Did Apple just leak iPhone 17 features? Everything we know so far

Fresh leaks and rumours are pointing to a massive upgrade for Apple’s upcoming flagship, the iPhone 17 Pro Max Air. It is set to debut in a few weeks, alongside the full iPhone 17 lineup.

One “leak” apparently came from Apple itself, with new details on the iPhone 17 coming out “by accident”. 

These include the existence of the iPhone “Air” model and a faster MagSafe charger. 

Leakers have also outed new details about the iPhone 17 Air weight and battery, how basic the base iPhone 17 will be.

MacRumors point to an aluminum frame, a rectagular camera bump, a larger battery and an A19 Pro chip for the iPhone 17 Pro. Plus a 24MP front camera and 48 MP rear telephoto cam. There’s also a rumoured dual video and 8k video recording, a 12 GB RAM and improved cooling

There’s also the colour schemes for 2025. 

Plus, Apple may also be shrinking down the Dynamic Island on the Pro models and taking a step back for some camera hardware.

So it's not just one leak. With Apple set to release the iPhone 17 series in just a few weeks, an avalanche of leaks has surfaced — and some might have come straight from Apple itself.

Let’s break down the latest rumours: from design tweaks to specs and colours for the all-new Air model and base iPhone 17. 

Let’s start with what appears to be a leak from Apple.

For months, reports have detailed four iPhone 17 models: a standard iPhone 17, a super-slim iPhone 17 Air, and on the premium end, redesigned Pro and Pro Max models featuring a new camera bar system. While Apple hadn’t confirmed any of this — that may have just changed.

In the latest iOS 26 beta, a new wallpaper was discovered with a unique resolution: 1260x2736. 

This resolution doesn’t match any current iPhone model but aligns perfectly with leaks pointing to a 6.6-inch iPhone 17 Air. It’s our first internal confirmation that the Air model is real and likely launching in a few weeks.

According to a post by reliable Chinese leaker Setsuna Digital on Weibo (via GSMArena), the iPhone 17 Pro Max is expected to feature a 5,000mAh battery — the largest ever in an iPhone. 

This would mark a major jump from the previous record-holder, the 4,685mAh battery in the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

This milestone could signal a serious push by Apple toward longer battery life and better power efficiency — especially as new features and AI tools demand more from iPhones than ever before.

Apple also accidentally revealed a new MagSafe charger supporting the Qi2.2 standard. This upgrade allows for up to 50W wireless charging — nearly double today’s speeds. 

While it’s unconfirmed if the iPhone 17 will support the full 50W, its inclusion hints at another long-rumoured feature: reverse wireless charging. 

That means users could juice up their AirPods or Apple Watch directly from their iPhone’s back — a handy perk, though likely reserved for Pro models.

iPhone 17 Air: Ultra thin, ultra light

Leaks suggest the iPhone 17 Air will weigh just 145g — around 15% lighter than the iPhone 16. But that lightness comes at a cost: a mere 2,800mAh battery. 

That’s comparable to the iPhone 12. Apple reportedly plans to balance this with a new AI-powered battery mode exclusive to the Air. 

It would analyse your usage and deactivate unnecessary background features in real time to extend battery life. Whether this works in practice remains to be seen.

New details on the base iPhone 17 are…confusing. 

The display is getting a bump from 6.1 to 6.3 inches — the same size as the Pro. And for the first time, it’s getting a 120Hz refresh rate. 

But here’s the catch: unlike Pro models, which use adaptive “ProMotion” tech to conserve battery, the base iPhone’s 120Hz will be fixed, potentially draining power faster. 

Plus, no always-on display.

Even more puzzling: Apple may reuse the same A18 chip and 8GB RAM found in the iPhone 16 — while the other iPhone 17s upgrade to 12GB RAM for AI capabilities. 

All this makes the base model feel like a slightly tweaked iPhone 16, not a true upgrade.

For the base models, the rumoured choices are purple and green, with final decisions still pending. Purple has been a crowd favorite in past launches.

As for the Pro line, expect more of the same: black, white, gray — and one new shade. Leaks suggest Apple will revive Sky Blue, inspired by the iPhone 13 colour, but with a more refined tone.

The front of the Pro models might finally see a smaller Dynamic Island, thanks to a new metal lens array. 

Rumours are divided, but a reduction in size seems likely as Apple edges toward a full-screen design in future models.

But the real twist is in the camera. 

While the Pro is expected to gain a new 48MP telephoto sensor, it may downgrade optical zoom from 5x to 3.5x. Apple reportedly believes this will be better for portrait shots and plans to use sensor cropping for longer zoom — a trick seen on mid-tier iPhones. 

Still, a spec downgrade could be a hard sell.

Between thin-and-light designs, better wireless charging, and AI-driven features, Apple seems to be making calculated trade-offs across the iPhone 17 lineup. 

But whether those trade-offs will thrill — or frustrate — users remains to be seen.

The full iPhone 17 series, including the rumoured Air and Pro models, is expected to be officially unveiled in September. Stay tuned for what could be Apple’s biggest launch yet.