Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Phones
  3. Mobile
  4. News

The iPhone 17 Pro cameras could get a huge upgrade

Add as a preferred source on Google
iPhone 16 Pro Max in Desert Titanium.
Christine Romero-Chan / Digital Trends

The iPhone 16 is barely out but we’ve already heard quite a few rumors about the iPhone 17. For one, we know it’s going to lack an iconic model. It’s highly likely Apple is discontinuing the Plus series, instead opting for a base iPhone 17, the iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max. There’s also a new, debut phone in the works that’s been called the iPhone 17 Air or the Slim — you get no prizes for guessing what its selling point will be.

There’s potentially a bigger upgrade coming, though. The iPhone 17 is rumored to have a much higher-resolution front camera than the iPhone 16 does. Currently, the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max both have a 12-megapixel front camera, but the iPhone 17 Pro might potentially double that with a 24MP front camera, according to tipster Jeff Pu and GSMArena.

Recommended Videos

In addition, the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max will receive a 48MP telephoto lens, giving them the ability to zoom in dramatically farther than the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max’s 12MP telephoto lens. The higher-tier models will also run on the A19 Pro chip, have 12GB of RAM, and a faster refresh rate for its display.

Apple Intelligence Summaries on an iPhone 16 Pro
Notification Summaries in Apple Intelligence on the iPhone 16 series Nirave Gondhia / Digital Trends

The estimated release date for the iPhone 17 is around September of next year, but this is based on the limited information we have and Apple’s history of launches. The phone isn’t “confirmed,” but we all know it’s coming. That said, this early in the development process, things could change significantly before release.

The iPhone 16 is a powerhouse of a device, especially with Apple Intelligence on the way. The iPhone 17 is likely to be even better as the team refines how to integrate Intelligence into your day-to-day phone use.

Patrick Hearn
Former Technology Writer
Patrick has written about tech for more than 15 years and isn't slowing down anytime soon. With previous clients ranging from…
Viaim RecDot Review: These AI earbuds sounds great and also take notes for you
These earbuds do the one thing they set out to do, and they do it extremely well.
Viaiam RecDot in-ear

Button Text

Quick Take

Read more
Apple’s new Upgrade plan looks cheap until you remember who owns the device
Apple Upgrade could be perfect for serial upgraders. But most people aren't one
Computer, Electronics, Laptop

Apple has found a great way to make an expensive iPhone more approachable. Apple Upgrade lets customers lease eligible devices through Klarna, with iPhone terms lasting 12 or 24 months. At the end, you can return the device, begin another lease, or pay the remaining amount to own it.

My initial reaction focused heavily on the value customers lose by returning an iPhone they could have sold or traded. While that concern is still valid, the program makes considerably more sense for a select group of people who already replace their iPhones every year. But the question is... how many people actually do that?

Read more
Pixel 11 Pro Fold appears in official-looking images, and its design leaves me underwhelmed
Google’s next foldable looks too similar to the Pixel 10 Pro Fold
Electronics, Mobile Phone, Phone

Previous CAD renders had already lowered my expectations for the Pixel 11 Pro Fold. The latest promotional material shared by Evan Blass through the Leakmail newsletter leaves little hope of anything beyond a new paint job and design tweaks so minor that most people would struggle to notice them without looking closely.

The phone looks disappointingly similar to the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, retaining the same proportions, rounded corners, and unusual camera island. I have never liked the way Google stacks what look like two smaller Pixel camera visors on top of each other. It feels awkward rather than cohesive.

Read more