Apple fans in India may be disappointed to know that the upcoming iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max might not feature a new display technology that was earlier rumoured. According to a recent report, Apple has cancelled plans for a new anti-reflective, scratch-resistant coating due to production issues.
No new display coating for iPhone 17 Pro models
Apple was expected to add a special anti-reflective and scratch-resistant layer on the displays of the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max models. However, MacRumors reports that the tech giant has dropped this plan. Sources say that the process to apply the new coating was too difficult and slow to manage on a large scale.
Even though Apple planned to use the new layer only on the Pro models, mass production problems made the feature impossible this year.
Existing models still use Oleophobic Coating
Since the iPhone 11, Apple has been using a fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating, which helps reduce oil smudges on the screen. This coating will continue to be used in the iPhone 17 lineup, but the extra-hard, anti-reflective layer is not expected to be part of the upcoming Pro models.
Inspired by Samsung’s Gorilla Glass Armor?
Earlier leaks suggested that Apple’s new display coating could be more durable than Ceramic Shield, and similar to Corning's Gorilla Glass Armor, which is used on the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. That screen is known for being highly scratch-resistant and anti-reflective.
But it looks like Apple is not ready yet to match that level of screen protection, at least not with the iPhone 17 Pro series.
What else can to expect from the iPhone 17 series?
The iPhone 17 series is expected to launch in September 2025 and may include:
- iPhone 17
- iPhone 17 Slim (or Air)
- iPhone 17 Pro
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
Reports suggest that the Pro models will feature an aluminium frame, A19 Pro chip, and 12GB RAM, while the regular iPhone 17 and Slim models may come with an A18 or A19 chip and 8GB RAM.