The iPhone 17 has been the subject of quite a few leaks so far, but we might have just gotten our first look at its redesign. Spoiler alert: it’s a big one. If this design is accurate, then Apple has completely shifted the way it positions cameras on the back of devices, insteading opting for a horizontal side-by-side placement that makes the iPhone 17 look a lot like a Pixel device.
The suggested appearance was first leaked on Weibo, but caught and shared on X by known tipster Jukanlosreve. The post shows what looks to be a frame, said to be part of the iPhone 17 supply chain. According to the Weibo post, the bar places the ultra-wide angle lens in the middle to make room for the “front structured light.” We assume this means FaceID. The post has been translated from Chinese to English, so a few details were lost in translation.
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For example, in the comments the leaker says the design is like this for the purposes of “space video.” Again, that translation is probably not correct and most likely references Spatial Video, a feature that allows you to scan an object with your phone and see it inside the Apple Vision Pro headset.
A metal frame for a phone, possibly the iphone 17.
Shrodinger's British Shorthair / Weibo
The idea of such a design change to the iPhone feels completely alien. A few details have been tweaked here and there over the years, but rarely has Apple taken steps this drastic. Most of the improvements to the iPhone’s design have come in the form of slimmer builds, more cameras, or just a larger size. We’ve rarely seen a change in the positioning of the cameras quite like this.
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The first poster on Weibo isn’t alone, either. Digital Chat Station, another trusted insider, also backs up the claim and shared a rendering of what the iPhone 17 could look like.
A fan rendering of the iPhone 17 redesign.
Digital Chat Station / Weibo
Oddly enough, the next Pixel device is supposedly receiving its own design change that makes it look more like an iPhone than it originally did. The two companies are somehow swapping design languages, but it’s a welcome change. The Pixel has always had more elegant camera placement than the iPhone, and Apple adopting that same approach will yield better-looking phones.