iPhone 17 Pro Launch: Bigger Upgrades, Higher Price Expected

Apple is gearing up for its next big unveiling, with the iPhone 17 Pro set to debut on Tuesday, September 9, during the company’s “Awe Dropping” launch event. Alongside the 17 Pro, Apple will also announce its latest iPhone lineup, including the premium iPhone 17 Pro Max.

As tradition goes, pre-orders are expected to open on September 12, with the official in-store release reportedly scheduled for September 19, according to German site iPhone-Ticker.

The iPhone 17 Pro is shaping up to be one of Apple’s biggest upgrades in years. Here are the major features that are expected:

1. The most notable upgrade anticipated for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max lies in their design. Apple is rumored to give the Pro models a fresh back look, featuring a larger camera module that stretches across the entire width of the phone.
2. This redesign won’t just be cosmetic. Reports suggest the camera module will be constructed from aluminum, while the rest of the back will remain glass, resulting in a striking split design.
3. Under the hood, the iPhone 17 Pro is expected to debut Apple’s newest chip, the A19 Pro, built on TSMC’s 3nm process, offering a performance jump over the iPhone 16 Pro.
4. Photography and video are also set for big improvements. The telephoto lens could see an upgrade from 12MP to 48MP with support for up to 8x zoom, while the front camera may move to a 24MP sensor for sharper selfies. On the video side, Apple may introduce 8K recording along with dual-recording functionality, enabling simultaneous capture from front and rear cameras.
5. Another change could be Apple’s push toward eSIM-only models in additional markets like the EU, though it’s still uncertain if regions such as India will see the same shift.
6. Battery performance is also expected to improve. Leaks suggest the iPhone 17 Pro may carry a 3,988mAh battery for physical SIM models and 4,252mAh for eSIM-only versions. The Pro Max could go bigger with around 4,823mAh and 5,088mAh, respectively.
7. On the display side, the new Pro is said to offer brightness levels higher than last year’s 2,000 nits peak on the iPhone 16 Pro, along with tougher screen protection for durability.

Is the price of the iPhone 17 Pro expected to increase?

Reports suggest that the iPhone 17 Pro is expected to come with a price increase this year. Analysts at JP Morgan predict a $100 hike in the US, raising the starting price from $999 to $1,099. A similar jump is anticipated in India, where the new model could debut at around ₹1,30,000, compared to the ₹1,19,900 launch price of the iPhone 16 Pro.