Leaked iPhone 17 Pro design raises eyebrows

It's that time of year again, when the dust has settled on the latest iteration of the iPhone and the rumour mill turns its attention to what's coming next. After the somewhat underwhelming iPhone 16 Pro, many are hoping for a redesign in 2025. And the latest rumours suggest this could indeed be on the cards.

Photos of what leakers claim to be the frame of the iPhone 17 Pro have emerged online, and they show a surprising design that many are likening to Google's Pixel range. With a horizontal camera layout, the design could mark a radical departure from the 'triangle' lens layout we've had since the iPhone 11 Pro. Whether a new layout will help the iPhone keep its spot on our best camera phones roundup remains to be seen, but it'll certainly be surprising to see Apple copy Google's homework.

Renders and photos shared on Chinese social media website Weibo show the vertical camera layout, with the three lenses spread across the top of the device.

The leak has raised eyebrows among iPhone fans. Some are casting doubt over the images, as it is believed that the lenses need to sit horizontally when the phone is being used as a camera in order to capture spatial video (which would explain why the lenses were switched back to vertical on the iPhone 16).

But even more surprising is how overtly this design seems to echo that of the Google Pixel. Would Apple really borrow the design language of its most notable rival?

Time will tell what design changes Apple has in store for the iPhone 17 line up. But while an apparently Pixel-inspired camera setup might be unlikely, it isn't the first slightly baffling design rumour we've heard – if rumours are to be believed, we might also be in for a downgrade when it comes to materials.