Questionable iPhone 17 Pro Max render in better light looks almost tolerable

AppleInsider · February 18, 2025 12:34PM

A new render of a rumored but doubtful design of iPhone 17 Pro Max is doing the rounds, one that proves that lighting can make things look a bit better.

Renders of a large camera bump concept for the iPhone 17 Pro Max - Image Credit: @Asherdipps/X

Apple has been rumored to be including a new design of camera bump in the iPhone 17 Pro models for a while. On February 14, those rumors reached a point where renders of an absurdly large camera bump were featured in a video.

While the shots in the video were tough to believe, a new render of the design makes it look more tolerable as a concept, if not much more believable.

In a Tuesday post to X, Asher Dipprey, the 3D artist who produced the renders for the Front Page Tech video, published a new image of the render. The shot is laid out so each side of the iPhone concept was plainly visible.

The actual rendered model hasn't changed from the video, but it is presented clearly and with a light background. This makes the render a lot easier to digest than the version shown in the video.

Massive camera bump

Just like in the video, the iPhone 17 Pro Max model shown with a comically-wide camera bump. The bump spans the entire width of the iPhone, but unlike previous rumors where the cameras are placed in a row, they instead are located in the render in the same physical location as normal: on the left-hand side.

On the right of the bump is the flash and a space for the 3D depth mapping hardware.

When put in good lighting, iPhone 17 Pro design suddenly looks... bearable pic.twitter.com/FtOWKrd6vc
-- Asher (@asherdipps)
February 18, 2025

Other than the bump, the iPhone 17 Pro Max visually seems similar to the iPhone 16 Pro in practically all other ways.

The problem with the design is that it goes against Apple's preference to implement design changes that have a genuine purpose for existing. In its change of the iPhone 16 to a vertical layout, Apple minimized the bump to match.

With the previous narrow row concept, it would make sense, since the cameras spanned almost the width of the iPhone along with the bump. However, with the usual triangular layout used and only the flash and 3D elements moved across the bump, this seems to be very impractical for Apple to pull off.

That would give Apple a lot of extra space in that bump, but it has proved that it doesn't need such an increase in volume to pull off some interesting design choices. For example, the tetraprism lens in the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the iPhone 16 Pro line does require more physical space to exist than typical, yet Apple didn't make a massive change to the bump design.

For Apple to design the bump in this way, it must come up with an actual practical reason for doing so. At this time, and with no real rumors that can explain such a design change, it seems unlikely to be a serious choice for the company.

Still doubtful

Despite being presented in a new (and still rendered) light, the model concept still seems to be unlikely. This is in part due to the source of the concept. FPT's Jon Prosser doesn't have the best track record when it comes to design concepts, including claiming to have seen a flat iPhone 4-like design with flush cameras and spreading rumors of a flat-sided Apple Watch.

Serial leaker Majin Bu, thought to have been the originating source for the render's design concept, has an arguably worse record. When not reposting inaccurate rumors from Chinese social media, Bu's occasional accuracy is tempered by the rumors being reported by others with higher levels of accuracy.

Even so, there is still a small chance that Apple could use a design similar to this, or the other circulated rumors, in the iPhone 17 Pro Max. An incredibly small chance.

Rumor Score: B#$&(*it

Read on AppleInsider

daalseth · February 18, 2025 2:18PM

…looks almost tolerable

I can’t agree. To me, and it’s only my opinion, that’s hideous. That may be one of the ugliest phones I have ever seen.

edited February 18

respencer · February 18, 2025 4:40PM

I don’t care if it’s ugly. I want it to be functionally usable. The iPhone is already clumsy to hold horizontal for pictures (the way MOST photos should be taken). This looks like it will be miserable for that position!

daalseth · February 18, 2025 6:49PM

I’ve seen renders of what this looks like from the side. It’s worse. Not only is there a big awkward block sticking out, but the camera lenses are still proud of the surface of the block making them even more likely to get damaged. I seriously doubt that Apple would go with something this bad.

omasou · February 18, 2025 7:40PM

I'm waiting for the phone to have a flat back by getting rid of the bump by moving it into the phone.

This craziness is making me consider going back to mirrorless camera and less expensive phone, e.g. not pro.

edited February 18

ilarynx · February 18, 2025 7:40PM

Design-wise, the more logical approach would be to line the 3 lenses in a row up top, with the flash and sensor just below. This would make for a much smaller "bump", but not sure about how this would affect photos with the flash which you would typically want to be furthest from the 1x lens.

I do like the concept of a uniform, symmetrical "bump" on the back (tho smaller than what's shown) as when using the current design on a table top, pressing on the face of the screen will cause it to rock side to side around the asymmetrical bump. Not a frequent problem, but an occasional annoyance.

hmlongco · February 18, 2025 8:04PM

ilarynx said:

Design-wise, the more logical approach would be to line the 3 lenses in a row up top, with the flash and sensor just below. This would make for a much smaller "bump", but not sure about how this would affect photos with the flash which you would typically want to be furthest from the 1x lens.

The problem is that you need at least two of the lenses aligned horizontally and along the same axis in order to do spatial video in landscape more.

I wouldn't mind this, especially if it meant the rest of the phone could be slightly thinner. I think I'd like the lenses flush, however.

edited February 18

daalseth · February 18, 2025 9:30PM

omasou said:

I'm waiting for the phone to have a flat back by getting rid of the bump by moving it into the phone.

This craziness is making me consider going back to mirrorless camera and less expensive phone, e.g. not pro.

With what the SE is supposed to be, I’ve been mulling over the same thing. The only thing the SE doesn’t have that I want is a really good camera. But an SE plus very small, decent quality separate pocketable camera would be a viable option and the total cost would be less than a Pro with its 5X.

appleinsideruser · February 18, 2025 10:10PM

ilarynx said:

I do like the concept of a uniform, symmetrical "bump" on the back (tho smaller than what's shown) as when using the current design on a table top, pressing on the face of the screen will cause it to rock side to side around the asymmetrical bump.

Yes, there’s a potential reason. Stopping the wobble when using the phone flat. But even then, the lenses still stick out more than the bump, so it’d still wobble.

citpeks · February 18, 2025 11:30PM

Seeing all these rumors reinforces the iPhone 5 as my favorite iPhone form factor.

No warts growing on the the surface (or worse, warts on top of warts), a black that is closer to black than the "sorta-kinda-black/dark grays" that followed (iPhone 7 excepted), and the power button on the top, where it's less likely to trigger taking an unintended screen shot when you just want to use the volume buttons and need some leverage, especially with a case that has poor button action.

An elegant monolith.

Stuff like this reminds me of when the rumors of the portholes being added to the late Mac G4 MDD towers emerged. "They can't possible add those, could they?" Yes, they can.

edited February 18

Questionable iPhone 17 Pro Max render in better light looks almost tolerable

Massive camera bump

Still doubtful

Comments

…looks almost tolerable