In all likelihood, next year’s iPhone 17 Pro models would undergo a significant redesign, particularly focusing on the rear camera module. The first rumors are now corroborated by new information from the supply chain.
A new camera bump
Late last month, The Information’s Wayne Ma reported that the back of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max would feature a “rectangular aluminum camera bump rather than traditional 3D glass,” the lower half being kept in glass to support wireless charging. The report also explained that the “iPhone 17 Air” will sport a “large back-centered camera bump” with a single camera.
Today, Digital Chat Stationa Weibo user known for leaking details about the cameras of future iPhones, claims that supply chain documents they have seen confirm this significant change to the camera module.
The details of the camera layout are unclear, but the module has this elongated oval shape. Many new Android phones are also expected to adopt a similar design next year.
If this redesign comes to fruition, it would represent one of the most notable changes to Apple’s iPhone camera setup since the iPhone 11 debuted in September 2019. The iPhone 11 introduced a module square camera, deviating from the vertical layout of previous models, to accommodate an additional ultra-wide lens. This change not only changed the aesthetics of the phone, but also set the design tone for later models up to the current iPhone 16.
Although the change seems very targeted, it would still have strong repercussions on the general design of the device. This means that the development of the iPhone 17 would require considerable internal validation time compared to previous iPhones, iPhone 14 Pro except because of its Dynamic Island. Is it worth it? Especially since customers will ultimately see a return to the style introduced on the iPhone X, but in length…
Still, as with all early rumors, nothing is set in stone. Who is for a design change on the rear camera module? Remember that the basic iPhone 17 will finally be entitled to a 120 Hz screen, while Face ID could be more discreet on the “Pro”.
