All four iPhone 17 models expected to launch next year will feature an upgraded 24-megapixel front-facing camera, according to Apple analyst Jeff Pu.
In a research note today for investment bank Haitong, obtained by MacRumors, Pu shared a chart indicating that the iPhone 17, the tentatively-named iPhone 17 Slim, the iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max will each be equipped with a 24-megapixel front camera with six plastic lens elements. By comparison, all iPhone 15 models are equipped with a 12-megapixel front camera with five plastic lens elements.
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also claimed that at least one iPhone 17 model would be equipped with a 24-megapixel front camera with a six-piece lens back in January, so this upgrade has now been rumored by multiple sources, making it more likely. Kuo said these changes will "significantly improve the image quality."
With a higher 24-megapixel resolution, photos can maintain their quality even when cropped to a greater degree, providing more flexibility in post-processing. A six-piece lens would also slightly enhance image quality, as each element is designed to correct for various aberrations and distortions, leading to clearer, more accurate photos.
iPhone 17 models are expected to launch in September 2025, so they are still over a year away. Rumors about the two-generations-away iPhones always begin quite early, as Apple develops and prototypes products well before they are released.
