iPhone 17 Leaks & Rumors: A New Design, Under-Display Face ID, and an AI-Powered 'Ultra' Model?

By Rohit Hegde•
iPhone 17 Leaks & Rumors: A New Design, Under-Display Face ID, and an AI-Powered 'Ultra' Model?

Beyond the Dynamic Island: What to Really Expect from the iPhone 17

With the iPhone 16 lineup now in our hands, the rumor mill has officially churned into high gear for what comes next. While every new iPhone brings iterative improvements, industry analysts and supply chain leaks are painting a picture of the iPhone 17 as a significant leap forward, potentially introducing a new design paradigm and a fourth "Ultra" model to the lineup.

Forget the minor camera bump changes; we're talking about fundamental shifts in display technology, on-device intelligence, and product strategy. Here’s a breakdown of the most credible and exciting rumors for the 2026 iPhone lineup.

The Holy Grail: A Truly Uninterrupted Display

For years, Apple's goal has been a single, uninterrupted slab of glass. The iPhone 17 could be the year we finally get there. The most persistent rumor is the introduction of under-display Face ID technology.

  • How it Works: By placing the complex array of TrueDepth sensors required for Face ID directly underneath the pixels of the display, Apple could eliminate the need for the Dynamic Island on its Pro models.
  • The Rollout: Reputable display analyst Ross Young suggests this feature will be exclusive to the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max initially. The front-facing camera would likely still remain in a small circular cutout, with a completely seamless display possibly arriving with the iPhone 19 Pro.

This would represent the most significant change to the front of the iPhone since the notch was introduced with the iPhone X.

Meet the 'iPhone 17 Ultra': A New Top Tier

Apple loves to segment its product lines, and evidence is mounting that they will introduce a new, even more premium model above the Pro Max. This "iPhone 17 Ultra" would serve as a showcase for Apple's absolute best technology.

What could make it "Ultra"?

  • Revolutionary Camera Hardware: Whispers suggest a dramatically improved rear camera system, possibly featuring a larger sensor and advanced "metalens" technology to reduce the size of the camera bump while improving light capture.
  • The First Portless iPhone: This is a long-standing rumor, but an "Ultra" model would be the perfect testbed for Apple to finally remove the charging port in favor of an exclusively MagSafe and Qi2 wireless charging experience.
  • Exclusive A20 Chip Variant: The Ultra could feature a binned version of the A20 chip with more GPU cores or a larger Neural Engine, specifically for advanced on-device AI tasks.

A Camera Leap for Everyone

While the Ultra might get the flashiest new hardware, the entire iPhone 17 lineup is expected to receive significant camera upgrades.

  • 48MP for All: The 48-megapixel main camera sensor, currently a Pro-exclusive feature, is rumored to be coming to the standard iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Plus models. This would bring a massive jump in detail and low-light performance to the entire lineup.
  • Periscope Zoom for the Pro: The telephoto "periscope" lens, which allows for greater optical zoom, could finally make its way from the Pro Max down to the smaller iPhone 17 Pro model, unifying the camera capabilities of both Pro devices.
  • Upgraded Front Camera: All four models are expected to receive a new 24-megapixel front-facing camera, a huge leap from the current 12MP sensor, promising much sharper selfies and higher-quality video calls.

The Brains: The A20 Chip and the Next Generation of Apple Intelligence

It's a given that the iPhone 17 Pro and Ultra models will feature a new A20 Pro chip. Built on an even more advanced manufacturing process (likely TSMC's 2nm node), the focus won't just be on raw speed.

The real story will be the massively upgraded Neural Engine. With Apple Intelligence now established, the A20 chip will be designed to handle even more complex on-device AI and Large Language Model (LLM) tasks. Expect to see:

  • Truly Proactive AI: Siri and the OS will be able to take multi-step actions on your behalf based on context, without you even asking.
  • Enhanced On-Device Processing: More of Apple Intelligence's features will run entirely on the device, improving speed, privacy, and reliability.
  • Next-Gen Computational Photography: The A20's image signal processor (ISP) combined with the Neural Engine will unlock new photo and video capabilities that are simply not possible on current hardware.

The Bottom Line

The iPhone 17 is shaping up to be more than just a simple "S" year update. With a potential redesign, a major leap in display technology, and a new "Ultra" tier, Apple seems poised to redefine its smartphone lineup. While these are still rumors, they are rooted in credible supply chain reports and logical technological progressions. The era of the truly all-screen, AI-powered iPhone is just around the corner.

Related Innovations: Tech Trends

← Back to All Posts