iPhone 17 Camera Leaks Just Changed Everything
Although Apple’s iPhone 17 is still months away from its official release, recently leaked dummy models and other reports have offered insights into possible changes in the camera system.
According to MacRumors, a platform well-known for accurate Apple-related leaks and information, Apple is expected to introduce notable camera upgrades in some iPhone 17 models, along with a redesign of the camera bump. While the reliability of dummy models can sometimes be questioned, they have historically provided accurate reflections of Apple’s design changes.
These dummy models are often sourced by mobile case manufacturers, who benefit financially by releasing accessories for new devices ahead of time. As a result, they have strong incentives to uncover early design details.
Front Camera Upgrades Across All Models
Currently, all iPhone 16 models feature a 12MP selfie camera. In contrast, all iPhone 17 models are expected to feature a 24MP front-facing camera—a significant upgrade. This would allow users to crop selfies without sacrificing image quality, enhance low-light performance, and capture more detail overall.
iPhone 17 Pro Models
For the first time, the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max are rumored to feature three 48MP lenses:
A 48MP main sensor
A 48MP ultra-wide lens (introduced with the iPhone 16 Pro)
A new 48MP tetraprism telephoto lens, expected to be a key feature of the Pro series
This new telephoto lens would allow for high-detail zoom photography without loss of image quality when cropping.
Apple is also expected to shift more of its marketing toward advanced video capabilities this year. The iPhone 17 Pro models could support 8K video recording, an upgrade from the 4K capability in the iPhone 16 Pro. Additionally, a dual video recording feature—allowing simultaneous front and rear camera recording—is likely to be introduced.
Another exciting addition could be a mechanical aperture, enabling users to adjust the amount of light entering the lens—unlike previous models, which used only fixed apertures.
Camera Design Changes
A major redesign of the rear camera layout is also anticipated. Apple may replace the square-shaped camera bump with a horizontal rectangular camera bar on the back of the Pro models. The lenses will reportedly still be arranged in a triangular format, but the flash, microphone, and LiDAR sensor will be moved to the right side of this new horizontal bar. The reason for this design change is still unclear.
iPhone 17 Air
The iPhone 17 Air is rumored to be Apple’s thinnest phone ever, with a thickness of just 5.5 mm. Due to its compact form factor, it will include only a single 48MP fusion camera—without ultra-wide or telephoto lenses.
Like the Pro models, the Air will also feature a horizontal camera bar, but a shorter one, accommodating a single lens on the left side, with the flash and microphone positioned on the right.
Because it has only one lens, the iPhone 17 Air will not support spatial photography or video, features designed to work with Apple’s Vision Pro headset.
iPhone 17 (Standard Model)
Aside from the new 24MP front-facing camera, no major leaks have surfaced about the standard iPhone 17. The rear camera layout is expected to remain similar to the iPhone 16, with two vertically-aligned lenses on the left side.
Unlike the Pro and Air models, the standard version likely won’t feature the new horizontal camera bar. However, it is still expected to include a 48MP main (fusion) camera and a 12MP ultra-wide lens.
The iPhone 17 series is expected to be officially announced in mid-September.
