I've never been one to track rumors of upcoming iPhone models, even as I've followed Apple's mobile phone adventure from the beginning (yep, I was in the room where it started). Why chase today's speculation when we'll all find out what's coming during the new iPhone announcements in September?
But that's the catch, isn't it? September is suddenly not so far away, which means now is the time when people start thinking about fall budgets and whether the iPhone they've been holding onto can make it through one more year -- or even just the summer.
So maybe right now is not such a bad time to check in on what we might expect to see in the next generation of Apple's most important products. In this case, I'm curious about the iPhone 17 Pro Max, not just because it's the largest iPhone model each year, but because Apple sometimes uses it to introduce features that sometimes don't come to the regular-size iPhone Pro until later. The 5x telephoto camera in the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, for example, first appeared on the iPhone 15 Pro Max -- a lot of photographers I know had to choose a better zoom or easier pocketability.
What I'm seeing so far has me very interested indeed. Now, I'm looking forward to September for more than simply cooler weather and hot beverages. Here's a rundown of some of the features rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro Max that I'm most curious about.
Making the case to go larger
The iPhone Pro Max models are tanks compared to the rest of the line -- well, they're not on the toughness level of the Samsung Galaxy XCover7 Pro, so maybe they're more like solid midsize SUVs. But they're notable for their larger screens, bigger bodies and especially for having room for more of everything in an iPhone.
And that includes a larger battery. The Max models already have more battery space than other models, but the iPhone 17 Pro Max could end up being almost half a millimeter thicker, at 8.725 mm, according to a May post by 9to5Mac. Has anyone ever asked for a more bulky iPhone? Actually, yes, yes and yes.
The iPhone 17 Pro Max could get thicker. Apple/Lily Yeh/CNET
Add the new Adaptive Power feature in iOS 26, which uses AI to distribute power more efficiently when demand is high, and we could see a boost in daily use before reaching for a charger. (Then again, Adaptive Power could be a software workaround that could mean longer life using the same physical battery size.)
If you're already committed to carrying a larger iPhone, a tad more thickness and heft isn't too much more to shoulder.
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