It’s that time of the year when the first CAD design and dummy units start leaking for the next iPhone generation. February is almost over, and we’re getting closer to the next-gen iPhone production run; that’s why these leaks drop so reliably.
The iPhone 17 is no different. We’ve started seeing design leaks that show the phone’s big changes, and now we have an image that shows the purported iPhone 17 models side by side.
But if you haven’t followed iPhone 17 rumors closely, you might think the following CAD designs are fake. No way is Apple going to deliver the four designs you’ll see below. No way that the base iPhone 17, 17 Air, and the 17 Pros will look so different.
Well, yes, way! I know the designs look crazy to anyone who has used iPhones for a few years, but I think I can make sense of everything.
Leaker Majin Bu posted on X the image below that features the four alleged iPhone 17 models. From left to right, we have the iPhone 17 Air, the base iPhone 17, the iPhone 17 Pro Max, and the iPhone 17 Pro.
We’re only looking at the back of the four phones because there’s nothing changing on the front side. All four phones will have all-screen displays with Dynamic Islands at the top and small bezels. The iPhone 17 Pro Max might feature a narrowser island, according to some rumors.
The iPhone 17 Air is the ultra-thin option of the four, replacing the iPhone Plus model.
As for the phones’ rear panel, it’s obvious we’re looking at a few big changes.
The iPhone 17 Air introduces a new design language for the iPhone camera module. We’re getting a camera bar featuring a single lens. The horizontal bar is similar to what Google has done on Pixel phones, though Google is moving away from that camera design for new models.
I speculated that Apple might need the larger camera bar to accommodate the Face ID components located in the middle of the phone near the top side. Another possibility is that Apple is looking to make a single-lens camera bump more tolerable on an ultra-thin phone.
The iPhone 17 Pro Max and 17 Pro feature similar camera module elongation. The purpose of this design decision is still unclear, but I think it has to do with Apple’s desire to bring some uniformity to same-year iPhone models. It’s all because of the iPhone 17 Air. We saw iPhone 17 Air and Pro renders that proposed the same camera bars for these phones (see below)>
Apple doesn’t need horizontal camera bars on the Pro iPhone models, but it can use the design to give the phones a visual identity. You’ll notice the camera bars in stores, and you’ll know you’re looking at a new device.
As for the red part? Rumors say the iPhone 17 Pro models will feature a two-tone design on the back. The red part is almost certainly glass, so Apple can offer MagSafe support. Well, the yellow rear glass on the non-Pro models is also glass. MagSafe should still work on the non-Pro models.
The color red is meant to visually inform us that the iPhone 17 Pros might have camera bars made of something other than glass. Some rumors say it might be metal.
With all that in mind, the base iPhone 17 is an odd duck. Its rear design is identical to the base iPhone 16 and 16 Plus. Apple isn’t giving this one a horizontal camera bar, making it stand out of the three. So, what’s the deal with design uniformity here?
Remember that Apple has reused the same overall iPhone design for several years. But every new generation brings some sort of new feature to set it apart from its predecessors.
The iPhone 12 introduced the current iPhone design in 2020. Apple’s iPhone 13 series brought us diagonal cameras for the base model. The iPhone 14 Pros introduced the Dynamic Island. Then, the iPhone 15 Pros were the first to feature Action buttons. The iPhone 16 series comes with Camera Control buttons.
The iPhone 17 will introduce the iPhone 17 Air, a more expensive phone than the base model, but one that’s not exactly a Pro. It should feature some compromises compared to the other phones, but Apple will surely sell it for a premium price. I expect it to match the iPhone Plus price.
But the phone Apple really wants to sell to you is the more expensive iPhone 17 Pro or 17 Pro Max. The redesigned camera bars make these look new to buyers. You can’t have people thinking the iPhone 17 Air is the newest phone they should buy.
The Air, Pro, and Pro Max are more expensive than the base iPhone 17 flavor. This explains why the latter doesn’t need any design changes. The iPhone 17 is the cheapest phone Apple will sell this year. It will be a great device for most people. It doesn’t need these same tiny design tweaks.
Apple can save money by keeping the base iPhone 16 design unchanged for the base iPhone 17 model. That might mean Apple won’t raise the price for the cheapest version, which is what we all want.
This is all speculation, of course. There’s always a chance the design leaks aren’t accurate. Or, if they are, Apple might have different reasons for not giving the iPhone 17 a camera bar.
The post These iPhone 17 Air and Pro renders seem fake, but I can totally explain it appeared first on BGR.
