The iPhone 17 Pro’s cameras are getting ready for a surprise update
By ForGeeks It looks like Apple isn’t just planning another camera improvement in the iPhone 17 Pro, but a whole change of approach. In addition to rumors of a new iPhone 17 Air model and a move to higher-resolution front cameras, interesting details about the Pro version’s telephoto lens have surfaced online. Judging by the leak, we’re in for an unusual move: more megapixels – but with less optical zoom.
New telephoto lens: 48MP instead of 12MP
According to insider Majin Bu, the iPhone 17 Pro will get a telephoto lens with a new 48-megapixel sensor. In comparison, the current iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max models feature 12-megapixel modules with 5x optical zoom. In the iPhone 17 Pro, the zoom will drop to 3.5x, but thanks to the high resolution, Apple will be able to compensate for this with digital cropping, allowing you to achieve up to 7x magnification without significant loss of quality.
This is the same principle already used in the iPhone 16’s main camera: a 48-megapixel sensor is used to create 12-megapixel «zoomed-in» shots through digital cropping. Apple is even positioning this as «a second camera in a single module» offering 2x zoom without a separate lens.
Apple even positions it as a «second camera in a single module» by offering 2x zoom without a separate lens.
Portraits will get easier
One of the perks of the new solution, according to an insider, will be convenience when shooting portraits. The current 5x zoom requires you to move away from your subject to get a good shot. The new 3.5x lens will allow users to take portrait shots from a more comfortable distance, while still being able to use the digital zoom up to 7x.
Not everyone sees this as an improvement, however. Some Apple fans would prefer to keep the 5x zoom combined with digital zoom up to 10x – as Samsung does with the Galaxy S25 Ultra. It’s worth remembering that Samsung’s flagships used to actually have 10x zoom, but then the company switched to a 5x module with a 50-megapixel sensor.
Samsung’s flagships used to have 10x zoom, but then the company switched to a 5x module with a 50-megapixel sensor.
New front camera and 8K video
Besides the changes to the telephoto lens, the iPhone 17 Pro is expected to have a few other interesting innovations. All models in the iPhone 17 lineup are rumored to get a new 24-megapixel front camera. And the Pro versions will be able to shoot video in 8K for the first time, a move that Apple has been holding off on for years despite the availability of competitors.
When to expect the announcement?
The iPhone 17 lineup, including the Pro model, is expected to be unveiled traditionally in September. But given the number of early leaks, it’s clear: Apple is preparing more radical updates than it did with the iPhone 16. Especially in the camera area, where the company is clearly shifting its strategy.
