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A new report from MacRumors relays that Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro will introduce several new camera improvements that will make the device a compelling upgrade. Citing an anonymous source, the report claims that Apple’s next-gen iPhone will boast an improved Telephoto lens with support for 8x optical zoom. If true, this would represent a welcome leap forward from the current iPhone 16 Pro, which has a 5x optical zoom. The upgrade will be especially noticeable to users upgrading from older iPhone Pro models. For instance, note that the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro feature 3x and 2x optical zoom, respectively.
The report further claims that the iPhone 17 Pro will ship with a brand new camera app geared for pro users, along with a brand new camera button “on the top edge of the devices, for quickly accessing the camera and related settings.” What the specialized app will bring to the table remains to be seen, but the rumor certainly aligns with previous reports claiming that Apple plans to make video recording a focal point of its upcoming iPhone Pro lineup.
Additional iPhone 17 Pro camera rumors
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All in all, there’s mounting evidence that Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro will deliver a slew of camera improvements across the board. Earlier this year, for instance, we saw rumblings that Apple’s next-gen iPhone might include support for 8K video recording. Now, whether or not that’s needed is an entirely different question, but it certainly seems as if Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro will not be an incremental upgrade.
One particularly intriguing iPhone 17 Pro rumor suggests that the device will enable users to simultaneously record footage using the front and rear cameras. This type of feature has been available for years via third-party apps, but it now appears that Apple wants to get in on the action as well. Interestingly enough, this specific rumor was originally brought to light by Jon Prosser, who was recently sued by Apple for leaking information about iOS 26. As part of the lawsuit, which we covered last week, Apple claims that Prosser managed to screen record beta versions of iOS 26 from an engineer on Apple’s Photos team. In other words, now that we know one of Prosser’s sources, it stands to reason that the rumored multi-cam feature is legit.
Another compelling iPhone 17 Pro camera upgrade involves the TrueDepth front-facing camera which Apple hasn’t changed much since 2020. As it stands now, the iPhone 16 Pro boasts a 12MP sensor. With the iPhone 17 Pro, that will reportedly be bumped up to a 24MP sensor. It’s worth noting that the 24MP sensor may be included across the entire iPhone 17 lineup as opposed to being an iPhone 17 Pro exclusive.
New camera bump design and new color options
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Over the past few months, dummy models of the iPhone 17 Pro lineup have given us a potential look at a slightly redesigned camera bump. While the camera bump on the recent iPhone Pro models consists of a small module on the back that’s about half the width of the device, the camera bump on the iPhone 17 Pro model may stretch across the entire device. You can get a better look at what this is going to look like in this YouTube video, which showcases some iPhone 17 Pro mockups based on leaked schematics.
As for other tidbits, several credible rumors have relayed that Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro will be available in four colors: dark blue, black, silver, and a brand new orange color. Per usual, these colors will be bolder and louder than the entry-level iPhone 17 color options. Specifically, Apple’s base model iPhone 17 will be likely available in the following six colors: black, white, steel gray, light green, light purple, and light blue.
Other iPhone 17 Pro rumors suggest the device will boast an aluminum frame, 12GB of RAM, faster wireless charging, a custom Apple-designed Wi-Fi 7 chip, and last but not least, a slightly smaller Dynamic Island. As an aside, reputed analyst Ming-Chi Kuo late last year issued a research note claiming that Apple is planning to use is own Wi-Fi chips across the entirety of its product lineup by 2028. Kuo added that this will “reduce costs and enhance Apple’s ecosystem integration advantages.”
In terms of a launch window, Apple hasn’t officially announced its annual iPhone event just yet. Still, the timing of previous iPhone events suggests it will happen on either September 9 or 10, before arriving in stores on Friday, September 19.
