Apple iPhone 17 Ultra: These three upgrades could differentiate the flagship from the iPhone 17 Pro

Apple apparently plans a quite fundamental overhaul of the iPhone lineup this year. While iOS 19 is reported getting an extensive redesign, Apple is rumored to replace the iPhone 16 Plus with the brand-new iPhone 17 Air, which might be just 0.22 inches thin and only sport a single rear camera and probably a relatively small battery as well.

On the other hand, the two top models are expected to receive a revised design with a new camera module that spans across the entire width of the smartphone. Apple is also said to focus on new video features, which are supposed to turn the more expensive iPhone 17 variants into alternatives to a dedicated video camera.

The leaker yeux1122 has now reiterated that Apple's next-generation flagship will not be called iPhone 17 Pro Max, but rather iPhone 17 Ultra. In order to justify the new "Ultra" moniker, the smartphone is expected to receive at least three upgrades in addition to the larger 6.9-inch OLED display, which won’t be found on the smaller iPhone 17 Pro.

First of all, the phone might sport a smaller Dynamic Island, which would result in more usable screen real estate. Moreover, Apple could equip the handset with a vapor chamber for more efficient cooling and better performance under sustained load, which is seen during gaming or video editing.

Last but not least, the newcomer could feature a battery with a higher capacity and energy density, which might require a slightly thicker chassis. As usual, early rumors like these should be taken with a grain of salt. The iPhone 17 series is expected to officially launch this September.