Apple iPhone 17 Pro Design Leaked: Here's What We Know So Far

Excitement is building as we edge closer to the anticipated launch of Apple’s next iPhone lineup, the iPhone 17 series, which is set to debut in September 2025, following the tech giant's tradition. Touted to include the iPhone 17, 17 Pro, and 17 Max, this new series has sparked a flurry of leaks, hinting at a major design overhaul.

However, a new report from industry insider Mark Gurman suggests that the design changes we’re hoping for might not be as revolutionary as expected. According to his newsletter, both the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Max are likely to maintain a look that's strikingly similar to their predecessors. Gurman cautions us not to expect a “particularly bold new look” for these models; rather, he hints that the rear camera will indeed sport a “meaningfully different” appearance.

Gurman says that we shouldn’t be expecting a “particularly bold new look” with iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max; however, the rear camera will look “meaningfully different.”

Amidst the swirling rumors, “some images online even show a two-tone design, with a dark-black camera block on top of a silver iPhone back. Those are, like many renders on the internet, not an accurate representation of what’s to come. The iPhone 17 Pro won’t have a two-toned back, I’m told. The camera area will be the same color as the rest of the device. That speaks to the more gradual design changes that Apple is making: The iPhone 17 Pro isn’t a major departure from current models,” Gurman wrote in the newsletter.

For those who are looking forward to drastic design changes, it seems we may have to wait until 2027, with the much-anticipated iPhone 19 series—the 20th anniversary of the iPhone. Gurman envisions this release featuring a "bold new Pro" model, alongside the introduction of a foldable iPhone.

While the iPhone 17 Pro models may not be stepping out in a stunning new redesign, sources indicate they will boast impressive upgrades, particularly in camera capabilities. Recent leaks suggest the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max could feature a powerful 48-MP telephoto camera with an 85mm focal length equivalent. This shift significantly ups the ante from the 12-MP telephoto lens found in the current iPhone 16 Pro models, which offers a 120mm focal length.

That said, this exciting advancement comes with a slight trade-off—expect the iPhone 17 Pro models to dial down their maximum optical zoom to 3.5x, a step back from the 5x zoom available on their current counterparts. On the bright side, users can still enjoy up to a 7x “lossless” digital zoom, thanks to innovative in-sensor crop zoom technology, reminiscent of the capabilities seen in the iPhone 16 Pro’s main camera.

Under the hood, prepare for performance enhancements as the iPhone 17 Pro is likely to be powered by the upcoming A19 Pro chip, built using TSMC’s cutting-edge 3nm (N3P) process. This new chip promises significant upgrades in both speed and efficiency compared to the A18 found in the iPhone 16 Pro models.

With all these developments, the iPhone 17 series could be shaping up to be a delight for those who value camera capabilities and performance—while keeping the design a little more classic.