Since 2019, iPhone Pros have had square-shaped camera modules that house the three sensors, as well as the flash. But clearly, in 2025, Apple could bring change. In any case, this is what is suggested by a photo recently published by a source on the social network Weibo, relayed by our colleagues at Android Authority.
This source published an alleged photo of the metal chassis of the future iPhone 17 Pro. And according to this image, the device would no longer have a square camera module, but rather a horizontal bar.
Taking inspiration from this alleged chassis photo, numerous sources have generated renders of the back that the iPhone 17 Pro could have.
Obviously, the horizontal camera bar immediately brings to mind Google’s Pixel smartphones. Indeed, since the Pixel 6, the Mountain View firm has made this horizontal bar its trademark. And if Apple, in turn, adopts this design, it is likely to spark a lot of discussion on social networks. But for the moment, as this photo does not come from an official source, caution remains in order.
Why did Google create the horizontal bar?
The Pixel 5 also had a square-shaped camera module. But when it developed the Pixel 6, which was expected to have significant camera improvements and bigger sensors, Google wanted to test something different and more aesthetically pleasing.
“Since its debut on the Pixel 6, the camera bar has become a hallmark of the line – so much so that today, when you think Pixel, you probably automatically think of that sleek bar that extends to the back of the phone”explained Google, in a blog post published in 2023. This bar is also a sort of homage to the search bar.
Surprisingly, rumors suggest that Google would now like to test new designs. Indeed, these indicate that the Pixel 9a would still have horizontally aligned sensors, but that the firm would no longer house these sensors inside a bar. But here too, caution is required, because nothing is official yet.
- According to a new rumor, the iPhone 17 Pro’s photo sensors could be horizontally aligned
- For now, caution is advised, but this design is reminiscent of the Google Pixel brand, which has made the camera bar its trademark
- As a reminder, this design was introduced by Google with the Pixel 6
