With the iPhone 17, Apple is moving further away from compact formats

The screen size will increase on the iPhone 17. A new decision from Apple that could upset fans of compact formats.

Apple is gradually burying its small-format smartphones. For several years, the Mini model of the iPhone has been replaced by the iPhone Plus, which offers a large screen diagonal. This year, it will be replaced by the iPhone Air, which is also expected to be quite large. The company has also abandoned its iPhone SE line, another compact alternative in the brand's mobile ecosystem. Another nail in the coffin of smaller iPhones, the iPhone 17 is expected to see its screen diagonal increase.

Such a possibility has been discussed for several months now, and seems to be confirmed. GSMArena spotted an Amazon product page for renowned accessories maker Spigen. It describes a screen protector compatible with the iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 17, and iPhone 17 Pro. The iPhone 16 Pro's display measures 6.27 inches. Spigen tells us here that the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro will have the same display. This is no surprise for the iPhone 17 Pro. But the standard iPhone 17 will therefore increase to almost 6.3 inches, compared to 6.1 inches for the iPhone 16.

A larger screen and 120 Hz for the iPhone 17

We can therefore expect a further increase in the dimensions of the basic iPhone. However, this should be fairly contained, as Apple will probably trim the bezels to increase the screen size without making the device too large. For users who want a mobile with a smaller panel, they will have to turn to the new entry-level model introduced this year. The iPhone 16e features a 6.1-inch display, like the iPhone 16.

The iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air are expected to feature a ProMotion display with an adaptive refresh rate between 1 and 120 Hz. For years, non-Pro iPhones have been the target of ridicule for their displays that don't go above 60 Hz, and Apple is finally fixing that. But between the screen size and the jump to 120 Hz, the differences between the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro are narrowing. One might wonder if, beyond the camera, Apple is preparing a major new feature for the Pro models this year.