Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Phones
  3. Mobile
  4. News

The iPhone 17 Pro Max already sounds like a powerhouse

Add as a preferred source on Google
The back of the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Apple will reveal the iPhone 16 series on Monday, September 9. Soon after, many will preorder the largest of the bunch, the iPhone 16 Pro Max. However, it’s becoming increasingly clear that next year’s iPhone 17 Pro Max will be a much bigger update.

The latest news comes from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who anticipates that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will include 12GB of RAM. The other 2025 iPhones are expected to stick with 8GB of RAM. This is the second time in as many days that we have heard that next year’s iPhone Pro Max model will include 12GB of RAM.

Recommended Videos

Kuo also notes that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will get a new vapor chamber cooling system, which will help cool the phone down during intense workloads. The other iPhone 17 models are expected to continue to use graphite sheets for thermal management.

Among the 2025 new iPhone models, only the iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature the following specifications:

1. 12GB DRAM (while the ultra-thin iPhone, iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and SE4 will all have 8GB). Enhanced on-device AI capabilities will likely be a major selling point for…

— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) August 29, 2024

The upcoming iPhone lineup for next year is expected to have a significant redesign compared to the last three years. In addition to the regular iPhone 17 and the two iPhone 17 Pro models, Apple might introduce a new model called the iPhone 17 Slim. There’s a debate about where this model will fit into the overall lineup. Most people anticipate that this model will be priced higher than the iPhone 17 Pro Max despite potentially having fewer features.

As the name suggests, the iPhone 17 Slim could be the thinnest iPhone ever, resembling the design of the iPad Pro (2024), which is the thinnest iPad ever made.

Apple has offered an iPhone Plus model for the last three years, including this year’s iPhone 16 Plus, but it is expected to discontinue it in 2025. Hence, even with an iPhone 17 Slim, the number of iPhone 17 models will remain at four in 2025.

iPhone 16 Pro dummy units.
iPhone 16 Pro dummy units Sonny Dickson

In this year’s iPhone Pro lineup, the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are expected to get larger displays, measuring 6.3 and 6.9 inches, respectively. The larger displays will come with ever-shrinking bezels on every side. This year’s iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus will remain at 6.1 and 6.7 inches, like previous models. The iPhone 16 Pro models are also expected to include a better charging system and battery upgrade,  a new color option, and more.

Apple will host the “It’s Glowtime” event at 10 a.m. PT on September 9. The prerecorded event will be streamed on Apple TV, YouTube, and the Apple website. During the upcoming event, Apple might also announce new Apple Watches, AirPods, iPads, and more.

Bryan M. Wolfe
Former Mobile and A/V Freelancer
Bryan M. Wolfe has over a decade of experience as a technology writer. He writes about mobile.
Pixel 11 vs Pixel 10 series: Do Google’s new phones offer enough for an upgrade?
I compared the Pixel 11 series to the Pixel 10, and here's what you should know before buying
Electronics, Mobile Phone, Phone

Google’s Pixel 11 family is here, and on paper, it fixes several things I wanted to see improved from the Pixel 10 generation. Tensor G6 promises a meaningful performance bump on all four models, while Google has upgraded cameras throughout the lineup, along with faster charging, and the Pro models get brighter and tougher displays. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold also undergoes much-needed design refinements.

These are some solid improvements for an annual update to Google's flagship lineup. But whether they justify replacing a Pixel 10 you bought a year ago is a different question. Having covered and used enough annual smartphone refreshes over the years, here's who should actually make the upgrade.

Read more
Everything announced at Made by Google 2026: Pixel 11 lineup, Pixel Watch 5, and Pixel Tag
From new cameras on the Pixel 11 phones, the “HiLight” feature on the Pro models, to offline Gemini on Pixel Watch 5, here’s everything Google announced today.
Electronics, Mobile Phone, Phone

Before the Made by Google event even went live, Google disclosed everything about its new hardware lineup: four new Pixel 11 phones, the Pixel Watch 5, its first-ever tracker, refreshed Pixel Buds Pro 2, and a range of new Gemini-powered software features.

The good news is that everything announced today is available for pre-order and will hit stores on August 20, 2026. Prices have also increased across the lineup. Without any further ado, here’s everything Google announced today.

Read more
Pixel 11 introduces a new way for deaf users to communicate with people who don’t know sign language
The Pixel 11's camera-based sign-to-text feature converts sign language into text for more natural face-to-face conversations.
Pixel 11 series sign to text featured

Google's new Pixel 11 series devices bring more than just hardware upgrades. One of the lineup's most interesting new features is designed to break down the communication barrier between deaf and hard-of-hearing users and those who don't know sign language.

Pixel Camera can now turn sign language into text

Read more