7 Most Valuable Upgrades on iPhone 17 That Everyone Should Know

Event "Awe DroppingApple's "iPhone 11 Pro Max" will officially take place on September 9, where the technology giant from Cupertino is expected to announce the next generation of iPhone along with many other notable products.

According to the roadmap, Apple will continue to take the iPhone further in terms of design, performance and features, bringing many things that users expect. In particular, the main focus is the iPhone 17 series, with upgrades that are considered breakthroughs, especially the appearance of a completely new model called iPhone 17 Air.

1. New generation A19 chip

Previously, the iPhone 16 impressed with the A18 chip, a powerful processor proven through performance reviews. However, the iPhone 17 promises to be even more outstanding when Apple is expected to equip the new generation A19 SoC chip, taking advantage of the 3rd generation 3nm process of the world's leading semiconductor chip manufacturer TSMC. This technology not only increases the density of transistors but also improves performance and energy efficiency far beyond the A18.

Notably, many analysts believe that Apple will continue to separate chips by segment, with the standard iPhone 17 models using the A18, while the iPhone 17 Pro is equipped with the more powerful A19 Pro. To deal with the heat generated by this high-end chip, Apple is also rumored to be developing a vapor chamber cooling system, but this feature will likely be limited to the Pro models.

2. iPhone 17 Air

One of the biggest changes in iPhone history is the appearance of the iPhone 17 Air. This is considered Apple's first high-end ultra-thin smartphone, considered the answer to the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge in the thin and light design segment.

Unlike the fleeting rumors surrounding the iPhone 16 Ultra, information about the iPhone 17 Air has appeared since before the iPhone 16 was launched and has become more and more reliable, especially when the iOS 26 beta has revealed many traces that reinforce the existence of this model. According to sources, the iPhone 17 Air will officially replace the iPhone 16 Plus in Apple's product catalog.

In terms of design, the iPhone 17 Air is rumored to be only 5.56mm thick, making it one of the thinnest smartphones ever, with a 6.6-inch screen and power from the A19 chip - the new generation chip that will appear on the entire iPhone 17 line.

However, to achieve this impressive thinness, Apple may have to make a trade-off in the camera system. Leaked renders show that the iPhone 17 Air only has one rear camera, similar to the basic iPhone 17 version.

Another notable point is the battery capacity. Current rumors say the iPhone 17 Air will have a 2,800 mAh battery, a rather modest number compared to the Pro models. However, many reports claim that Apple is testing new battery technology that increases energy density, in order to extend usage time despite the low capacity.

As for the price, Apple has not made any confirmation, but many sources predict that the basic iPhone 17 Air will have a starting price of around $ 899 - $ 1,099. Thus, this price could be on par with the iPhone 16 Plus or even slightly higher than the standard version of the iPhone 16 Pro, reflecting Apple's ambition to position the iPhone 17 Air as a product line that is both iconic and aimed at high-end customers.

3. C1 5G Modem

Earlier this year, Apple made headlines when it officially launched its homegrown 5G C1 modem alongside the low-cost iPhone 16e. This was a strategic move to reduce its dependence on Qualcomm and usher in an era of wireless connectivity autonomy. According to multiple sources, the C1 modem will continue to be equipped on the iPhone 17 Air, while other iPhone 17 models may still use other solutions.

The strength of the C1 modem lies in its ability to deliver 5G speeds comparable to high-end iPhone models, although it does not support mmWave high-band - a super-fast but less popular technology.

In return, this modem is rated to have better energy efficiency, an important advantage for the iPhone 17 Air, which uses a compact battery. Apple's own modem design also means deeper integration into the system, helping to optimize both hardware and software.

In fact, initial tests show that the C1 modem is more stable and energy efficient, which is what Apple wants. However, this is just the beginning, as the company is said to be developing the next generation, called C2, which is expected to be available in the entire iPhone line by 2026.

Meanwhile, all iPhone 17 models will be upgraded to Apple-made Wi-Fi 7 modems. This technology promises to improve transmission speeds, reduce latency, and optimize the connection experience, especially in the context of more and more smart devices sharing the same Wi-Fi network.

4. New operating system iOS 26

Throughout the summer, Apple has been steadily rolling out beta updates to iOS 26, which will almost certainly be the default operating system on the iPhone 17 series. The biggest highlight is the new Liquid Glass interface, which brings a unified and modern look to all of Apple's software.

While Apple Intelligence isn't fully rolled out yet, iOS 26 still packs a slew of notable AI features like smart call screening in the phone app, real-time live translation, and major improvements to Visual Intelligence - helping the device understand and process images better.

However, there is one regrettable point that Siri will not receive any major upgrades until spring 2026, which means users will have to wait longer to see the virtual assistant truly "transform".

5. Qi 2.2 wireless charging

A new report reveals that Apple is quietly developing a next-generation silicon-carbon battery that promises to deliver superior performance and durability compared to current batteries without increasing the physical size of the device. This could be an important step in solving the battery capacity limitation on ultra-thin devices like the iPhone 17 Air.

Along with the new battery technology, the iPhone 17 series is expected to support the Qi 2.2 wireless charging standard, allowing fast charging up to 50W, more than 3 times higher than the Qi 2 standard (15W) and far exceeding the 30W of the MagSafe charger on the iPhone 16.

In particular, Qi 2.2 also provides more precise magnetic alignment, helping the iPhone stick to the charging dock stably, optimizing the charging process faster and safer.

6. Redesigned camera array

According to leaked reports, the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air will not have many changes in terms of camera, but the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max duo promise to make a clear difference in both hardware and design.

Rumors say Apple will upgrade the telephoto lens to 48MP, bringing the triple rear cameras on the Pro line to 48MP. However, that comes with a limit on optical zoom capabilities that may only stop at 3.5x, lower than the 5x level on the iPhone 16 Pro.

The biggest highlight is the completely new camera cluster design. Instead of the familiar square block, Apple is said to switch to a horizontal rectangular camera cluster, similar to the camera bar style on the Google Pixel 10.

In the new layout, the three main lenses are still arranged in a triangle in the left corner, but the additional sensors will be moved to the right, creating a more balanced and modern feel.

Leaked images of iPhone 17 Pro cases further reinforce the possibility that Apple is preparing to change its camera design language - a rare move after many years of keeping the same style.

7. Upgrade RAM capacity

At present, the entire iPhone 16 series is equipped with 8GB of RAM - an upgrade that is considered "late", mainly to meet the processing needs of Apple Intelligence.

However, as Apple increasingly focuses on AI on devices, this RAM capacity quickly becomes limited. According to leaked sources, the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air are likely to keep the same 8GB RAM, enough for common needs but difficult to make a difference compared to the previous generation.

Meanwhile, the highlight is expected to be the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max with 12GB of RAM. This is not just an increase on paper, but also opens up the potential to improve multitasking performance, image processing capabilities, as well as speed up complex AI tasks.

Analysts say upgrading RAM is an “inevitable step” for Apple if it wants to maintain its competitive advantage in the era of smartphones optimized for artificial intelligence./.