iPhone 17 Camera Layout: Leakers disagree on design

Two well-known tech leakers have shared conflicting information about the iPhone 17 Pro’s camera layout. While both have credible track records, their claims about the camera module’s design are vastly different.

Horizontal Camera Bar or Triangular Design?
One leaker, Digital Chat Station, shared a concept image showing a horizontal camera bar for the iPhone 17 Pro. The render features three lenses placed side by side in a design resembling the Dynamic Island. While this is just a visual representation, they claim that this new layout is what Apple has decided on.

This leaker has been accurate in the past, correctly predicting the telephoto lens upgrade for the iPhone 16 Pro and the larger main camera sensor.

On the other hand, another leaker, Instant Digital, strongly disagrees. They state that while Apple is making changes to the back of the iPhone, the camera module will stick to its current triangular arrangement. However, they didn’t share further details about what the changes might look like.

Industry Speculation
The idea of a horizontal camera layout isn’t entirely new. Some users have compared the rumored design to phones from brands like Meizu, which use horizontal arrangements. However, aligning lenses horizontally may not be practical for landscape photography and video recording, which is why a vertical layout might make more sense in such cases.

Why Rumors Vary
These conflicting reports highlight the challenges of predicting Apple’s design decisions based on supply chain information. Apple is known for testing multiple designs during development and may even request prototype components from suppliers that never make it to production.

Additionally, Apple sometimes uses misdirection to protect its plans, feeding misleading information to reduce the risk of accurate leaks.

For now, the iPhone 17 Pro’s camera layout remains uncertain, but it’s clear that Apple continues to experiment with new designs to stand out in the competitive smartphone market.