Apple could launch an iPhone 17 Ultra this year – but we've heard these rumors before

Name change incoming?

· TechRadar

News By David Nield published 15 March 2025

The iPhone 16 on show (Image credit: Apple)

  • The iPhone 16 Pro Max could be followed by the iPhone 17 Ultra
  • We've also heard the 'Ultra' rumor in previous years
  • The iPhone 17 Ultra may feature a bigger battery and more cooling

We're expecting Apple to unveil the iPhone 17 range in September, and a new rumor points to a name change for the most expensive model in the line-up – a rumor that has actually been swirling for a couple of years now.

According to well-known tipster Yeux1122 (via MacRumors), the iPhone 17 Pro Max is in fact going to be called the iPhone 17 Ultra. That's apparently based on information from investors and sources inside the supply chain.

If the phone previously known as the iPhone 17 Pro Max does indeed get a name change, it would be the first Ultra phone released by Apple – though it has already used the Ultra label for some of its Apple Silicon chips, and of course the Apple Watch Ultra series.

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We've heard this rumor before, however, both for the iPhone 15 and the iPhone 16 – and in those cases, the names didn't change. Maybe this will be the year when Apple finally decides to shake up its approach to iPhone naming.

Hardware and software

The iPhone 16 Pro Max (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

In theory then, we could be looking at a line-up that features the iPhone 17, the iPhone 17 Air, the iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone 17 Ultra. There is a certain neatness to having a single extra word after each of the three additional variants.

That said, the same tipster also suggests that the iPhone 17 Air name isn't yet fixed. This super-slim model, replacing the iPhone 16 Plus, has been featured in a lot of leaks – but it sounds as though Apple hasn't decided what to call it yet.

The iPhone 17 Ultra (if indeed that is its name) is also tipped to be coming with a smaller Dynamic Island, a vapor chamber for additional cooling (and improved performance), and an increased battery capacity – which will add to its thickness.

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