iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max just tipped for big camera upgrades — here’s what’s coming

1 month ago 8

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When it comes to the cameras in the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max, the only one to get a big upgrade was the ultrawide. It went from a 12MP one to an even better pixel crunching 48MP ultrawide shooter with the iPhone 16 Pro lineup. According to the latest rumors, it looks like we could see the same upgrades for the cameras with the iPhone 17 Pro models.

Analyst Jeff Pu reiterates that next year’s iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max could see upgrades to their telephoto and selfie cameras, similar to what we got with the iPhone 16 Pro. Specifically, Pu says that the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will get a 48MP telephoto camera — while the front-one is also going up to a 24MP selfie one.

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These should be excellent upgrades, especially for the selfie camera because Apple has leaned on the same 12MP TrueDepth front camera since the iPhone 11 Pro. You could say it’s long overdue for an upgrade, so this should be a big leap for anyone who relies on the front-camera more than anything else.

I suspect that the photo quality will be much improved, especially if Apple intends on applying any of its pixel binning tech to deliver more usable zooming without degrading the quality. Moreover, I think this would also benefit video recording the most because the upgrade could result in sharper, more detailed videos.

Currently, the 12MP TrueDepth camera in place with the current iPhone 16 Pro models top out at 4K 60fps recording. Given that the front camera is still the only way content creators can shoot video and see themselves at the same time, this long awaited upgrade should tide people over until an iPhone Flip actually surfaces.

Major iPhone 17 Pro Max design change

Another interesting tidbit shared by Pu is that he believes that the iPhone 17 Pro Max in particular will have a “much narrowed Dynamic Island” due to the phone adopting a smaller “metalens” for its Face ID system. This could help the design to look more seamless and closer to how the best Android phones look with their pinhole or under-display selfie cameras.

These are a few of the biggest upgrades expected for the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max because Pu details that their displays will stay the same at 6.3 and 6.9-inches respectively, while also featuring A19 Pro chips that use TSMC’s 3nm manufacturing process that’s currently used by the iPhone 16 Pro models.

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Given how we expect to see rival phones like the OnePlus 13 and Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra launching at the beginning of 2025, these upgrades are convincing reasons that could make theiPhone 17 Pro models some of the best phones around. It’s also worth noting that Apple is tipped to also announce a slimmer model called the iPhone 17 Air.

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John’s a senior editor covering phones for Tom’s Guide. He’s no stranger in this area having covered mobile phones and gadgets since 2008 when he started his career. On top of his editor duties, he’s a seasoned videographer being in front and behind the camera producing YouTube videos. Previously, he held editor roles with PhoneArena, Android Authority, Digital Trends, and SPY. Outside of tech, he enjoys producing mini documentaries and fun social clips for small businesses, enjoying the beach life at the Jersey Shore, and recently becoming a first time homeowner.

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