Most of the rumors around the next iPhone models have focused on the thinner, lighter iPhone 17 Air. And that's logical — it's the shiny new toy.
But let's get back to one of the traditional iPhone models, the iPhone 17 Pro Max. Apple isn't forgetting the top-of-the-line model, and you probably shouldn't either.
The iPhone 17 Pro Max is rumored to feature a new rear camera design with a 48MP telephoto camera, a front 24MP camera and dual video recording in the camera app — so you'll be able to shoot with the front and rear cameras at the same time.
The flagship may also get vapor chamber cooling for better sustained performance and 12GB of RAM. But it appears there's a trade-off for these new goodies.
A new dummy unit leak from Majin Bu on X (via 9To5Mac) shows off a much thicker phone than we're used to from Apple, especially with the phones trending towards cutting the fat.
iPhone 17 Pro Max: How thick?
iPhone 17 Pro is beautiful pic.twitter.com/d2osFRSVDSMay 28, 2025
According to a social media video, the dummy iPhone 17 Pro Max appears to be thicker than the popular iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Here's the size of each device (though remember, this is a dummy unit and the dimensions could change when the phone launches):
- iPhone 16 Pro Max: 8.25mm thick
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: 8.725mm thick (rumored)
That's about half a millimeter thicker. While it's not much in the grand scheme of things, it shows that Apple isn't only concerned about making the thinnest, lightest phone possible.
People who buy the Pro Max models (myself included) tend to prioritize the largest screen and the best features, and size isn't a significant concern.
Most likely, Apple wants to cram as much battery as possible into its high-end phone, and making it even less than a millimeter thicker should allow it to offer a little more capacity, which will directly translate to more extended periods between charges and could certainly cement its place as one of the best phones.
While Bu has a decent track record of Apple leaks (he correctly predicted the iPhone 16e name change, for example), you should still take this leak with a grain of salt, as nothing has been confirmed by Apple yet.
We likely won't hear anything official about the iPhone 17 series until September, when the company is expected to unveil its next iPhone upgrades.
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