iPhone 17 Ultra could be the next iPhone X moment

I still remember my first moments with an iPhone X. It felt like something from the future: the OLED display, Face ID, all-screen design, new UX paradigms for navigation. The iPhone X truly was a leap forward for the iPhone following several years of iterative updates.

Per the latest reporting, next year’s iPhone 17 might bring with it another iPhone X-style moment. A new ultra-thin iPhone model is said to be the new highest-end model, perhaps sporting the name iPhone 17 Ultra.

Here’s what that next leap-forward iPhone might bring.

Futuristic slim design

The M4 iPad Pro recently claimed the title of Apple’s thinnest device ever. If you’ve held one in your hands, you know that it feels like a device out of the future. It’s not quite like in sci-fi movies where characters hold paper-thin screens in their hands—but it’s getting close!

An iPhone 17 Ultra with a significantly thinner design could feel just as much like something from the future.

Now, some might reasonably say: why do we need a thinner iPhone? The current model is perfectly fine. And sure, no one “needs” the iPhone to slim down. But if Apple can still provide sufficient battery life on the device, an ultra-thin 17 Ultra would usher in a new era for iPhone design. Thinner and lighter isn’t always better, but often it can be, as the M4 iPad Pro demonstrates.

Next-level camera system

We are already expecting the full iPhone 17 lineup to receive a significantly upgraded front-facing camera, making the move from 12MP to 24MP. However, very little is known about the rear-facing camera system, except for word from The Information about a big design change:

The rear cameras could be relocated from the upper-left corner of the phone’s back to the top center as part of the redesign

Android phones have long been designed with their camera systems on the center of the device, so it’s especially curious that Apple is now planning to make the switch. Presumably, the 17 Ultra would be the only model with the design change.

If this camera relocation proves true, we can expect that there’s a reason for it. The iPhone 17 Ultra must be receiving some sort of next-level camera tech not available on any of the other 17 models.

If Apple is trying to drive up the average selling price of an iPhone, camera features are one of the best ways it can get customers on board.

Software story?

When Apple debuted the iPhone X, a big part of its story was found in software. The removal of the Home button was big, but it came paired with a major UX change for users as they had to navigate a gesture-centric interface.

When the Apple Watch Ultra launched, it too had a software story. The Wayfinder and Modular Ultra faces meant users could create custom watch face setups that weren’t possible before, complete with new designs. Night mode offered a new spin on the watch face experience too. And the Action button carried a big software component.

With the iPhone 17 Ultra, I suspect we’ll similarly see a software angle to the story. There will likely be some sort of new iOS feature that’s exclusive to the Ultra.

Perhaps it will have to do with the unique screen size of the device, which is expected to vary from the other 17 models and likely have a smaller cutout at the top. Or maybe the Ultra model will come with a special chip variation that enables something new. In any case, software is one way Apple can differentiate the product from its siblings.

Wrap-up

As consumers, we have gotten very used to the Pro models of iPhone being the best of the best. But Apple has shown with its other products that there’s room for an Ultra version.

It’s been seven years since the iPhone X debuted, so the iPhone is starting to come due for a major leap forward. Additionally, I suspect an extra premium new iPhone would be a big draw for customers who just want to have the best model—whether for the tech itself or just as a status symbol.

Apple hasn’t yet tested the market for an ultra premium iPhone, but it sounds like that may change soon.