mr. Kuo, besides the cost factor, the self-developed Wi-Fi chip will help improve connectivity on all Apple devices. It is worth noting that it is possible that only the iPhone 17 Air version will be equipped with both the C1 modem and the new Wi-Fi chip.

Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 17 series in September, including the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone 17 Air. From now until the launch date, there will certainly be more leaked information about these new iPhone models.

Watch the iPhone 17 Air video with a completely new rear camera bar design. (Source: Front Page Tech):

iPhone 16e vs iPhone 14: Should you upgrade now? The newly launched iPhone 16e brings many modern features of the iPhone 16 series at a more affordable price, which can attract those who want to upgrade, especially iPhone 14 users.