Apple’s iPhone 17 Lineup Could Take a Page from Google’s Pixel Playbook

According to prominent leaker Sonny Dickson, the iPhone 17 Pro Max will boast a triangular camera arrangement, but this time, it will be housed within a larger, rectangular camera bar that spans the entire width of the phone. This design choice is strikingly reminiscent of Google’s Pixel series, which has long featured a horizontal camera strip.

The camera lenses will be positioned on the left side of the bar, while the flash, rear microphone, and LiDAR scanner will align vertically on the right side. This layout is a significant shift from the square camera module with rounded corners that has defined Pro iPhones for years.

YouTuber Jon Prosser from Front Page Tech has corroborated these details, adding that the camera bar will be larger than initially anticipated. Prosser also highlighted that the iPhone 17 Pro will feature a two-tone finish, with the camera bar appearing darker than the rest of the rear shell, creating a striking visual contrast.

This redesign is expected to extend to the iPhone 17 Pro Max and the rumored “iPhone 17 Air”, a potential ultra-thin variant. However, it remains unclear whether the standard iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Plus will adopt this new design language.

The motivation behind this redesign is still unclear. Some speculate it could be purely aesthetic, while others believe it may be an effort to further differentiate the Pro models in Apple’s lineup. The change comes as Apple approaches the five-year anniversary of the iPhone 12, which was the last major redesign of the iPhone.

As with all leaks and rumors, it’s important to approach this information with caution. Apple’s plans could evolve before the official release, which is expected in September 2025. The coming months will likely bring more leaks, clarifying or contradicting these current reports.

According to leaker Sonny Dickson, the iPhone 17 Pro Max will retain the familiar triangular camera arrangement, but housed within this new, larger camera bar. The camera lenses are positioned on the left side of the bar, while the LED flash, rear microphone, and LiDAR Scanner are aligned vertically on the right side.

This redesign marks a departure from the square camera module with rounded corners that has been a signature feature of Pro iPhones for several generations. The change is expected to make the iPhone 17 Pro models immediately recognizable and distinct from their predecessors.

YouTuber Jon Prosser from Front Page Tech corroborated these claims, stating that the camera bar will be considerably larger than many earlier concepts had shown. Prosser also mentioned that the iPhone 17 Pro features a two-tone finish, with the camera bar appearing darker than the rest of the rear shell.

It’s worth noting that this design change is expected to extend to the iPhone 17 Pro Max and the rumored ultra-thin “iPhone 17 Air” (or “iPhone 17 Slim”). However, it’s unclear if the base iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Plus models will adopt this new design language.

While the rationale behind this redesign is not entirely clear, some speculate it might be purely aesthetic or aimed at differentiating the Pro models further. The change comes as Apple approaches the five-year anniversary of the iPhone 12, which was the last major redesign of the iPhone lineup.

As with all leaks and rumors, it’s important to approach this information with caution. Plans could change before the official release, which is expected in September 2025. The coming months will likely bring more leaks and rumors, potentially clarifying or contradicting these current reports.