Just earlier today, a rendered image shared by a Russian YouTube channel purportedly of the iPhone 17 Pro Max showed what it would look like, based on rumors that the upcoming iPhone will have a horizontal camera arrangement. Many compared it to the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL with its rounded camera rubber. While this would certainly be a dramatic facelift, it appears that this dramatic change may not happen at all.

This first rendering of the new iPhone 17 design was first posted by Weibo user Digital chat station, who claims that the iPhone 17 “has indeed changed to this design.” Given that this leaker had previously posted correct information about the iPhone 16 Pro, it seems likely that this claim of a new horizontal camera arrangement is correct.

That said, another reliable leaker has kicked this rumor to the curb and continues to say that the iPhone 17 Pro (and possibly the iPhone 17 Pro Max) will remain in the familiar triangular setup. He was quick to mention this in his post, but it is worth noting that the leaker has previously provided accurate leaked information about the yellow iPhone 14 and the new iPad Air's shift to a sideways-facing front-facing camera.

The iPhone Pro series is definitely due for a design refresh, but the current design language dates back to the iPhone 11 Pro, so a rear-facing sideways camera system would definitely be dramatic. Handset makers are constantly experimenting with different designs, but as 9to5mac points out, the triangular arrangement makes more sense for a reason.

It could all come down to spatial imaging, and some would argue that a vertical camera arrangement makes more sense. In the current triangular setup, the iPhone 16 Pro's main and ultra-wide cameras are positioned horizontally when the iPhone is held in landscape orientation.

In contrast, if the iPhone 17 Pro uses a horizontal camera arrangement, as leaked renderings show, it may not be able to properly capture horizontal format spatial video. This is not to say that it is out of the realm of impossibility, but it is highly unlikely.

Furthermore, Apple may be experimenting with different designs to see if they are feasible to manufacture in the first place. iPhone 17 release is still some time away, but it is time for Apple to refine the design in order to procure the necessary components and suppliers for manufacturing. We are in. There are also rumors that Apple will introduce another model, the iPhone 17 Air, which is said to be the thinnest iPhone ever.