This iPhone 17 Pro design feels wrong… but could be right

Sure, maybe there is a good reason for that (I will get to it in a sec), but the whole thing gives me "guesswork based on CAD files" vibes. It doesn't really feel like something Apple would sign off on – especially that oversized camera bar and individual lens bumps. I mean, isn't the whole point of a giant camera slab to avoid the bumps in the first place? Apple's usually smarter than that. Still, who knows – maybe we will all be eating our words in September.

A design change that has to happen?

Now, like it or not, Apple kind of has to switch things up with the Pro iPhones. I mean, they've looked more or less the same for years. So yeah, a change is due. But if this is really the change Apple is going for, I get why it might feel a bit strange to a lot of people. It just seems like change for the sake of change, right?

It looks like it is not adding any clear new utility – it is just... different. But is it just that? Word on the street is the iPhone 17 Pro could come with a brand-new 48 MP telephoto camera. The current 12 MP telephoto lens might be swapped out for a 48 MP periscope camera, offering up to 10x lossless zoom.

And that could be why the camera island is bigger. Cramming more megapixels into a sensor usually means smaller pixels and smaller pixels struggle with light. For example, this has been a problem with the iPhone 16 Pro's ultrawide sensor, which is 48 MP but the same size as the old 12 MP version. Same sensor size, but way more pixels = less light-gathering.

So, to fix that, Apple might go with a bigger sensor for the telephoto. Bigger sensor, more light, better shots – especially in low light. But now there is a space issue. The tetraprism lens setup Apple's using can't just expand sideways, so the solution? Rotate the sensor layout – basically turn the whole telephoto assembly sideways (when holding your phone horizontally).

That creates another problem: where does the LiDAR go now? Apparently, it has to shift over, which might explain the weird spacing we see in those renders. So, the larger camera bar might not just be for show – it could be there to make room for some serious camera upgrades.

But can't we have both – better cameras and a better design? I really hope Apple's final version looks better than those early renders and still keeps that sleek, signature Apple feel.

Personally, I’d be thrilled if Apple just tucked all the camera bumps inside the camera bar – kind of like what we are seeing on the Pixel 9. Or even better, no bumps at all. Just a clean, flat back that doesn’t wobble on a table and actually slides into my pocket – or that awkwardly small pocket in my bag – without putting up a fight.