Production for the iPhone 16 is ramping up in China at a frenetic pace, with its release in the final months of 2024. This means focus is now shifting to the iPhone 17.

When Apple releases the iPhone 17 – probably around this time next year – it will have four iterations, including a new model, according to a newsletter from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.

He says Apple’s 2020 attempt at a fourth phone in the series – the iPhone 12 mini – was a commercial dud, and sent the company off in the opposite direction with the larger Plus design. The Plus is one of four iPhone 15s available in Australia (15, Plus, Pro and Pro Max).

“Next year, Apple will give this fourth-model concept another try. The approach this time around: a far thinner design. The idea is to create an ‘Air’ version of the iPhone of sorts, something that sits in between the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro,” Gurman said, comparing the move to Apple’s launch of the MacBook Air, which dates back to 2008 and the Steve Jobs era.

According to MacRumors possible features of the 17 include new display sizes, faster A-chip series, ProMotion for all models and an upgraded selfie camera.

Meanwhile, 9to5Mac described it as a “weird frankenstein of premium and entry-level”.

According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the high end iPhone 17 is expected to feature an upgraded tetraprism camera, with key specification changes from a 1/3.1″ 12MP CIS in the iPhone 16 Pro series to a 1/2.6″ 48MP CIS.

“This upgrade will enhance photo quality and zoom functionality,” he said. “It is currently uncertain whether only the iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature the upgraded tetraprism camera. If so, the 2H26 iPhone 18 Pro will also feature the upgraded tetraprism camera.”