We’ve still got months to go before the new iPhone 17 models come out, but a combination of dummy models and leaks have given us some insight into what we can expect in terms of camera changes.
Apple is adding new camera features, and changing the design of the camera bump for some models. You might be skeptical of dummy models, but over the years, they’ve proven to be a highly accurate reflection of Apple’s design changes. It’s case makers who suss out the info used for these dummy models, because there’s big money in being the first to market with a case for a new device.
We’ve rounded up everything that we’ve heard so far about Apple’s upcoming camera tweaks.
All iPhones
All four of the iPhones coming in 2025 are expected to have an upgraded 24-megapixel front-facing camera, which marks a major improvement over the current 12-megapixel front camera.
You’ll be able to crop in further on selfies without a loss of quality with that size increase, plus we can also expect better low light performance and more detail in images.
iPhone 17 Pro
For the first time, the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max will have a trio of 48-megapixel lenses, with a 48-megapixel Fusion lens, a 48-megapixel Ultra Wide lens, and a new 48-megapixel Tetraprism Telephoto lens. The new Ultra Wide lens was introduced in the iPhone 16 Pro, and the upgraded Telephoto lens will be 2025’s standout camera feature.
With 48 megapixels, it will be possible to crop in further on Telephoto images without losing detail, for even closer shots.
Apple plans to focus camera marketing on video this year, and the iPhone 17 Pro models could support 8K video recording, up from 4K in the iPhone 16 Pro models. There might also be support for dual video recording, which would let users record video with both the front and rear cameras at the same time for sharing on social media.
There have been rumors suggesting the iPhone 17 Pro models might have a mechanical aperture that will let users adjust the amount of light reaching the lens. Apple has only used fixed apertures to date, but a variable aperture would allow for more customizable images with a shallower depth-of-field.
Along with all of these camera improvements, it looks like there’s going to be a major camera redesign. Instead of a square camera bump, Apple’s going to turn it into a rectangle. There will be a horizontal camera bar across the back of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, and it’ll house the cameras.
The lenses are still going to be in the same general orientation, apparently, with a triangular setup that packs them close together. The flash, microphone, and the LiDAR sensor will be moved further to the right at the other end of the rectangle. It’s not clear why Apple is making this design change.
iPhone 17 Air
Because of interior space constraints, the iPhone 17 Air will have just one 48-megapixel Fusion camera. It won’t have the room for an Ultra Wide lens or a Telephoto lens, because Apple is making the iPhone 17 Air super thin. Rumors suggest it’ll be just 5.5mm thick.
The iPhone 17 Air is getting the same horizontal rear camera bar as the iPhone 17 Pro, but it won’t be as tall since it only needs to accommodate one lens. The camera lens will be on the left, and the flash and microphone will be on the right.
With just one camera, the iPhone 17 Air won’t be able to capture spatial video or spatial photos, unless Apple has a new method for using a single-lens camera to capture that kind of footage.
iPhone 17
Aside from that 24-megapixel front-facing camera improvement, we haven’t heard anything about the iPhone 17. The iPhone 17’s rear camera seems to look the same as the iPhone 16’s rear camera, with two lenses in a vertical arrangement at the left side of the device.
It doesn’t look like the standard iPhone 17 will get the same horizontal camera bar that Apple is introducing for the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Air models.
We also haven’t heard anything about sensor improvements, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a possibility. The iPhone 17 is expected to continue to feature a 48-megapixel Fusion lens and a 12-megapixel Ultra Wide lens.
Read More
For more on all of the features that are coming to the 2025 iPhone lineup, we have dedicated iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, and iPhone 17 Pro roundups.
