Every Display Upgrade Rumored for Apple's iPhone 17

[anthony131]

Apologies for the screaming but.... I WANT A SMALLER SCREEN, APPLE!

Are you kidding with these gigantic screens? WTF? I just upgraded from a 12 Mini to a 16. The phone is too large to use comfortably. At all. I have to use a case just to maintain some sort of a grip on it with two hands because its so slippery and top-heavy it would otherwise fall out of my hand (and so it doesn't rattle around on the table when I'm typing because the camera is the size of a whole peanut).

Please, stop with the bigger phones. I'm begging.

I've got no argument with those who want bigger screens. I'll never understand you but you do you. But the people who want bigger screens shouldn't speak for those who want smaller screens. Can you please just make a phone for normal people who don't live on their phones all day?

If Apple thinks people want big screens because that's what's selling, it's because that's all you offer. You gave the Mini a shot for two years. Two years during a pandemic and after you've already hit a plateau in performance. People just aren't buying new phones as much because they're all the same year after year.

I can't believe your selling point now is everything is bigger - the screen is bigger, the camera is bigger, the battery is bigger, the phone is heavier. I WANT SMALLER! THINNER! LIGHTER! Pleeeeeease. At least make a Mini SE.

Incidentally, the battery on my 12 Mini still lasts longer than the 16. I don't know what you're doing but it sucks.

 

[anthony131]

majority of users prefer larger phones now, I hope they stay the same size or go even bigger.

The majority of users is not all the users.

 

[UltimaKilo]

I’m not sure why Apple isn’t adopting 144hz screens for the “pro” models to distinguish the product lines. Ideally, 172hz would be needed to really tell the difference, but I would gladly welcome 144hz.

 

[UltimaKilo]

Apologies for the screaming but.... I WANT A SMALLER SCREEN, APPLE!

Are you kidding with these gigantic screens? WTF? I just upgraded from a 12 Mini to a 16. The phone is too large to use comfortably. At all. I have to use a case just to maintain some sort of a grip on it with two hands because its so slippery and top-heavy it would otherwise fall out of my hand (and so it doesn't rattle around on the table when I'm typing because the camera is the size of a whole peanut).

Please, stop with the bigger phones. I'm begging.

I've got no argument with those who want bigger screens. I'll never understand you but you do you. But the people who want bigger screens shouldn't speak for those who want smaller screens. Can you please just make a phone for normal people who don't live on their phones all day?

If Apple thinks people want big screens because that's what's selling, it's because that's all you offer. You gave the Mini a shot for two years. Two years during a pandemic and after you've already hit a plateau in performance. People just aren't buying new phones as much because they're all the same year after year.

I can't believe your selling point now is everything is bigger - the screen is bigger, the camera is bigger, the battery is bigger, the phone is heavier. I WANT SMALLER! THINNER! LIGHTER! Pleeeeeease. At least make a Mini SE.

Incidentally, the battery on my 12 Mini still lasts longer than the 16. I don't know what you're doing but it sucks.

You’re part of an incredibly small market, too small to dedicate an entire production line to. I’m sorry but the “mini” and that size is dead. There simply is no market, it’s unfortunate you are in that minority.

There are some phone makers that dedicate themselves to small, feature-less phones that could be right for you.

 

[HVDynamo]

I know that I'm in the minority of people who care about this sort of thing, but I want higher resolution more PPI.

Why? We are very much at the point of diminishing returns for display resolutions. The benefit of higher resolution is so tiny now, and it will cost a lot in terms of the added performance/battery required to drive it. Completely not worth it at this point in my opinion. The resolution is high enough.

 

[yanki01]

I've held on "upgrading" my iPhone 12 Pro over the last few releases for something better. this may be the one. I don't care for the "dynamic island" gimmick. a tougher screen and 120hz would be welcomed. I can live with a smaller dynamic island I guess but would prefer a clean screen look. I wouldn't mind a slight bump in size given I watch a lot of videos.

 

[HVDynamo]

I've held on "upgrading" my iPhone 12 Pro over the last few releases for something better. this may be the one. I don't care for the "dynamic island" gimmick. a tougher screen and 120hz would be welcomed. I can live with a smaller dynamic island I guess but would prefer a clean screen look. I wouldn't mind a slight bump in size given I watch a lot of videos.

I actually like the dynamic island. I think it's a really clever way to capitalize on the punch through for the camera/faceID stuff. I'm still on my 12 Pro as well though, and mostly just because I've kind of hit the point where my phone can do everything I care about it doing and it's good enough. None of the new features really matter to me in the slightest. The only thing buying a new phone does for me now is give me a fresh battery and reset the software support timeline. My 12 Pro is sitting at 84% battery health still after 4 years. Kind of remarkable actually.

I'm one of those people though who still would prefer TouchID (and even the home button) come back. That would get me to upgrade immediately. I don't like FaceID nearly as well. It's better than no authentication, but I have to type in my passcode WAY more often with it than I ever did with TouchID, and the multiple swipe up gestures suck and my phone gets confused way too often on what I'm trying to do. Home button solves that too.

 

[samven582]

how about fixing the camera dust issue

 

[Atog]

Looks like the best iPhone yet. And I think we’re gonna love it! 😎😜

 

[HI50Steve]

Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 lineup may bring some of the most significant display improvements we've seen in recent years. While the iPhone 17 series isn't expected until late 2025, multiple rumors suggest Apple is working on substantial screen upgrades across its entire smartphone range.

From enhanced refresh rates to advanced materials and improved power efficiency, these display changes could mark a notable shift in Apple's iPhone strategy. Here's a look at five major display upgrades reportedly coming to the iPhone 17 lineup.

Bigger Displays

Apple may introduce a new display size for the standard iPhone 17 in 2025, increasing the screen size from 6.1 inches to 6.3 inches, matching the size of the iPhone 16 Pro. Rumors suggest the Plus model will be discontinued, leaving a single lower-cost option in the lineup. At 6.3 inches, this device would fall between the current 6.1-inch iPhone 15 and the 6.7-inch iPhone 15 Plus in size. If these changes occur, the iPhone 17 lineup could feature a 6.3-inch standard model, a 6.6-inch slim "Air" model, a 6.3-inch Pro model, and a 6.9-inch Pro Max model, offering a range of sizes to suit different preferences.

120Hz ProMotion Across the Lineup

Apple intends to expand ProMotion to all iPhone models in 2025, allowing all models to ramp up to a 120Hz refresh rate for smoother scrolling and video content when necessary. Previously, only "Pro" models in Apple's iPhone lineup have had the feature. Notably, ProMotion would also enable the display on the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 "Air" to ramp down to a more power-efficient refresh rate as low as 1Hz, allowing for an always-on display that can show the Lock Screen's clock, widgets, notifications, and wallpaper even when the device is locked.

More Power-Efficient Screens

A recent unconfirmed rumor suggests that Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 Pro models may feature a new display technology known as Low-Dielectric TEE (Transmission Electrically Enhanced). The term likely refers to the use of materials with a low dielectric constant in the display's thin-film encapsulation (TFE). While it's not yet clear what this specific innovation offers, incorporating low-dielectric materials can in general reduce signal interference and energy loss, leading to more efficient power usage and potentially longer battery life.

Scratch Resistant Anti-Reflective Display

The iPhone 17 will feature an anti-reflective display that is more scratch-resistant than Apple's Ceramic Shield found on iPhone 15 models, according to one rumor. The outer glass on the iPhone 17 is said to have a "super-hard anti-reflective layer" that is "more scratch-resistant." It's not clear whether Apple is planning to adopt the Gorilla Glass Armor that Samsung uses in its Galaxy S24 Ultra, but the description of Corning's latest technology matches the rumor. That said, it's worth keeping in mind that the new iPhone 16 Pro models have the latest-generation Ceramic Shield, which has an advanced formulation that is 2x tougher than glass on any other smartphone, according to Apple.

Smaller Dynamic Island

Apple's iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature a significantly narrower Dynamic Island, thanks to the device's adoption of a smaller "metalens" for the Face ID system, claims Haitong's Jeff Pu. While a traditional iPhone camera has curved lenses that redirect light towards the image sensor, a metalens is a thin and flat lens with microscopic patterns etched onto it that can focus light more precisely. Assuming this results in a narrowed Dynamic Island, it would be the first time that Apple has changed the feature since it debuted on the iPhone 14 Pro in 2022.

Article Link: Every Display Upgrade Rumored for Apple's iPhone 17

I can confirm that all the above things mentioned are rumors and may or may not be true. Are they confirmed rumors now? 🤔🤣

 

[Qu1ckset]

Seeing how iphone 16 pro lineup got bigger I assumed the same for the 17 lineup so I retired my 12 mini and got the 15 pro onsale.

I don’t want these phones to get bigger and bigger , even wish the 15p was a tad smaller..

 

[Saturn007]

You’re part of an incredibly small market, too small to dedicate an entire production line to. I’m sorry but the “mini” and that size is dead. There simply is no market, it’s unfortunate you are in that minority.

Curious… how do you know what the size of the market is for smaller phones? Any credible, independent data, evidence, or sources about that?

You went from “incredibly small market” to “no market” in two sentences. 🙈

One could just as easily argue that there is a substantial market for smaller phones — not HUGE but not “too small”, and big enough to be profitable.

Just as many national chains close branches in places where they're profitable but not profitable enough, Apple may well have jettisoned the Mini not because it didn't make them money, but because it didn't make them as much money or profit as the big phones did — or as much money as Tim Cook and his board wanted!

Plus, by recycling old designs, chassis, and parts, they recoup investment costs… thereby reducing the cost of a “dedicated” production line.

Also, smaller phones work well for smaller, younger people and Apple could hook them on their eco system at a young age — and later many would upgrade to the HUGE price, HUGE margin, HUGE slab phones!

For the present, it's in Apple's interest to sustain the urban legend that few people want small phones and that the market is tiny or has spoken, so they can keep promoting, ensnaring, or driving people into buying what to many of us are ridiculously large and outrageously costly phones. Of course many people, if not most, want these ginormous slabs, but it certainly appears many do not!

 

[Tagbert]

I know that I'm in the minority of people who care about this sort of thing, but I want higher resolution more PPI.

What would you do with more resolution? Could you see more detail? 460ppi is usually considered more than the human eye can discern.

 

[RealE]

What would you do with more resolution? Could you see more detail? 460ppi is usually considered more than the human eye can discern.

Wish Apple would bring that 460 ppi to the iPads (264 ppi) and iMac (218 ppi).

 

[macjaffa]

Wish Apple would bring that 460 ppi to the iPads (264 ppi) and iMac (218 ppi).

They dont need to since you typically sit farther away from you imac than your iphone so the effective resolution is the same. I.e. 12pt text will look the same on both screens since the imac is bigger and farther away.

On the other hand yes bring it on more resolution, but while we are at it how about month long battery life, weighs 50 grams and doesn't break if you drop it, rather have that than 460ppi.

 

[Chidoro]

The majority of users is not all the users.

Tell that to marketing 😀

 

[Tagbert]

Wish Apple would bring that 460 ppi to the iPads (264 ppi) and iMac (218 ppi).

Maybe but considering the viewing distance and subtended angle, the benefit would be minimal while the overhead of moving around the extra pixels and the extra cost of the displays would likely not be to most people’s benefit. For those devices your eyes are further away from the screens. Those pixels are thus about as small as a 460ppi pixel in a hand-held phone.

 

[svish]

120 Hz on the base model will be a huge change. Not sure whether the screen size will increase for the base model. Also a smaller dynamic island for the Pro Max will be nice to have.

 

[Electroni]

majority of users prefer larger phones now, I hope they stay the same size or go even bigger.

Fine, then let them increase the size of the Plus and Max models where users expect and want a larger device but keep the two base models’ size so they can be comfortably used by most people single handed. I feel that starting with the 16 series the two base models have now gotten too large, especially if you put a case on them.

 

[SFjohn]

The 17 Pro Max will be a day 1 purchase for me. I’m doing well with my 13PM but I’ve been thinking about a change for the last year. I’ll be ready when it is to upgrade. 👍🏻

 

[UltimaKilo]

Curious… how do you know what the size of the market is for smaller phones? Any credible, independent data, evidence, or sources about that?

You went from “incredibly small market” to “no market” in two sentences. 🙈

One could just as easily argue that there is a substantial market for smaller phones — not HUGE but not “too small”, and big enough to be profitable.

Just as many national chains close branches in places where they're profitable but not profitable enough, Apple may well have jettisoned the Mini not because it didn't make them money, but because it didn't make them as much money or profit as the big phones did — or as much money as Tim Cook and his board wanted!

Plus, by recycling old designs, chassis, and parts, they recoup investment costs… thereby reducing the cost of a “dedicated” production line.

Also, smaller phones work well for smaller, younger people and Apple could hook them on their eco system at a young age — and later many would upgrade to the HUGE price, HUGE margin, HUGE slab phones!

For the present, it's in Apple's interest to sustain the urban legend that few people want small phones and that the market is tiny or has spoken, so they can keep promoting, ensnaring, or driving people into buying what to many of us are ridiculously large and outrageously costly phones. Of course many people, if not most, want these ginormous slabs, but it certainly appears many do not!

Type into google “market research: consumers prefer large phones” and you can see for yourself. 95%+

 

[RealE]

For those devices your eyes are further away from the screens.

I tend to hold my iPhones and iPads while using them so there isn't much difference in the distance between those screens and my face.

They dont need to since you typically sit farther away from you imac than your iphone so the effective resolution is the same. I.e. 12pt text will look the same on both screens since the imac is bigger and farther away.

On the other hand yes bring it on more resolution, but while we are at it how about month long battery life, weighs 50 grams and doesn't break if you drop it, rather have that than 460ppi.

I will grant you the iMac does sit further away than my iPhone/iPad, but it also doesn't have to worry about battery life, weight, or being dropped.


Both of you are probably on the logic Apple uses for its pixel density: the further away one tends to use a device, the less pixel dense it needs to be. Case in point, the MBP comes in at 254 ppi just shy of the iPad's 264.

 

[The Game 161]

Anti-Reflective Display is certainly a game changer feature so hope it happens

 

[macjaffa]

I tend to hold my iPhones and iPads while using them so there isn't much difference in the distance between those screens and my face.


I will grant you the iMac does sit further away than my iPhone/iPad, but it also doesn't have to worry about battery life, weight, or being dropped.


Both of you are probably on the logic Apple uses for its pixel density: the further away one tends to use a device, the less pixel dense it needs to be. Case in point, the MBP comes in at 254 ppi just shy of the iPad's 264.

Also why billboards are maybe 10 ppi because they are ginormous and you view them from 1/4 mile away