Apple may be notoriously tight-lipped about unannounced products. But even it can't keep details about its upcoming iPhone 17 lineup from trickling out ahead of this week's product launch. Though the new models won't appear until Apple's September 9 event, we already know a good deal about the company's plans thanks to the unceasingly rumor mill that's been cranking out iPhone 17 tips for the better part of 2025.
That's why we head into the Tuesday iPhone 17 event fairly confident that we're going to see a base model iPhone with a bigger display that offers a fast refresh rate for the first time. We're expecting the zoom lens on the iPhone 17 Pro models to get a serious resolution boost. And we're planning on seeing an entirely new model from Apple in the form of the iPhone 17 Air.
But we don't know everything just yet.
While rumors and leaks have given us a fairly full picture about various iPhone 17 models, some key details remain up in the air. Here are the questions I'll be look for answers to once Tim Cook appears to kick off Apple launch event at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT on Tuesday.
Will there be exclusive Apple Intelligence features for the iPhone 17?
As Apple tries to get its AI efforts off the ground, it's made a point of making sure Apple Intelligence-powered tools work across all devices for the most part. Even the lower-cost iPhone 16e can pull off the same AI feats as the premium iPhone 16 Pro Max, for example.
But sometimes, Apple throws us a curve. If you think back to last fall, the iPhone 16 models debuted with a Camera Control button that essentially made Visual Intelligence an exclusive feature for Apple's newest phones. Eventually, an iOS 18 updated extended that capability to the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, but for a time, only iPhone 16 users could turn to the camera on their device and use it as a search, translation and calendar entry creation tool.
So with the iPhone 17 arriving with a brand new processor and potentially more RAM in the Pro models, I'm wondering whether Apple has any hidden Apple Intelligence features up its sleeve. Perhaps any new capability eventually finds its way to other models like Visual Intelligence did, but an iPhone 17-exclusive might give people with older iPhones an incentive to upgrade this year.
Which older iPhones will Apple keep around? And what will they cost?
Just because new iPhones are appearing on Tuesday doesn't mean all of the current models will be put out to pasture. Apple usually keeps some older iPhones around at reduced prices as a way to lure upgraders who don't necessary want to pay full price. (It also helps get rid of unsold inventory if we're being honest.)
It's one of the reasons why I tell people not to buy an iPhone just ahead of an Apple event. Even if the new models don't strike your fancy, you can save a $100 or so on the current iPhone if you just wait until Tim Cook wraps things up during Apple's device rollout.
The most likely scenario is that the iPhone 16 remains on sale, with its price falling from $799 to $699. I'd expect the iPhone 16 Plus to possibly remain, too, with a new starting cost of $799. If iPhone prices are going up as some rumors claim, those lower-cost models might prove more appealing than they normally do. And speaking of price hike rumors…
How much will Apple charge for the iPhone 17 models?
Pricing rumors have been all over the board for the iPhone 17 launch, perhaps reflecting the uncertain economic environment caused by the Trump administration's tariff policy. In its current fiscal quarter, Apple says it expects to rack up $1.1 billion in tariff-related expenses, and those costs eventually get reflected somewhere.
To that end, at least one analyst has predicted a $50 price hike across the board, which would put the iPhone 17's starting price at $849 while pushing the cost of the iPhone 17 Pro Max above $1,200. Another rumor has only the iPhone 17 Pro costing more than last year's model, with a $100 price hike.
The latest rumor has the iPhone 17 Air debuting with a $1,099 starting price — that's $200 more than the cost of the iPhone 16 Plus it replaces. The iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max would cost more than their predecessors as well in this scenario.
If you want to remain optimistic, we've gone into recent Apple events hearing that iPhone prices were certain to rise this time, with those rumors never coming to pass. But all signs heading into Tuesday's event point to a more expensive upgrade in 2025.
What's the iPhone 17 Air going to offer besides a thinner design?
We know this much about the iPhone 17 Air based on reports about the new model — it's going to be thin. Just how thin we don't know for certain, though measurements of alleged dummy units suggest a thickness of around 5.65mm. For context, the similarly thin Galaxy S25 Edge measures 5.8mm at its thinnest point.
But just like the Galaxy S25 Edge when it was released earlier this year, the iPhone 17 Air faces a very pressing question: Does it offer anything else beyond that thin, light frame? Ultimately, the answer with Samsung's phone was "not really," so how does Apple avoid the same fate?
The early rumors about the iPhone 17 Air don't provide much of a clue. Reportedly, the phone will have only one rear camera, which would seem to limit its picture-taking flexibility. You can expect a full complement of Apple Intelligence features most likely, but you'll be able to say that about the other iPhone 17 models, too.
So what will make the iPhone 17 Air truly stand out? That's an explanation from Apple I really want to hear.
Just what kind of iPhone 17 Air battery life can we expect?
Not to dwell on the iPhone 17 Air, but there's another big question about that phone concerning just how long it can last on a charge. A thinner phone means less room for a bigger battery, so just how well can the Air handle the demands of a larger screen and on-device AI without running out juice long before the end of the day?
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has reported that iPhone 17 Air battery life ie expected to be "on par" with other iPhone models. And considering how long models like the iPhone 16 Pro Max and iPhone 16 Plus have lasted on our battery test, that's an encouraging thought.
But we found out with the Galaxy S25 Edge just how limiting a thin phone design can be. When we had that phone surf the web continuously, it ran out of power just shy of 12.5 hours — not a bad result, but a couple hours off the pace set by the rest of the Galaxy S25 lineup. Hopefully, Apple has figured out a way to buck this trend.
We likely won't get a complete answer to the question of battery life until we get to test the iPhone 17 Air and all the other models Apple is ready to launch. Only then will all of our lingering iPhone 17 questions finally be addressed.
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More from Tom's Guide
- I'm skeptical about the iPhone 17 Air — 5 ways Apple can convince me it's actually worth it
- Meet the 7 new products expected at Apple's 'Awe Dropping' event
- iPhone 17 vs iPhone 17 Air vs iPhone 17 Pro vs 17 Pro Max rumored specs
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