Apple keeps its cards close, but the supply chain always talks. With component orders reportedly locked in for Q3 production, the iPhone 17 Pro Max picture is coming into focus.

Design overhaul

The most consistent leak across multiple sources: Apple is redesigning the rear camera bump. The current square island is reportedly giving way to a horizontal strip across the upper third of the phone, similar in concept to the Pixel camera bar but thinner. The frame will use a new aluminum-titanium composite that is lighter than the current titanium band on the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Dimensions are expected to remain similar — roughly 163 x 77.6 x 7.8mm — but the phone should be about 10g lighter. ProMotion XDR display at 6.9 inches, with reduced bezels bringing the chin down to under 1.5mm.

A19 Pro chipset

Built on TSMC's 2nm process, the A19 Pro is expected to deliver:

  • CPU: 2 performance cores + 4 efficiency cores, ~15% faster than A18 Pro
  • GPU: 6-core, ~20% uplift in sustained graphics workloads
  • Neural Engine: 20-core, optimized for Apple Intelligence on-device models
  • RAM: 12GB unified memory (up from 8GB)

The jump to 12GB RAM is particularly significant for local AI tasks. Apple Intelligence features that currently require cloud processing may finally run entirely on-device.

Camera upgrades

  • Main: 48MP, new sensor with larger 1.22-micron pixels
  • Ultrawide: 48MP (up from 48MP but with a wider f/1.6 aperture)
  • Telephoto: 48MP periscope, 5x optical — same reach, better low-light performance
  • Front: 24MP TrueDepth with autofocus

ProRes and Log video recording are expected to gain 4K/120fps support, currently limited to 4K/60fps. A new Cinematic Slow Motion mode is rumored for 4K/240fps captures.

Apple Intelligence 2.0

The extra RAM and Neural Engine cores point to a major Apple Intelligence upgrade shipping with iOS 20:

  • On-device Siri with conversational memory
  • Real-time video analysis for accessibility
  • Smart Scene Editing in Photos — AI-powered object removal and scene extension
  • Cross-app context awareness letting Siri chain actions across Mail, Calendar, and Messages

Pricing and timing

Expected lineup:

  • iPhone 17: $799
  • iPhone 17 Pro: $999
  • iPhone 17 Pro Max: $1,199

A September 9 keynote is the consensus date, with pre-orders on September 12 and shipping September 19. The iPhone 16 Pro Max vs the iPhone 15 Pro Max comparison on our site gives a sense of how Apple typically iterates — expect a similar generational jump this time around.