Apple enthusiasts waiting for the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max may be disappointed, as Apple is reportedly abandoning one of the most anticipated upgrades - an advanced anti-reflective display coating - leaving its flagship phones lagging behind Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Ultra in display technology.

Back in 2024, leaks suggested that Apple was working on scratch-resistant and anti-reflective display enhancements for the iPhone 17 Pro series. However, those expectations have now been dashed.

Since the iPhone 12, Apple has equipped its smartphones with Ceramic Shield - a glass-ceramic material developed in collaboration with Corning - offering improved resistance to scratches and cracks. Last year, reputable source Instant Digital reported that Apple was developing a new coating for the iPhone 17 Pro, surpassing even Ceramic Shield in scratch resistance while adding anti-glare capabilities.

However, according to a reliable report from MacRumors, Apple has now shelved the plan due to production scalability issues. Manufacturing the new coating proved too time-consuming, making it unfeasible to apply it to millions of iPhone Pro units ahead of launch.

This decision is likely to frustrate potential buyers of the iPhone 17 Pro, especially as Apple’s current iPhone lineup lacks anti-reflective technology.

While the iPhone’s oleophobic coating resists fingerprints, Apple has only claimed that the Ceramic Shield on the iPhone 16 Pro is “twice as tough” as any other smartphone glass. However, it does not reduce screen glare or light reflection. In contrast, Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Ultra is equipped with Gorilla Glass Armor 2 - an anti-reflective ceramic glass that significantly cuts glare, enhancing visibility and readability across various lighting conditions.

Although this news is disappointing for Apple fans, Apple reportedly had no choice. Despite this omission, the iPhone 17 Pro series still promises several upgrades, including a redesigned rear, a new high-resolution telephoto camera, and the powerful A19 Pro chip.

All 2025 iPhones will ship with iOS 19, rumored to be Apple’s most significant software update in years.

iPhone 17 Pro: Real upgrade or another recycled design?

Among the most notable hardware changes in the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max will be their upgraded camera systems. The front-facing camera will be bumped up to 24MP, while the rear will feature a trio of 48MP lenses: a 48MP Fusion main lens, a 48MP ultra-wide lens (already seen on the iPhone 16 Pro), and a new 48MP telephoto lens with Tetraprism technology.

This new telephoto lens is expected to be the signature camera feature of 2025, enabling users to crop images more deeply while maintaining high detail for sharp, close-up shots.

Design-wise, Apple is also set to refresh the camera layout. Instead of the traditional square module, the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max will sport a horizontal camera bar. The lenses will remain arranged in a triangular layout but positioned closer together. The flash, microphone, and LiDAR sensor will be shifted to the right side of the bar - though the reason behind this redesign remains unclear.

Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 17 lineup in September 2025. The lineup will include the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and a new model called iPhone 17 Air. As usual, premium upgrades will be reserved for the Pro models.

Hai Phong (PhoneArena, MacRumors)