For the iPhone 17 series, Apple is rumored to have abandoned its typical approach to the rear camera module. Instead of the traditional square camera bump, at least some of the devices are expected to adopt an oblong design, housing the lenses in a raised strip across the top – similar to the runway-style bar used on some Google Pixel phones.
The camera bar bump has been rumored for a new slimmer "iPhone 17 Air" device that will replace the iPhone Plus model in the upcoming lineup. It has also been rumored for both the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models. While no rumors have specifically claimed that the same or a similar design is also coming to the standard iPhone 17, a series-wide change to all upcoming iPhone 17 models makes the most sense.
On Tuesday, the leaker "Majin Bu" shared an alleged image of iPhone 17 shells with a pill-shaped raised camera bar along the top. One of the most notable features about the image is that the camera bar appears to have only one lens hole. Only the slimmer "Air" model is said to have a single camera lens, which would suggest that the shells are destined for the new slim device, said to measure just 5.5mm at its thinnest point.
The new camera design will constitute one of the most significant visual changes to iPhones in recent times, but there are other major design changes rumored to be coming to the iPhone 17 Pro models.
iPhone 17, the design seems confirmed. pic.twitter.com/5Wh6alUiMr — Majin Bu (@MajinBuOfficial) January 21, 2025
According to The Information, The rear of the Pro models will also feature a new part-aluminum, part-glass design. The camera bump is said to be made of aluminum rather than traditional 3D glass, while the bottom part of the case will continue to be made of glass to support wireless charging. However, the main chassis is also expected to be made of aluminum, rather than the titanium used in iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models. Apple has not used aluminum for a higher-end iPhone since the stainless steel iPhone X was introduced in 2017.
The iPhone 17 models will also allegedly feature a smoother transition between the edges of the camera bump and the back cover, owing to Apple's use of a new glass-and-metal splicing material process.
Given how rumors are converging around the new-look camera module and new chassis material choices, the iPhone 17 lineup could well prove to be one of the more dramatic iPhone reveals that we have seen for a long while.
