iPhone 17 Pro May Maintain Current Camera Array Layout Despite Previous Reports

Apple’s unannounced iPhone 17 Pro is now rumoured to maintain the same triangular camera array layout as previous generations, similar to the iPhone 16 Pro. Previous reports indicate a change may have been planned.

According to leaker Instant Digital’s post on Weibo (first seen by MacRumors), sources have claimed that the appearance of the rear side of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will remain the same. The coming year’s Pro-level devices are believed to retain a similar rectangular raised bump. The camera array itself is said to be “still triangular,” according to the leaker.

This is in contrast to previous reports. Recently, it had been reported by The Information‘s Wayne Ma that the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max may feature a horizontal camera layout, similar to Google’s Pixel 9. On top of that, the new devices may sport an aluminum chassis with 3D glass on the top and a glass bottom half, supporting wireless charging. The report also believed that the iPhone 17 Air, a new entry into the series, would sport a singular “large, centred camera bump on its back.”

Apple’s use of the triangular camera array first began in the iPhone 11 generation. Adopting the triangular array felt like a huge design shift for the company. The reasoning behind this was to introduce the third camera lens, adding an Ultra Wide shooter to the mix alongside improved sensors. Ever since Apple has reserved the triangular layout for its Pro-level devices. iPhone’s design has almost been set in stone because the camera array has almost always been in the top left corner. A departure of any sort would be a major difference.