The iPhone 17 Pro might finally get this long overdue upgrade

Apple’s upcoming iPhone 17 Pro could finally ditch its stingy 128GB starting storage, with a fresh leak suggesting the base model will jump to 256GB. The move would put it in line with the iPhone 17 Pro Max, which has offered 256GB as standard since the iPhone 14 series.

The claim comes from leaker Instant Digital on the Chinese platform Weibo, who says the iPhone 17 Pro will only be available in 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB versions. The regular iPhone 17 and new iPhone 17 Air, however, are still expected to keep 128GB as the entry option.

While 256GB as standard sounds like a win for buyers, it may come with a sting in the tail – a price hike. Analyst predictions already point to a $50 / £50 increase across the iPhone 17 line-up. If true, that would push the iPhone 17 Pro’s starting price well past the psychological $1000 / £1000 mark.

For context, the iPhone 16 Pro costs $999 / £999 for 128GB and $1099 / £1099 for 256GB. If Apple keeps the same pricing gap and adds the $50 markup, the iPhone 17 Pro could start at $1149 / £1149 – $150 / £150 more than last year’s base model. That’s without touching higher-capacity versions, which could creep into laptop territory.

Some optimists hope Apple might absorb part of the increase by pricing the 256GB iPhone 17 Pro closer to last year’s 128GB model, plus the $50 bump (around $1049). But given reports of rising manufacturing costs – and Apple’s decision not to do this when the 128GB iPhone 15 Pro Max was dropped – that feels like wishful thinking.

Still, there’s logic to this change. In 2025, 128GB is cramped for a “Pro” device when rival flagships, such as the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, offer more space as standard. With 4K video, high-resolution photos, and increasingly hefty apps, 256GB gives users room to breathe – and could be framed as a quality-of-life upgrade in Apple’s keynote.

The iPhone 17 launch event is rumoured for 9 September, where we’ll find out whether Apple frames this as a generous storage bump or a subtle price shift in disguise. Until then, anyone eyeing the iPhone 17 Pro should brace for a bigger bill… and more room for their photos.

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Spencer Hart Buying Guide Editor

About

As Buying Guide Editor, Spencer is responsible for all e-commerce content on Stuff, overseeing buying guides as well as covering deals and new product launches. Spencer has been writing about consumer tech for over eight years. He has worked on some of the biggest publications in the UK, where he covered everything from the emergence of smartwatches to the arrival of self-driving cars. During this time, Spencer has become a seasoned traveller, racking up air miles while travelling around the world reviewing cars, attending product launches, and covering every trade show known to man, from Baselworld and Geneva Motor Show to CES and MWC. While tech remains one of his biggest passions, Spencer also enjoys getting hands-on with the latest luxury watches, trying out new grooming kit, and road-testing all kinds of vehicles, from electric scooters to supercars.

Areas of expertise

Watches, travel, grooming, transport, tech