For the past several iPhone generations, Apple has kept the design largely the same. There have been some minor iterations here and there, but nothing particularly drastic. We believed that this could change with the iPhone 17 Pro series, but that may no longer be the case as a new report suggests that Apple will keep the same camera design.
Pixel-like camera design
According to a post on Weibo by tipster “Instant Digital”, they are claiming that Apple will maintain the same “triangle” camera design for the iPhone 17 Pro models. This basically means that the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max could resemble its predecessors, the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max.
This is actually quite a stunning revelation if true. It also contradicts an earlier report by tipster Digital Chat Station from last week. The post claimed that Apple could change the camera layout for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Instead of stuffing the cameras to the side in a triangle formation, Apple might adopt Google’s design approach for its Pixel phones and place the cameras in a horizontal orientation across the back of the phone.
This rumor was later seemingly corroborated by a leaked photo. The photo is alleged to be the frame for the iPhone 17 Pro model. It contained a cutout running horizontally across the back of the phone. Presumably, that is where the cameras would go.
Sticking with the familiar
The change to the “triangle” camera layout was something that Apple introduced with the iPhone 11 series. It marked a departure from the previous design that featured a vertical camera layout. This is due to the addition of the third Ultra Wide camera. Apple has kept the camera design the same since, right up to the iPhone 16 series.
To be honest there’s really nothing wrong with the current design. There are some who are probably hoping for a shakeup in terms of the overall design, but if this rumor proves accurate, Apple will stick with the same design for at least one more iPhone generation. It is possible that Apple doesn’t want to draw obvious comparisons to Google’s Pixel phones.
Instant Digital has a mixed track record for Apple-related leaks and rumors. They have proven themselves to be scarily accurate in some instances, but have fallen short in others. We’re still quite a long way to go from the iPhone 17 series’ launch, so it’s best to take this with a grain of salt.
