The iPhone 17 Pro Max could get exclusive upgrades that might make it an iPhone 'Ultra'

Some years Apple heavily differentiates its Pro Max models from the Pro models, and other years they’re quite similar. For example, leaks suggest that this year the iPhone 16 Pro Max won’t be dramatically different to the iPhone 16 Pro , but we’re now hearing that next year’s iPhone 17 Pro Max could be significantly better than the iPhone 17 Pro.

This is according to Ming-Chi Kuo – a leaker with a great track record for Apple information – who, posting on X, has claimed that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will be the only iPhone 17 model to get 12GB of RAM, with all the others stuck at 8GB.

We’re expecting every iPhone 16 model to have 8GB of RAM, as that seems to be the minimum required for Apple Intelligence (Apple’s upcoming AI features), so this would mean that only the iPhone 17 Pro Max gets a RAM boost next year.

And, speaking of AI, the same source claims that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will exclusively have “enhanced on-device AI capabilities”, presumably enabled by all that extra RAM.

Finally, Kuo also claims that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will have an upgraded cooling system, which combines vapor chamber technology and graphite sheets, while the rest of the iPhone 17 line will reportedly just use graphite sheets, like current models.

So in other words the iPhone 17 Pro Max should be more adept at keeping cool, which should help with sustained performance when carrying out demanding tasks, such as running high-end games and using on-device AI.

An iPhone 'Ultra', and a couple of iPhone Same-Olds

All of these upgrades combined could make the iPhone 17 Pro Max something along the lines of the long-rumored iPhone Ultra , though there’s no current suggestion that it will have ‘Ultra’ in its name.

In any case, Kuo notes that Pro Max models currently account for almost 40% of iPhone shipments, meaning they’re by far the most popular models, so it makes sense for Apple to focus on improving the Pro Max.

That might mean the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro feel a bit neglected and lacking in upgrades, although there is at least also talk of an iPhone 17 Slim or an iPhone 17 Air , which could provide something a bit different and new for anyone who doesn’t want to shell out on the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

You might also like

• Tempted by an iPhone 16? You should check these leaked iPhone 17 specs first
• iPhone 16 price predictions : rumored prices for every model
• iPhone 16 Pro Max : latest news, rumors and everything we know so far