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I still remember my first moments with the iPhone X. It felt like something from the future: OLED display, Face ID, full screen design, new UX paradigms for navigation. The iPhone X was indeed a step forward for the iPhone after several years of repeated updates.

According to recent reports, next year’s iPhone 17 could bring with it another iPhone X-style moment. A new ultra-thin iPhone model is said to be the new top-of-the-line model, possibly named the iPhone 17 Ultra.

Here’s what the next iPhone leap forward could bring.

Futuristic slim design

The M4 iPad Pro recently won the title of Apple’s thinnest device to date. If you’ve held one in your hands, you know it feels like a device from the future. It’s not like in sci-fi movies where the characters hold paper-thin screens in their hands, but it comes close!

The significantly thinner iPhone 17 Ultra can feel just as futuristic.

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

Next level camera system

We already expect the full iPhone 17 lineup to get a significantly improved front camera, going from 12MP to 24MP. However, very little is known about the rear camera system apart from information from The information regarding a major design change:

The rear cameras may be moved from the top 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 at the center of the device, so it’s especially curious that Apple is now planning to make the switch. The 17 Ultra is supposed to be the only model with a design change.

If this camera move turns out to be true, we can expect there’s a reason for it. The iPhone 17 Ultra should get some next-level camera technology that isn’t available on any of the other 17 models.

If Apple is trying to increase the average selling price of the iPhone, camera features are one of the best ways to attract customers.

Software history?

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

When the Apple Watch Ultra launched, it too had a software history. The Wayfinder and Modular Ultra faces meant that users could create custom dial settings not possible before, along with new designs. Night mode also offered a new spin on the dial. And the action button carried a large software component.

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

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

Summary

As users, we are very used to iPhone Pro models being the best of the best. But Apple has shown with its other products that there is room for an Ultra version.

It’s been seven years since the iPhone X debuted, so the iPhone is starting to take a big leap forward. I also suspect that a new premium iPhone will be a big draw for customers who simply want to have the best model – whether for the technology itself or simply as a status symbol.

Apple has yet to test the ultra-premium iPhone market, but it looks like that could change soon.