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One more time! iPhone 17 leak claims the front camera is getting its first real upgrade in years

By Tsveta Ermenkova

Published: Mar 18, 2025, 7:16 AM

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Apple iPhone

A person holding the iPhone 16 Pro in their hand, showing the front side of the phone.

iPhone 16 Pro. | Image credit – PhoneArena

The buzz around the upcoming iPhone 17 series is already picking up, with leaks and rumors giving us some clues about what is in store. So far, all signs point to design changes coming to the new iPhones, along with some internal upgrades. And now, once again, the talk about a new front-facing camera is being backed up.

Building on earlier rumors about the iPhone 17 series' front camera, a new report once again suggests that all four models – iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max – will feature a 24 MP selfie camera, replacing the 12 MP camera seen on previous models.

The front camera hasn't seen much change since the iPhone 11 back in 2019, so this upgrade is a big deal. With a 24 MP resolution, selfies should look much sharper and photos will hold up better even when cropped, giving users more room to tweak their images in post-processing.

Aside from the selfie camera upgrade, this latest report backs up other previous rumors about the iPhone 17 series, including a 48 MP telephoto camera for the Pro and Pro Max models. If true, this could pave the way for 8K video recording on the Pro models.

There were reports last year that Apple had been testing 8K video on the iPhone 16 Pro but had to hold off due to the 12 MP telephoto lens only supporting 4K. Now, with the upgraded telephoto camera, we might finally see this long-awaited feature.

The Pro models are also rumored to come with the A19 Pro chip and 12 GB of RAM, likely to power additional Apple Intelligence features. Plus, all models could feature Wi-Fi 7, a technology that is currently only available on the iPhone 16 Pro. However, only the iPhone 17 Air might use Apple's in-house C1 modem, which was first introduced with the iPhone 16e.

iPhone 16e review: No man's land

Moreover, the report also backs up the idea that only the iPhone 17 Air will feature a titanium frame, with the Pro models and others sticking to aluminum and it also hints that Apple's foldable iPhone is finally in the works.

A photo of four metal molds for iPhone cases, showing different camera cutouts and MagSafe ring imprints.

The iPhone 17 series might look quite different than the current iPhone 16 series. | Image credit – Sonny Dickson

Now, as for whether all of this will come to fruition, it is still uncertain. I do believe the front camera will get an upgrade – it is long overdue, after all. The A19 chip also seems pretty likely, given Apple's usual release patterns.

However, when it comes to the Pro models ditching titanium, I'm not so sure. Apple made a big deal out of introducing titanium as a Pro feature with the iPhone 15 Pro, and for years, the Pro versions have stood out with more premium materials (it was stainless steel before titanium). It would be a bit surprising if the company moved away from that, but we'll just have to wait and see.

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Tsveta, a passionate technology enthusiast and accomplished playwright, combines her love for mobile technologies and writing to explore and reveal the transformative power of tech. From being an early follower of PhoneArena to relying exclusively on her smartphone for photography, she embraces the immense capabilities of compact devices in our daily lives. With a Journalism degree and an explorative spirit, Tsveta not only provides expert insights into the world of gadgets and smartphones but also shares a unique perspective shaped by her diverse interests in travel, culture, and visual storytelling.

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