First iPhone 17 Pro Design Leak Claims Surprising Return to Aluminum, Rectangular Camera Bump, and More

Apple's iPhone 17 Pro and ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max will offer "significant design changes," The Information's Wayne Ma reports.

iphone 16 pro models 1
The two flagship iPhone 17 models will be the first high-end iPhones to feature an aluminum frame since the delineation of the iPhone lineup into Pro and non-Pro models. In recent years, lower-end ‌iPhone‌ models such as the ‌iPhone‌ SE and iPhone 16 have featured aluminum frames. Until the release of the iPhone 15 Pro, high-end ‌iPhone‌ models featured stainless steel frames. Now, the high-end iPhones feature titanium chassis – a change that was touted as one of the key upgrades of the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro. With the introduction of the ‌iPhone 17‌ lineup, Apple is reportedly planning to bring the entire selection of devices back to aluminum.

The rear of the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max will also feature a new part-aluminum, part-glass design. The top half of the back will be made of aluminum and feature a "rectangular camera bump made of aluminum rather than traditional 3D glass," while the bottom half will continue to be made of glass to support wireless charging. Apple introduced a glass back to the ‌iPhone‌ with the ‌iPhone‌ 8 and ‌iPhone‌ X in 2017, but prior to that, every ‌iPhone‌ except the ‌iPhone‌ 3G, ‌iPhone‌ 3GS, and ‌iPhone‌ 5C had an aluminum rear. The new, aluminum camera bump of the ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ will also apparently be larger than that of previous models.

The new design will constitute one of the most significant visual changes to the high-end ‌iPhone‌ models in recent years. The Information has an excellent track record for accurate Apple rumors, so the latest report is highly likely to pan out. The ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ and ‌iPhone 17 Pro‌ Max are expected to launch in the fall of 2025 alongside the ‌iPhone 17‌ and iPhone 17 Air.

Related Roundups: iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro
Related Forum: iPhone

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Top Rated Comments

ProbablyDylan Avatar
7 months ago

That’s fine. A glass and aluminum back can be premium, just look at iPhone 5. It’s lightweight as well.
Not to mention incredibly good looking. iPhone 5/5S/SE was the peak of smartphone design IMO.
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Lounge vibes 05 Avatar
7 months ago

Apple introduced a glass back to the iPhone with the iPhone 8 and iPhone X in 2017, but prior to that, every iPhone except the iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, and iPhone 5C had an aluminum rear.
this is all just wrong.
The iPhone 4 and 4S had glass backs, and the 5, 5S and SE1 all had both aluminum and glass on the back.
the 4 and 4S didn't have aluminum as one of its main external materials at all.
Are we really at the point where people who literally write about Apple for a living just... forget the iPhone 4? Literally the most important iPhone next to the original?
Score: 33 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mscice Avatar
7 months ago
Is it just me, or has Apple hit a bit of a creative plateau when it comes to iPhone innovation?
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JOLoughlin Avatar
7 months ago
Sounds bogus. If true it's a method to maintain margins. Can’t think of a good reason to do this otherwise. Curious how Apple will tell the story for why aluminum is a better material than titanium for the flagship iPhone.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ProbablyDylan Avatar
7 months ago

The top half of the back will be a "rectangular camera bump made of aluminum rather than traditional 3D glass," while the bottom half will continue to be made of glass to support wireless charging.
So it'll look like a Pixel 8?

Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
hoorayforhollywood Avatar
7 months ago
I’ve no expertise, but I wonder if aluminum is easier to put more interesting colours on than titanium?
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)