We're a little more than a month out from the expected reveal of the new iPhone 17 models, and rumors about what's coming are hard to ignore. So although I try to wait calmly each year, what I'm hearing about the iPhone 17 Pro Max is making me impatient. They're also causing me to second-guess my longstanding stance on buying the standard-size iPhone Pro, since historically the Max model has gotten some new features ahead of the regular model, like the 5x zoom introduced with the iPhone 15 Pro Max. (And this also reinforces that now is not the time to buy a new iPhone.)
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 XCover 7 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 8.725mm, 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.
The back of the iPhone 17 Pro case is also rumored to shift the Apple logo down from its current perch. That doesn't seem like a big functional change, but it should help soothe folks who choose to add a clear MagSafe case, since the logo will be centered within the MagSafe area. You can't say Apple doesn't sweat the design details.
A leak on X from Majin Bu purports to show an iPhone 17 Pro case, though it's not clear whether that's something assembled by hand to match rumored specs or is some iPhone knockoff.
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