New Apple iPhone 17 Pro leak points to a truly game-changing hardware feature

While the big reveal of the iPhone 17 might be just a day away, the leaks surrounding the new series of Apple flagship phones are still coming thick and fast. The latest reports suggest that the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max both offer vapor chamber cooling, a first for the tech giant, which is exciting news for any mobile gamers looking to pick up one of the new premium flagships.

For those who don’t know, a lot of the Android options from our guide to the best gaming phones already offer vapor chamber cooling, which helps to keep your device cool when running some of the more demanding picks from our guide to the best Android games. Vapor chamber cooling effectively keeps the heat away from a phone’s processor, and less pressure on the GPU and CPU means a lower likelihood of throttling. So, if you’re looking for a new iPhone capable of running your favorite games at high settings without any performance dips, the new premium options from Apple might be just what you need.

This latest leak is courtesy of social media tipster Jukan (@Jukanlosreve), who spotted listings for the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max on a Korean network carrier’s site. While it’s still worth taking the details with a pinch of salt until we get confirmation from Apple, we have heard a couple of rumors about the possibility of vapor chamber cooling for the premium models over the last few months. Given that mobile games and even some of the newer Apple Arcade games are more demanding than ever, it would make sense for Apple to introduce new thermal dissipation tech.

Outside of the vapor chamber cooling system, the leak also points to both premium iPhone 17 models offering 8x camera zoom, improving on the 5x camera zoom of the iPhone 16 Pro Max. While an 8x zoom still isn’t quite as powerful as what some of the best Android phones offer through AI magic, it would still be a welcome improvement for those who use their Apple smartphones for some amateur photography.

If you want to find out all about the new iPhone 17 series, be sure to tune into the Apple event on September 9, or come to Pocket Tactics after the showcase for all the highlights. Or, if you’re looking for more top-tier tech, see our guides to the best gaming tablets and the best iPads while you’re here, with plenty of options to suit all budgets.