Apple took its first major leap into AI with the iPhone 16 series through Apple Intelligence, marking a steady progression in its smart device journey. Attention is now shifting to the iPhone 17 series, with the Pro Max model drawing the most curiosity. Although several months remain before launch, early leaks and reports have begun shaping expectations. Here's a closer look at five potential upgrades the iPhone 17 Pro Max could bring over its predecessor.

Fresh aesthetic: A new design may be coming

Apple made minimal design changes with the iPhone 16 Pro Max, retaining a look nearly identical to the iPhone 15 Pro Max. The most noticeable difference was the introduction of the Desert Titanium colour. That may change in 2025. Reports indicate that the iPhone 17 Pro Max could sport a redesigned rear panel, featuring a horizontal camera module housed in aluminium. This could give the phone a striking two-tone finish. Some reports also suggest Apple may move away from its titanium frame altogether.

Camera enhancements: Sharper selfies and aoom

While the iPhone 16 Pro Max brought improvements to the main and ultrawide cameras with 48MP sensors, the front-facing camera remained the same. This year, Apple may introduce a 24MP front camera, aimed at delivering sharper and clearer selfies. On the rear, a new 48MP telephoto lens with improved optical zoom capabilities is also expected, offering better detail when capturing subjects at a distance.

iOS 26 and AI features exclusive to iPhone 17

Software could be a major selling point for the upcoming Pro Max. The iPhone 17 lineup is likely to launch with iOS 26 already installed out of the box. Early reports hint at deeper AI integration across the operating system.

Hardware upgrade: Enter the A19 Pro chip

Each new iPhone brings a bump in performance, and the trend looks set to continue. The iPhone 16 Pro Max came equipped with the A18 Pro chip, built on a 3nm process and paired with 8GB of RAM to support AI tasks. iPhone 17 Pro Max is rumoured to debut the A19 Pro chip, possibly based on TSMC’s 2nm process. If true, this would mean even greater performance, better energy efficiency, and more responsive AI capabilities.

Better battery life: Efficiency could extend usage time

Battery life remains a conservative area for Apple, with the iPhone 16 Pro Max offering around 18 hours of usage powered by a 4685mAh battery. While a large battery bump is not expected, the efficiency of the A19 Pro chip and potential software-based power optimisations could help stretch daily use. There is also speculation that Apple may finally upgrade its charging speeds, a feature that has seen little change over the years.