iPhone 17 series launch may still be some time away, but that hasn’t stopped Apple enthusiasts and leakers from building anticipation for the next-generation phones. Recent posts by Chinese tipsters have uncovered some of the major design changes that the iPhone 17 Pro variant could boast. Apple is said to change the rear camera design of the iPhone 17 lineup. A leaked image of the metal frame of the unannounced iPhone 17 Pro suggests a Pixel-style camera island. The new design could accommodate Apple’s Face ID components.
A Chinese tipster on Weibo (via Jukanlosreve) shared an image of a phone frame alleging that it resembles the frame of the iPhone 17. The frame which is said to be sourced from the supply chain shows a horizontal pill shaped cutout for housing the camera module. This camera bump is said to be made in the middle of the bar to make room for the “front structure light” (machine translated). This could be a reference for Face ID.
In the comment section, the tipster states that this new camera arrangement will enable “space video”. This might be a remark about the spatial video capabilities of the iPhone 17.
iPhone 17 Redesigned Rear Panel
Additionally, tipster Digitial Chat Station corroborated this rumour about design changes on Weibo. He claimed that based on the supply chain materials, Apple could change the camera island design of the iPhone 17 lineup. He mentions that new Android phones will also change to this design next year.
Rear design of alleged iPhone 17
Photo Credit: Weibo/ DCS
The tipster has posted an image of the iPhone 17 based on the latest rumours of a horizontal camera island. The leak showcases a Pixel-like design with a horizontally stacked camera array at the topmost part of the phone. This camera unit appears to be larger than previous models. The latest iPhone 16 Pro models feature a squarish camera bump on the top left of the rear that resembles a stove-top.
Apple’s iPhone 17 series is expected to be announced in September 2025 with the vanilla iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and a new slimmer iPhone 17 Air. More details about the design changes on the new iPhone family are expected to surface over the coming months.
