Now that it has been six months since the iPhone 16 series launched, the leaks surrounding the iPhone 17 series, and especially the iPhone 17 Pro models, are becoming more frequent and intense, with alleged renders of the official devices, cases, and more being revealed. Now, it seems multiple sources are reporting the same thing, that the iPhone 17 Pro models could be in for a major redesign, especially in terms of the camera module. Additionally, new design elements are expected to be introduced with the iPhone 17 Air or Slim, based on what we have seen in case leaks so far.
Here’s What We Know About iPhone 17 Pro Design And What We Expect Apple To Deliver
The iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max could feature a dual-tone design, with part of the body being glass and the top camera housing made of aluminium. This is because the lower half of the phone needs to remain glass to support wireless charging and MagSafe.
The camera bump itself is expected to look quite different, marking a departure from the design language of the past several generations. Since the iPhone 11 Pro, Apple has consistently used a triangular camera module positioned in the top left corner. While some aspects of this layout are expected to continue, Apple may extend the camera module towards the extreme right of the phone, placing the LiDAR sensor and flash on the opposite edge, resulting in a significantly larger camera bump.
The iPhone 17 Air is also expected to feature a similar camera module. However, instead of a triple-camera setup, it will likely have a single-camera system, with the camera bar or island being reduced in size.
What We Feel About A Potential Design Revamp?
At this point, a design change by Apple seems almost mandatory. People have grown weary of the same design language across multiple generations. From a distance, it is difficult to differentiate an iPhone 16 Pro from an iPhone 15 Pro. In fact, aside from minor changes like the introduction of the camera control button, even identifying the latest iPhone based solely on its camera bump is challenging.
Apple is in dire need of a fresh new design, particularly for its Pro models. While the standard models have undergone several design changes over the years, the Pro models have remained largely unchanged, retaining flat sides, a flat back, and the same triangular camera layout. Even with small refinements, such as the transition from stainless steel to titanium, most users put their devices in cases, making these changes barely noticeable.
If the official launch follows this expected design direction, the changes may not be too drastic. However, they could be just enough to introduce a sense of freshness, sufficient to entice buyers to upgrade from their existing iPhones or even switch from Android, without alienating Apple’s current user base.
