The rumors are basically set in stone at this point, and if you were hoping for another massive, affordable iPhone, I’ve got some bad news. Apple is messing with the lineup again. For years, we’ve had this predictable rhythm: two small phones, two big phones. But the iPhone 17 screen sizes are about to break that cycle in a way that feels honestly a bit chaotic for long-time users.
It’s happening. The "Plus" model is likely dead.
Since the iPhone 14, Apple tried to make the 6.7-inch screen accessible to people who didn't want to drop $1,200 on a Pro Max. It didn't work. Sales figures from analysts like Ming-Chi Kuo and Ross Young suggest the Plus has consistently been the red-headed stepchild of the family, accounting for a tiny fraction of total shipments. So, for 2025, Apple is pivoting. We’re looking at a brand-new "Air" or "Slim" model that sits somewhere in the middle, and it changes the math for anyone trying to decide which pocket-stretcher to buy next year.
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The new hierarchy of iPhone 17 screen sizes
If you’re trying to plan your upgrade, you need to understand that the "standard" size is no longer standard. We’re moving toward a four-tier system that looks a lot less symmetrical than it used to.
The base iPhone 17 is sticking to its guns with a 6.1-inch display. It’s the size everyone knows. It fits in a normal human hand. But the real story is the rumored iPhone 17 "Slim" (or "Air"). This thing is supposed to be the "MacBook Air" moment for the phone lineup—sacrificing some camera specs for a design that is impossibly thin. Display supply chain experts indicate this screen will likely land at 6.6 inches.
Wait, 6.6? Yeah. It’s slightly smaller than the current Plus but bigger than the base model. It’s a weird middle ground.
Then you have the Pro models. This is where it gets interesting because the Pro and Pro Max are expected to grow slightly. We’re talking about a 6.3-inch screen for the iPhone 17 Pro and a massive 6.9-inch screen for the iPhone 17 Pro Max. If you think the current phones are big, just wait. Apple is shrinking bezels even further to fit these larger panels into frames that don't feel like tablets, but there’s only so much physics can do.
Why 120Hz finally matters for every model
Here’s the thing that has annoyed me for years: Apple kept the 60Hz "ProMotion" gap alive way longer than they should have. If you buy a $200 Android phone today, it probably has a 120Hz screen. If you buy an $800 iPhone 16? You’re stuck with 60Hz. It feels stuttery. It feels old.
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Reliable leaks from the display industry suggest 2025 is the year of parity.
Every single iPhone 17 screen size is expected to support LTPO (Low-Temperature Polycrystalline Oxide) technology. This is jargon for "the screen can change its refresh rate dynamically." This means the base iPhone 17 will finally get ProMotion. Smooth scrolling. 120Hz animations. And, more importantly, the ability to drop down to 1Hz for an Always-On display.
Honestly, this makes the base iPhone 17 a much more viable threat to the Pro. If the screens are finally equal in quality, Apple has to work a lot harder to convince you to spend the extra $200 on a Pro model. They’ll likely do that with camera tech and titanium frames, but for the average person who just wants a screen that doesn't look like it's lagging, the "cheaper" iPhone 17 is suddenly looking like the smart play.
The death of the Plus and the birth of the Slim
Let’s talk about that 6.6-inch "Slim" model for a second. Why does it exist?
Apple’s data shows that people like big screens, but they really like premium aesthetics. The Plus was just a big version of the cheap phone. The "Slim" is rumored to be a design-first device. It might actually be the most expensive phone in the lineup, even if it has a smaller screen than the Pro Max. It’s about the flex.
Think about it this way:
- Standard (6.1"): For the "I just want a phone" crowd.
- Slim (6.6"): For the fashion-forward crowd who wants a thin, light, big-screen device.
- Pro (6.3"): For the power users who still want to use their phone with one hand.
- Pro Max (6.9"): For the "I want a cinema in my pocket" crowd.
The tech under the glass
It’s not just about how big the glass is; it’s about what’s happening behind it. We’ve been hearing a lot about a new "outer layer" for the iPhone 17 series. Apple has been working with Corning on a new anti-reflective coating that is supposedly more scratch-resistant than the current Ceramic Shield.
If you’ve used a Galaxy S24 Ultra, you know how much of a difference the anti-reflective glass makes. It makes the colors pop and makes the screen readable even in direct midday sun. Apple is expected to bring a similar "Armor" style glass to the iPhone 17 screen sizes across the board.
There's also the "Under-Display Face ID" rumor. While some analysts thought we’d see the notch disappear entirely in 2025, the latest consensus is that we’re still looking at the Dynamic Island for at least one more year. The sensors are getting smaller, though. The "pill" might get a bit more compact, giving you a few extra pixels of usable screen real estate, especially on those larger 6.9-inch Pro Max models.
Is 6.9 inches too big?
I remember when the original Note came out and everyone laughed at how huge it was. Now, 6.9 inches is becoming the flagship standard.
The iPhone 17 Pro Max is going to be a beast. But because of the shift to Border Reduction Structure (BRS) technology, Apple is shaving millimeters off the edges. The actual physical footprint of the phone might not grow as much as the screen size suggests. It’s a trick of engineering. You get more screen, but your hand doesn't feel the stretch as much.
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Still, for anyone with smaller hands, the 6.3-inch Pro is likely going to become the new "sweet spot." It’s a slight bump from the 6.1-inch we’ve had for years, providing just enough extra room for a larger battery and better thermal management for the A19 chip without becoming a burden to carry.
What you should do right now
If you’re sitting on an iPhone 13 or 14 and you’re itching for a bigger screen, wait. Buying an iPhone 16 Plus right now might feel tempting, but you’re buying into a dead-end design. The jump to 120Hz refresh rates on the base iPhone 17 models is the biggest display upgrade we’ve seen in five years. It changes the entire feel of the operating system.
If you absolutely need the biggest screen possible, the 17 Pro Max’s 6.9-inch display will be the peak of smartphone media consumption. But if you want something that feels "new," that 6.6-inch Slim model is the one to watch. It’s going to be the first time in a long time that an iPhone feels physically different in your hand, not just slightly faster.
Keep an eye on the supply chain reports as we get closer to the fall. The specs for the 6.1, 6.3, 6.6, and 6.9-inch models are largely locked in at the factory level by now. The only real question left is how much Apple is going to charge us for that extra 0.2 inches of glass.
Check your current phone's battery health and trade-in value today. If you're on a "Plus" model now, start getting used to the idea that your next phone will either be slightly smaller and much thinner, or significantly larger and heavier. There is no longer a 1:1 replacement for the 6.7-inch non-Pro iPhone. Plan your pockets accordingly.