Ever since our previous iPhone 17 leaks and rumors episode back in December, there have been a ton of new leaks—some of which are quite unusual. Here are five recent iPhone 17 leaks that you should know about.
1. A Smaller Camera Sensor?
The first leak is by far the strangest one. According to reliable leaker Digital Chat Station, the main camera sensor on the iPhone 17 Pro will actually be smaller instead of getting bigger. Yes, you heard that right—Apple may be downgrading the main sensor on the iPhone 17 Pro.
Digital Chat Station mentioned a 1/1.3-inch sensor size for the iPhone 17 Pro. However, the iPhone 16 Pro currently has a 1/1.28-inch sensor size, meaning the new one will be smaller. This initially sounds like bad news, especially since Apple has been using the same 1/1.28-inch sensor on the iPhone 14 Pro, 15 Pro, and 16 Pro. Past leaks suggested Apple was planning to switch to a much larger 1-inch or near 1-inch sensor, similar to what many Chinese manufacturers have been using for years.
However, this could also be good news. It means Apple is finally updating their sensor after three years of using the exact same one. The difference in size between a 1/1.28-inch sensor and a 1/1.3-inch sensor is actually not that big. Plus, this 1/1.3-inch sensor is a newer model, which means it could be better. Sensor size doesn’t always determine performance—especially in low-light conditions. Worst case, we might not notice a difference in low-light performance. Best case, the new sensor could be slightly better, though we shouldn’t expect a drastic improvement.
2. A Radical New Design
The next big leak concerns the back design. You may have seen the rumored iPhone 17 Pro featuring a camera island in the center, resembling Google’s Pixel camera visor. The back itself is expected to have a dual-tone look, with the top portion made of metal and the bottom made of glass.
This design was originally reported by The Information and later backed up by Digital Chat Station and other sources in China. However, another leaker, Instant Digital, who also has a strong track record, claims that while the iPhone 17 Pro will indeed have the dual-tone look, it will retain the current triangular camera design rather than switching to a horizontal visor-style layout.
So which design will Apple go with? It all depends on one crucial factor: spatial video. On the iPhone 15 Pro, 16 Pro, and 16, Apple enables spatial video recording for the Vision Pro headset by positioning the main and ultra-wide cameras side by side. If Apple changes to a horizontal camera island, the sensors will still be in landscape orientation, but they would be stacked vertically rather than side by side. This wouldn’t work for stereoscopic 3D capture in Apple Vision Pro.
Apple could still make spatial video work if they switch to vertical spatial video recording when holding the phone in portrait mode. However, this wouldn’t work for landscape orientation—unless Apple introduces 8K video recording on both the wide and ultra-wide cameras simultaneously. This way, the phone could capture 8K footage and crop it down to 4K landscape video. However, this would require significant processing power, and it’s unclear if the A19 Pro chip would be powerful enough for dual 8K recording.
3. iPhone 17 Air Leak Supports the New Camera Design
Another leak further supports the horizontal camera module rumor. Remember the ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air? Initial leaks suggested it would feature a centered single-camera module. However, a new image leaked by Miyin Bu shows the back design of what appears to be the iPhone 17 Pro. Upon closer inspection, it actually features just one camera module, meaning it’s likely the iPhone 17 Air instead.
If three models in the iPhone 17 lineup adopt this new design language, it’s likely legitimate. This means the standard iPhone 17 may also feature a similar layout, and leaks of that model could surface soon. Interestingly, the leaked image does not show the dual-material design that many sources previously reported. Instead, it has a single-finish design, which some may find more visually appealing, especially with a fully black camera visor.
4. 120Hz Displays for All iPhone 17 Models
One of the most exciting leaks comes from Digital Chat Station, who claims that all iPhone 17 models—including the standard iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air—will finally get 120Hz ProMotion displays.
It’s honestly surprising that it took Apple this long. Even budget Android phones priced around $200 have 120Hz displays, yet Apple has been selling 60Hz iPhones for $800. This move would make the standard iPhone 17 much more appealing. Without ProMotion, the main advantage of Pro models was their high refresh rate. Now, if you don’t need the telephoto camera, you could just get a standard iPhone 17 and still enjoy a smooth display experience.
This also makes the iPhone 17 Air a more compelling device. It may only have one camera, but it would feature the same performance, same 120Hz display, the same Dynamic Island, and a much thinner form factor. Plus, the iPhone 16 models already match the Pro models in brightness (2000 nits max outdoors), so with 120Hz added, there would be even fewer reasons to opt for a Pro model. We can also assume that with ProMotion, Apple will bring Always-On Display functionality to non-Pro iPhone 17 models.
5. New Vapor Chamber Cooling System
Lastly, a new thermal design is in the works. According to Chinese tech publication MyDrivers, all iPhone 17 models—including the regular, Air, Pro, and Pro Max—will feature a vapor chamber cooling system.
Vapor chambers aren’t new; most high-end Android phones and even some mid-range gaming phones already use them. As smartphone chips become more powerful and mobile games become more demanding, vapor chambers have become increasingly necessary.
The iPhone 16 didn’t have a full vapor chamber but instead used an aluminum substrate, which helped decrease temperatures slightly. However, a true vapor chamber would be far more effective at keeping the device cool under load.
Final Thoughts
These iPhone 17 leaks suggest some big changes ahead, from a new camera layout to 120Hz displays on all models and improved cooling. Which leak are you most excited about? Let us know your thoughts!
