When rumors about the iPhone 17 Air started circulating, it sounded a lot like an Ultra model. But as new details emerged, the Air name made more sense. Recent rumors about a different iPhone model, however, have me thinking we could get an iPhone 17 Ultra this year after allbut in a different way than expected.Three rumors indicate the iPhone 17 Pro Max may not be what we expectThe more rumors weve seen emerge about the iPhone 17 Pro Max, the more Ive started to think Apple is preparing for an Ultra rebrand.Most years, the iPhone Pro and Pro Max models are largely identical apart from screen size. The Pro Max always has a slight battery advantage too, but thats intrinsic to its size.Occasionally, the Pro Max will get a camera feature a year ahead of its smaller Pro sibling, but thats hit or miss. For example, the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max have no feature differences at all.But more rumors keep emerging about the iPhone 17 Pro Max being differentiated from the 17 Pro.For example, the 17 Pro Max has long been predicted to come with a narrowed Dynamic Island. This is due to a special metalens technology which could help shrink the necessary Face ID components.iPhone 17 Pro Max may also exclusively feature a vapor chamber cooling system plus graphite sheet.These two rumors alone did little to make me think an Ultra rebrand was coming. But the most recent one very much did.According to leaker Ice Universe, Apple will make its iPhone 17 Pro Max substantially thicker than its predecessor. Per the leak, that means the following dimensions:iPhone 17 Pro Max: 8.725mmiPhone 16 Pro Max: 8.25mmThis change is reportedly being made to accommodate a larger battery inside the new model.And its this rumored change that inspired me to consider the likelihood of an iPhone 17 Ultra name change.iPhone 17 Pro Max could actually be the first iPhone UltraOn the surface, making the iPhone 17 Pro Max thickerwhich naturally will make it heavier tooseems especially strange in a year the iPhone 17 Air will launch.When your Pro line is facing competition from an ultra-thin new iPhone, why would you then make those Pro models even thicker?Only if you want to further differentiate the Pro line.Except per this rumor, the standard 17 Pro will not get these same changes. Its expected to stay the same size as before, same weight, same battery life, and so on.The 17 Pro Max, however, is leaning hard in the opposite direction.It will be differentiated not only from the 17 Air, but also more than ever from the 17 Pro.Which made me think of the Apple Watch Ultra, and how much it contrasts with the Apple Watch Series 10.Apple Watch Series 10 is significantly thinner than before, has a beautiful large display, and a lot of other features going for itwhereas the Apple Watch Ultra is purposely thicker, heavier, more rugged, and boasts significantly better battery life.This playbook looks a lot like what Apple is planning for the new Pro Max model, as compared to the 17 Air and even the 17 Pro.In other words, it sounds a lot like we might be getting the first ever iPhone Ultra this year.iPhone 17 Ultra would streamline lineupIf Apple rebrands its iPhone 17 Pro Max as the iPhone 17 Ultra, we could see the following streamlined lineup this fall:iPhone 17iPhone 17 AiriPhone 17 ProiPhone 17 UltraiPhone 17 would be the standard entry model. It would have the latest features at the lowest price.iPhone 17 Air would sacrifice extra cameras, power, and battery life for a slimmer, ultra-thin design.iPhone 17 Pro would boast the more powerful A19 Pro chip, three rear cameras, and other Pro features.And finally the iPhone 17 Ultra would offer by far the best battery life in the lineup, and the best display thanks to a smaller Dynamic Island. It would be a hefty model for users who just want the most possible iPhone.To me, this lineup makes a ton of sense. It also sounds like the most compelling new iPhone lineup in years. The 17 Air will be exciting for a variety of reasons, but so too would the high-end Ultra model. And all of this would make it easy for Apple to raise prices, as I expect it to do.Do you think Apple will use the iPhone 17 Ultra name? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments.Best iPhone accessoriesAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel