Major iPhone 17 Pro Redesign Backed by Supply Chain Info, Claims Leaker

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Never thought Apple would copy Samsung

There is regular copying BOTH ways (and with Google & Chinese manufacturers too). Apple used to refer to 3.5" and then 4" (BOTH) as "perfect" (screen sizes: "one handed use") and there were years of Apple and Apple fans ridiculing the "abominations" of phablet-sized phones ((developer) "fragmentation", (having to carry) "man purses", "pants with bigger pockets", etc). What's in your pocket now? How far off of "perfect" are we now?

Pay with phone (NFC) started "there." It was ridiculed as a gimmick ("my plastic works just fine" and "works everywhere") before Apple offered Applepay... and then there were calls for boycotts of stores who wouldn't accept Applepay.

And on and on. The entire list of Apple taking from others would be a long one... and vice versa.

 

[iZac]

Indeed, I guess you have to take spatial video in portrait mode if they go with this layout? Or maybe they determined that not enough people use spatial video to bother with it, unless you already own a Vision Pro.

My stupid solution would be that all camera sensors in this kind of arrangement should be perfectly square and just cropped in software (if chosen) when a user rotates the phone. That would mean aspect ratio / landscape / portrait adjustment would all be non-destructive.

Then the user could still create a square spatial video holding the device in portrait and the user can just crop it to whatever they want.

 

[james yates]

That is ugly, I will stick with my 15 pro max. Don't want people thinking I have a google phone.

 

[rumorphobe]

Next year's iPhone 17 Pro models will reportedly feature a major redesign, specifically centering around changes to the rear camera module, and now new supply chain information appears to confirm the striking change, according to a Chinese leaker.

iPhone 17 Pro concept render​

Late last month, The Information's Wayne Ma claimed that the rear of the ‌iPhone 17‌ Pro and ‌iPhone 17‌ Pro Max will feature a "rectangular camera bump made of aluminum rather than traditional 3D glass," while the bottom half will continue to be made of glass to support wireless charging. The report also said the "iPhone 17 Air" currently has a "large, centered camera bump on its back" with a single camera.

Concept renders like the one pictured above have been making the rounds ever since The Information report. However, this morning, Digital Chat Station, a Weibo user responsible for a range of details about the camera technology of upcoming iPhone models, claimed that supply chain materials they have seen appear to confirm the major camera module change.

"The details of the camera arrangement are unclear, but the module is of this elongated oval shape," said the leaker, commenting on the concept render image. "Many new Android phones next year are also expected to adopt a similar design," the leaker added.

If accurate, the Google Pixel-style module redesign would be one of the most significant changes to Apple's signature square iPhone camera bump since September 2019 when the iPhone 11 debuted.

The iPhone 11's square camera module was a marked shift from previous models, which featured a more traditional vertical camera layout. Apple's decision to switch to a square design was mainly driven by the need to accommodate a third camera in the form of a new Ultra Wide lens, along with improved sensors and optics. The introduction of the square bump set a new aesthetic standard for subsequent models, influencing the design of later releases right up to today's iPhone 16.

Commenting on the rumor, Ice Universe, another well-known Weibo-based leaker, noted that such an external change would require the internal structural design to undergo a "major overhaul — much like redesigning the layout of an old house," that would require a significant amount of time for validation. "Would Apple really take such an aggressive approach?" they added.

As always, the look of the devices is based on scraps of information at this point, and Apple's plans could always change. Regardless, what do you think of the rumored new redesign for the iPhone 17 Pro models? Let us know in the comments.

Article Link: Major iPhone 17 Pro Redesign Backed by Supply Chain Info, Claims Leaker

I will not be buying a phone that looks that stupid, Apple. Hope this is far far wrong

 

[JapanApple]

OMG, it's a Nightmare!

 

[Saturn1217]

If the iPhone 17 Pro ends up looking like the Google Pixel I am going to laugh so hard. After all the **** Apple gave other companies, including Google, for "copying the iPhone" in the past. "Copying" is something everyone in the industry does. It benefits the end consumer to have companies iterate on each other's ideas.

But also I would then immediately buy this. I think the Pixel camera array is a fantastic design choice. Way better than an ever growing wart on one side that doesn't let the phone lie flat on a surface.

I was NOT expecting the 17 Pro to be a major design change. Really hoping Apple doesn't mess anything up.

 

[bigjnyc]

I'm a sucker for design changes so I am intrigued by this and the weird iPhone 17 air details. First time in a long time that I am looking forward to an iPhone release.

 

[Harry Haller]

Slope>wobble.
Looks good to me.
Hopefully more memory and storage for Apple Smarts.

 

[Cwoods]

Honestly, I hope this checks out. I’m beyond tired of the wobble typing when the phone is flat.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

That is ugly, I will stick with my 15 pro max. Don't want people thinking I have a google phone.

This render is pretty ugly, but I can't imagine caring what phone people think I have. I don't personally pay any attention what phone someone is using or holding, and don't care what they think about what device I'm using. Additionally, the Pixel looks pretty good in person; my wife has one.

As a side, Apple needs to start sharing the thickness at the THICKEST part of the phone + camera bump. Stating how thin the phone is while having a camera bump that is 2cm (exaggeration, sorta) thick is just lying.

 

[pksv]

I feel like it’s change for sake of change

People will never be satisfied.
The same look for a few iterations? "Boring design".
Changing the design to something new? "Change for the sake of change".

 

[w_aldo]

And how will this work with the normal pro and the pro max? The cameras aren't going to scale up to match the width of the pro max (currently, the cameras are the same size on both phones), there will end up being a gap on the right on the larger phone, which ruins the "top bar" look.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Looks heavy

 

[UliBaer]

Nice, so the wobbling on the table stops...

...also nobody can distinguish the iPhone Pro from the Pixel Pro when both are in nice leather cases... 🤣

 

[Razeus]

Go back to the inline cameras of the iPhone X please.

 

[QuarterSwede]

How would it record special video with the camera like that

Doesn’t really make sense when you consider Spatial Video.

Unfortunately, more people take video in portrait than landscape sadly. Don’t have anything but what I see around me and with TikTok and shorts being so popular. Ugh.

The two on the outside might be about average eye width?

But then they would need to FINALLY address the ability to record landscape when holding phone vertical issue.

Yep.

Finally. My 12 mini is ready for the overhaul. Just one more year of this cr*p battery life and we’re set.

Just take it in for a battery swap. Cost me $89 on my out of warranty 12 pro max and was the best money I spent all year. Totally worth it even if for a few months.

 

[bigjnyc]

Nice, so the wobbling on the table stops...

...also nobody can distinguish the iPhone Pro from the Pixel Pro when both are in nice leather cases... 🤣

Sure you can... the camera cutout in the back is completely different.

 

[fantasyname_qwertz]

Those cameras get more and more ridiculous.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

OMG, it's a Nightmare!

Only until confirmed. The physical change reaction cycle from first rumor to release:

1. (first rumor) Rejection: "ugly", "never", "why", "Apple would never...", "the <as is design> is 'iconic'", etc.
2. (with more rumors implying it really is happening) Moderating Reluctance: "it's starting to grow on me", "I'll have to see it in person", etc. (basically creating room to embrace it if the change turns out to be true).
3. (launch yields overwhelming) Acceptance: "best iPhone camera setup ever", "finally, no more wobble when lying on a table", "Apple made the whole camera layout better than ever before", "shut up and take my money!"
4. Sales Support: "the old design looks goofy next to this one", "this is so much better than the old square layout", "how did we ever tolerate all that wobble?"
5. (rewriting history) Revisionism: "how aggravating that Google & Samsung copy Apple's camera layout", "Only Apple could come up with such a genius camera layout", etc.

Same sequence every time.

 

[frou]

Looks like a knuckle-duster!

 

[MrRom92]

This makes no sense. The cameras are oriented in a triangular pattern to minimize parallax error between them. This is how you get relatively seamless switching between cameras when you zoom in and out. This WILL get worse if the cameras are arranged differently.

 

[winxmac]

I prefer the Pixel 7 series and Pixel 8 series look than this render...

Apple should make it how Samsung did with Galaxy S10 and S10+ which is very minimal bump...

 

[AppleTO]

It looks ridiculous. I’d be more and more tempted to get the SE or the 17 “Air” with one camera.

 

[TracerAnalog]

I'm not buying it for now. The portrait orientation of the lenses does not line up with the just introduced camera control on the iPhone, which (in my opinion) was introduced to ease the capture of stereoscopic landscape photo's and videos for AR/VR purposes.

We'll see.

 

[rymc02]

📸 Question 📸

Anecdotally I see a lot of people in the comments state they want a flat back i.e. no camera bump.

Would you rather have no camera bump even at the cost of image quality?

Or would you rather see Apple continue to increase sensor size and lens to maximize image quality?