iPhone 17 camera layout may not radically change after all

A new leak claims that recent rumors of at least one iPhone 17 model switching to a horizontal row of cameras, are wrong.

The original rumor came from two sources that both claimed knowledge of a horizontal camera bar being introduced for at least one of the iPhone 17 models. It was suspected that the model would be the expected iPhone 17 Slim, whose thinner size is believed to be presenting engineering challenges.

According to leaker "Instant Digital" on Chinese social media site Weibo, there will be a redesigned camera system — but not a significant one.

"My source told me that the appearance of the back has indeed changed," writes "Instant Digital" on Weibo (in translation), "but the layout of the three cameras is still triangular, not the horizontal bar spread on the Internet now."

"Instant Digital" similarly disputed other recent rumors that said Apple would be dropping the use of titanium for the iPhone 17 Pro chassis. In that case, his or her argument was about marketing and how Apple would struggle to spin the change as an improvement.

That was clearly opinion rather than researched commentary. However, the implication is that disputing the camera change is based on information from the supply chain.

This is better than "Instant Digital" only presuming what Apple will or won't do. But the leaker has only a middling reputation for leaks about Apple.

If he or she is correct, we should soon start seeing leaked photos or CAD images. One of the rumors regarding a horizontal bar did include a supposed frame for the iPhone 17 Slim, which included a horizontal cutout for the cameras — but we believe that to be a render.

The leaker who showed that cutout chassis previously leaked what was claimed to be Apple's roadmap for iPad releases.