Apple may shift iPhone 17 Pro antennas to the camera bump
The iPhone 17 Pro will change its positioning of antennas to around the camera module as part of its overhaul, if a questionable leaker is to be believed.
iPhone 17 Pro - Image Credit: AppleInsider
Apple often has to change ways it constructs its products to reflect other changes in its design. For the iPhone 17 Pro's new camera module, that apparently prompted the company to shift where its external antennas are located.
According to sources of leaker Majin Bu, Apple has repositioned where the antennas will be on the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max to around the rear camera module. For the iPhone 16 Pro generation, Apple placed the antennas around the edge of the chassis.
Bu claims that the switch to the iPhone 17 Pro's new wide camera module will reduce interference from the chassis materials. By moving it to the camera module, it would take advantage of an area that isn't usually shielded by cases, nor by the user's own hands.
In theory, the positioning could improve both cellular and Wi-Fi connectivity for users, especially for mmWave signals in congested environments.
Reasonable leak, less great leaker
The details of the leak are fairly logical, especially the discussion about shielding. With Apple occasionally making changes to antenna placements in the past, it also makes sense for it to consider alterations, especially as part of a major redesign.
However, despite the seemingly plausible nature of the leak, it is still sourced from a leaker with a less-than-stellar reputation.
Majin Bu previously was well regarded with fairly good leaks, but has shifted to a quantity-not-quality release schedule. This has often led to repurposing other leaks on Chinese social media or making logical guesses, rather than using their own sources.
In recent weeks, Bu's output about the iPhone 17 generation has expanded considerably. This has included claims about a shift of MagSafe to fit the new camera bump, moving the Apple logo, and questionable claims about iPhone case designs.
Further muddying the water for this leak in particular is a post by another serial leaker, who goes by ShrimpApplePro or VNchocoTaco. Responding to the reports based on Majin Bu's claim, ShrimpApplePro seemingly leans towards it being a false rumor.
They write that the design has been finalized "for a while" and that dummies have been circulated, but claims like this about the construction "still pop up." ShrimpApplePro insists that, if this were to actually be true, it would have been visible "from the start," or at least an earlier point in time.
A further element working against Bu's favor is their website, which hosted the leak details. Multiple AppleInsider editorial team members were fed hostile advertisiing, immediately taking them away from the page to what appeared to be a malicious site, which also served pop-ups for an adult site after closing.
That's on top of the existing advertising on the site, as well as the dodgy practice of selling cases for unreleased smartphones.
Despite all of this, there is still a chance Majin Bu could be correct, but it would be a rare hit in a sea of questionable claims.
Updated 11:39 a.m. Eastern: Added ShrimpApplePro response.
Rumor Score: Possible
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