We recently got a glimpse of what is purported to be the iPhone 17 Air’s camera bump, and the initial response has been less than enthusiastic.
While we can’t confirm the authenticity of the image, our sources suggest that the design shown is likely accurate…
In today’s world, creating fake images is easier than ever with AI and 3D printers. However, we noticed that this design aligns with reports from our contacts.
Majin Bu has a varied history of sharing leaks related to Apple hardware, especially at this early stage in the rumor cycle. That said, I’ve also come across CAD drawings from reliable sources that support this camera bar-style design for the iPhone 17 Air.
Public reactions have been underwhelming.
“It looks pretty silly in these images.”
“It appears quite top-heavy and unbalanced. As others have pointed out, it resembles the Pixel 9, but I think that one looks better.”
“Is that you, Pixel 9?”
“That was a good joke.”
“I’m not a fan of that look. It seems strange.”
“This design is not appealing at all.”
However, it’s important to consider a few points. First, leaks often come from low-quality photos, and in this instance, the distortion caused by what looks like vacuum-sealed plastic wrapping doesn’t help the appearance of the phone.
While I agree that it doesn’t look great in this picture, I doubt it will appear this way in real life.
Secondly, people generally resist changes, and we have consistently observed a three-step reaction to any new Apple design: initial disdain, gradual acceptance, and ultimately, a realization that it couldn’t be any other way.
One factor many will appreciate is that this phone likely won’t wobble when placed on a desk or table. Personally, I’m not fond of camera bumps in general, though I understand we can’t expect the entire device to match the thickness of the camera module. However, I dislike how iPhones rock when used on flat surfaces, even for simple tasks like dismissing notifications. It irritates me.
This design may resolve that issue and even provide a slight tilt towards the user for better viewing, which is a plus without the wobble.
Similar to the Nexus 6P
As several individuals noted, this design is reminiscent of the Google/Huawei Nexus 6P from 2015. I’ve merely removed a few non-essential elements to showcase how this type of bump could look in reality, and honestly, I don’t see anything wrong with it.
So although I don’t plan to purchase the iPhone 17 Air for myself—I prefer the Pro Max for its screen size and camera capabilities—I wouldn’t mind having a phone with this design.
Photo: Kārlis Dambrāns (edited by DMN)
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