iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max May Ditch 12MP Cameras for Good

Apple’s flagship iPhone models this year may bring a radical upgrade to their cameras. According to a new report, the iPhone 17 Pro and the iPhone 17 Pro Max may retire 12MP sensors from their rear and front cameras for good. Instead, Apple will likely go for higher-resolution sensors, making the next Pro lineups the first to be entirely rid of 12MP cameras.

While initial reports suggested that Apple may swap the 12MP camera with a more powerful 48MP sensor only on the iPhone 17 Pro Max, a new leak from the renowned tipster Digital Chat Station has claimed the upgrade will apply to the entire Pro series. That means the iPhone 17 Pro and the iPhone 17 Pro Max will house upgraded 48MP cameras on the back. The new cameras, the tipster said, will provide sharper photos, better zoom capabilities, and the ability to shoot faraway objects more conveniently.

Apple is also expected to replace the 12MP front camera with a more capable 24MP TrueDepth camera, letting users click sharper selfies with more details.

This could mean the 2025 iPhone Pro models will have a combination of three 48MP cameras on the back and a 24MP camera inside the Dynamic Island, which may also undergo a design change to look more compact. Apple is reportedly working on an upgraded Face ID system to ensure it works with a smaller Dynamic Island. The iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max may also ditch titanium in favour of an aluminium-made frame. Apple introduced titanium trims on the Pro models with the iPhone 15 Pro series, which was not too long ago. So, it would be surprising if Apple retires titanium and goes back to using aircraft-grade aluminium on the Pro models this year.

The iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are expected to debut at Apple’s fall event, which traditionally takes place in the second week of September. Accompanying them will be the standard iPhone 17 and a new iPhone 17 Air, which would replace the Plus model.