The 2025 iPhone is closer, and rumors of the design of the iPhone 17 Pro have made an unexpected twist. Instead, previous reports said the next-generation phone would sport a horizontal camera layout, just like what is reportedly on Google’s Pixel 9 Pro. The layout in question had been leaked by a source with a pretty good track record, and as expected, this had caused debates in many tech circles. But now, a new leak has emerged that contradicts this story.
The new leak, provided by a source named Instant Digital on Weibo, offers a different perspective. It cites that while the back of the iPhone 17 Pro will indeed undergo design changes, the three-camera setup will retain its classic triangular configuration. The update seems more plausible to many: the triplets have always been this setting since iPhone 11 while aligning with how an iPhone must be in a landscape mode for Spatial Video recording per Apple functionality.
The reason this triangular design is so important, for those wondering, is that the current placement facilitates key features like Spatial Video recording, which users enjoy while using the iPhone in a horizontal position. If Apple is to retain this functionality in the iPhone 17 Pro, it’s reasonable to believe they will stick with a similar camera arrangement.
But not all may. While the camera might continue to take the triangle as its setup form, others may alter their make and shape. Some leaks pointed to a switch towards aluminum rather than glass housing; most sources continue to state the majority of the rear of iPhone 17 Pro would continue their glass finish to be capable of wireless charging—also of great import and, most logically, expected not to delete in new line-ups moving forward from Apple.
But despite the conflicting reports, one thing is clear: the previously rumored Pixel-like horizontal camera bar design is now less likely to make its way to the iPhone 17 Pro. With still several months to go before the official unveiling, it’s safe to assume that more details will emerge, and the design could still evolve further as Apple fine-tunes its flagship device for 2025.
