Every Display Upgrade Rumored for Apple's iPhone 17

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.

iPhone 14 Pro Display Two Times Brighter Feature
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.

Related Roundups: iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro 34ths Perspective

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 10 New Features

Sunday March 23, 2025 10:00 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of March 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Expected Next Week - Here Are the Release Notes

Friday March 28, 2025 2:01 pm PDT by
With the second release candidate of iOS 18.4 that Apple seeded out today, the company finally provided us with release notes that give a full rundown on what to expect. There's an Apple Vision Pro app, new Apple Intelligence features for notifications and additional language support, plus an Apple News Food feature for Apple News+ subscribers, and several updates that should improve the...
Magic Mouse Green

What to Expect From the Magic Mouse 3

Saturday March 29, 2025 10:15 am PDT by
Apple is reportedly working on a new Magic Mouse. Below, we recap what to expect. The two key rumors for the Magic Mouse 3 so far include a relocated charging port, along with a more ergonomic design. It was briefly rumored that the Magic Mouse 3 would also feature voice control, but that was misinterpreted information. Relocated Charging Port While the Magic Mouse switched from...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Homescreen

Six Things to Know About Apple's Upcoming Foldable iPhone

Friday March 28, 2025 3:54 pm PDT by
We've been hearing rumors about a foldable iPhone for almost a decade now, but it looks like we might finally see the device come to fruition in 2026. We're going to be waiting many more months for the foldable iPhone, but so far we're hearing good things. Apple wants to make it creaseless. It's taken Apple multiple years to design a foldable iPhone that it's satisfied with because Apple ...
top stories 2025 03 29

Top Stories: WWDC 2025 Announced, iPhone 17 Pro and iOS 19 Rumors, and More

Saturday March 29, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
Apple's big developer event is a little over two months away, and rumors about what we can expect to see in Apple's next major operating system updates are becoming increasingly frequent. A public release of iOS 18.4 is also imminent with a number of updates and improvements, although we won't be getting the major Apple Intelligence Siri upgrades that had reportedly been planned for this...
iOS 19 visionOS UI Elements

Apple Codename Provides Clue About iOS 19's Rumored New Design

Sunday March 30, 2025 6:40 am PDT by
Multiple sources have claimed that iOS 19 will introduce a new design with more translucent buttons, menus, notification banners, and more, and there is now another clue that points towards this glass-like appearance. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today said the new design project is codenamed "Solarium" internally. A solarium is a room with glass walls that allow in plenty of sunlight, so this...
Facebook Feature

Facebook's New iPhone App Feature Turns the Clock Back to 2007

Thursday March 27, 2025 1:59 pm PDT by
In the mid-to-late 2000s, Facebook was all about staying connected with friends and family. However, as the social media platform added new features and grew over time, that core experience began to get drowned out. That changes starting now, according to Meta, which today introduced a new feature that will "bring back the joy" of classic Facebook. Specifically, Meta has redesigned the...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Homescreen

iPhone Foldable Display Said to Feature iPad-Style 4:3 Aspect Ratio

Friday March 28, 2025 3:44 am PDT by
Apple's upcoming "iPhone Fold" will feature a foldable screen with a 4:3 aspect ratio, according to a Chinese leaker who previously leaked the book-style device's display dimensions. The Weibo-based account Digital Chat Station claims that Apple will adopt a "roughly" 4:3 aspect ratio on the inner display in order to achieve consistency between the outer display, as well as to ensure parity...

Top Rated Comments

tgom222 Avatar
16 weeks ago
Am I the only one who doesn't want a bigger screen? I mean, I want my phone to fit in my pocket comfortable.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
anthony131 Avatar
16 weeks ago
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.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
brauntj Avatar
16 weeks ago

Am I the only one who doesn't want a bigger screen? I mean, I want my phone to fit in my pocket comfortable.
I would pay as much for a Pro mini as I would for a Pro Max.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macjaffa Avatar
16 weeks ago

I would not be surprised if they limit the AOD to the pro model.
AOD is soemthing i turn off anyway . I dont want my phone always on. I like having the screen turn off.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macjaffa Avatar
16 weeks ago

I would pay as much for a Pro mini as I would for a Pro Max.
Amen . I was playing with my old iphone 4 the other day. Damn that thing is the perfect size. Fits in the hand/pocket so good. Top power button was better as well.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
fakestrawberryflavor Avatar
16 weeks ago
I know that I'm in the minority of people who care about this sort of thing, but I want higher resolution more PPI.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)