All of Apple's new iPhone models feature a significantly upgraded 18-megapixel front-facing camera with Center Stage and a square sensor.
Users can expect significantly better selfies, especially in low-light conditions. The improvement is one of the biggest upgrades to the iPhone's front-facing camera ever. The history of major upgrades to the iPhone's front-facing camera is as follows:
- iPhone 4 (2010): 0.3-megapixels
- iPhone 5 (2012): 1.2-megapixels
- iPhone 6S (2015): 5-megapixels
- iPhone 7 (2016): 7-megapixels
- iPhone 12 (2020): 12-megapixels
- iPhone 17 (2025): 18-megapixels
The new 18-megapixel camera is present on the iPhone 17, iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. The only iPhones still on sale with a camera below 18-megapixels are the iPhone 16e, iPhone 16, and iPhone 16 Plus which retain a 12-megapixel camera.
The new front-facing camera features Center Stage for the first time, keeping the user in frame during video calls. It also enables ultra-stabilized video in 4K HDR. In addition, users can record on the front and rear cameras simultaneously with Dual Capture.
The sensor is square, which is a first for the iPhone, allowing users to take photos and videos in portrait or landscape while holding their iPhone vertically.
