Apple's "Awe Dropping" event is right around the corner (Sept 9) where the Cupertino-tech giant will reveal its next generation of iPhones, among other devices. Apple is expected to revamp the iPhone over the next three years, possibly causing people to look ahead.
However, we shouldn't forget about the iPhone 17 series, rumored to have several interesting upgrades and a new model in the iPhone 17 Air.
We've gathered the seven biggest rumored updates you need to know about the iPhone 17 lineup.
A19 chip
With the iPhone 16 family, Apple introduced the A18 silicon which has proved to be a strong chipset, as you can see in our iPhone 16 Pro benchmarks. However, the A19 system-on-chip (SoC) could be even more efficient and powerful.
Reportedly, the new SoCs will benefit from the third-generation TSMC 3nm process. The third-gen chips are supposed to feature better transistor density, meaning better performance and efficiency than the A18 processors.
At least one analyst believes Apple will split its chips again, by having the standard iPhone 17 model use the A18 chipset, while the pro models will get the A19 Pro SoC.
To combat heat from the newer chips, Apple is reportedly developing a new vapor cooling chamber, though that may only show up on the iPhone 17 Pro models.
iPhone 17 Air
One of the biggest changes coming to the iPhone lineup is actually supposed to kick off this year with the arrival of the iPhone 17 Air. The Air is Apple's take on a super-thin premium smartphone, ala the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge.
Rumors of new Apple iPhone models pop up every year — remember the iPhone 16 Ultra? — but the Air rumors have been persistent since before the iPhone 16 launched. Hints have also been found in the iOS 26 beta, lending credence to those rumors.
Reportedly, the Air will replace the iPhone 16 Plus in Apple's lineup. As for size, the skinny phone is supposedly going to be about 5.56mm thick with a 6.6-inch display. Like the other iPhone 17 models it should run on A19 silicon.
Leaked dummy models have shown the Air with a single rear camera, similar to the base model iPhone 17.
Current rumors have the Air featuring a meager 2,800 mAh battery, though it's been tipped that Apple is working on new battery technology that could make the limited battery size much denser.
We don't know pricing but the base iPhone 17 Air could cost anywhere from $899 to $1,099, either the same price as the iPhone 16 Plus or slightly more expensive than the iPhone 16 Pro base variant.
C1 5G modem
Earlier this year, Apple introduced the in-house developed C1 5G modem with the launch of the budget-friendly iPhone 16e. Apparently, this modem will come to the iPhone 17 Air, but possibly not the other iPhone 17 models.
The new modem should provide similar 5G performance to other iPhones, but without mmWave technology and with better efficiency. Apple developing its own modems means it can be better integrated in its system and more optimized.
The C1 has already proven to be more efficient which is good for the tiny battery in the Air. Apple is reportedly already developing the C2 modem but we may not see it on every iPhone until 2026.
That all said, all of the iPhone 17 models should get new Wi-Fi 7 modems, also made by Apple.
iOS 26
Apple has spent the summer releasing beta updates for iOS 26, so it's a safe bet that the iPhone 17 models will launch with the newest operating system. The big focus will be on the new Liquid Glass redesign coming to all of Apple's software.
Apple Intelligence is taking a backseat there, but there are some AI-powered updates coming with iOS 26, including a new call screening feature in the Phones app, live translations, and Visual Intelligence improvements.
Siri, unfortunately, likely won't see any updates until Spring 2026.
Qi 2.2 wireless charging
Apple is reportedly building its own silicon-carbon batteries which will offer "significantly improved performance compared to the existing ones." These batteries should be more efficient and longer-lasting without needing to grow in size.
Coupled with potential new batteries, the iPhone 17 series could be in for a boost in charging speeds thanks to support for the Qi 2.2. wireless charging standard. The updated standard will offer faster charging output support up to 50W; Qi 2 tops out at 15W.
Current iPhone 16 models do support upgraded MagSafe charging up to 30W, but Qi 2.2. charging could double that. Additionally, Qi 2.2. comes with "improved magnetic alignment," which means iPhones could snap onto chargers faster and better.
Redesigned camera array
We're not expecting big upgrades to the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air cameras, but the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max are reportedly going to look much different.
To start, rumors suggest that the telephoto lens could be getting a boost to 48MP, giving the iPhone a trio of 48MP rear camera sensors. However, that boost could come with a caveat: the new lens may only support a 3.5x optical zoom, less than the 5x on the iPhone 16 Pro.
The big noticeable change is in the look of the camera array which will allegedly go from square housing to a more rectangular one that goes from side-to-side on the phone.
The lenses will retain their triangular left corner alignment, but other sensors will move over to the right side of the array. It's very similar to the horizontal camera bar on the Pixel 10 flagships.
Case leaks for the iPhone 17 Pro have seemingly confirmed this elongated camera housing.
More RAM
Right now, the entire iPhone 16 lineup features 8GB of RAM, a long-overdue upgrade that was only really introduced to help power Apple Intelligence.
The iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air will reportedly feature the same 8GB of RAM, but analysts have predicted that the Pro models will feature 12GB RAM, a necessary boost as Apple continues to push into on-device artificial intelligence.
Will it really be an 'Awe Dropping' event?
Introducing a new iPhone model in the iPhone 17 Air makes this year's lineup interesting, but the upgrades that have been rumored do make this year's Apple flagship interesting.
Apple has confirmed that its Awe Dropping event will take place on September 9. If you want the latest news, Tom's Guide will be keeping tabs on everything Apple announces next month. You can follow along by watching the event here.
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