iPhone 17 Might Feature Redesigned Camera Bar: Rumour

Image: @MajinBuOfficial on X

Apple’s iPhone 17 lineup could sport a redesigned camera bar running along the width of the devices instead of the smaller bump on this year’s iPhone 16 series, according to one leaker known as “Majin Bu.”

The information comes from sketches found on Chinese social media. These illustrations depict what appears to be a slim camera bar on the back of the base iPhone 17 (reminiscent of the signature camera visor on Google’s Pixel phones), and a larger camera island on the iPhone 17 Pro to house the additional hardware.

By the leaker’s own admission, their source isn’t the most reliable. We’re also a little less than a year away from seeing Apple introduce its next lineup of iPhones onstage, so this rumour should be taken with an additional grain of salt.

“Despite the sources not being very reliable, I believe it’s possible we might see something like this; however, I expect the final products will be different from what is shown here,” the leaker cautioned in his post on X. Majin Bu previously shared accurate leaks about the iPhone 16’s vertically-aligned camera bump and bigger battery, among other things.

This new rumour directly contradicts recent reports suggesting the iPhone 17 Pro will retain the same camera array layout and rear design as this year’s iPhone 16 Pro models. Apple’s iPhone 17 series isn’t expected to launch until the second half of 2025, so the rumour mill is bound to churn out some conflicting reports this early into the game.

So far, relatively more credible reports coming down the grapevine have indicated that the iPhone 17 lineup will feature display upgrades (including a 120Hz variable refresh rate across all models), along with more RAM, better cooling, and all-new A19 Pro chips for the Pro models. What’s more, the iPhone 17 series is also expected to axe the poorly-selling “Plus” model in favour of a higher-end, ultra-thin model that analysts have taken to calling the “Slim” or the “Air.”