iPhone 17 Pro (2025): Major rear camera redesign

Launching in fall 2025, the iPhone 17 lineup will kick off this new design roadmap. The most significant change will be a newly designed rear camera module featuring a horizontal layout - departing from the current square bump.

This “large horizontal matrix” camera design marks Apple’s first major camera housing revamp since the iPhone 11 Pro in 2019. The iPhone 17 Pro, Pro Max, and the all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air are all expected to adopt this change.

Instead of a square layout, the rear lenses will form a triangular pattern placed closely together within a horizontal bar. The LiDAR sensor, flash, and microphone will shift to the right side of this module. The horizontal expansion may also accommodate a vertically aligned telephoto lens with a larger sensor, necessitating the repositioning of other components like the LiDAR scanner.

For the first time, all three rear cameras on the iPhone 17 Pro series are expected to feature 48MP sensors: a Fusion main lens, an ultra-wide lens, and a new Tetraprism telephoto lens. While the ultra-wide lens was introduced with the iPhone 16 Pro, the new telephoto will be the standout camera feature of 2025.

iPhone 18 (2026): A cleaner front display

In 2026, Apple is expected to focus on the front of the device, eliminating the Dynamic Island - the pill-shaped cutout introduced with the iPhone 14 Pro that houses the front camera and Face ID sensors.

Instead, the iPhone 18 Pro will adopt a small punch-hole design for the selfie camera, with Face ID components integrated under the display. Although earlier predictions suggested under-display Face ID would debut on the iPhone 17 Pro, updated reports indicate the technology will now debut with the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max.

If accurate, the 2026 iPhones will offer a front display interrupted only by a tiny camera hole in the top-left corner - ushering in a much cleaner look.

iPhone 19 (2027): The era of truly seamless displays

By 2027, Apple is reportedly aiming to achieve a truly uninterrupted “all-screen” iPhone. This includes fully embedding both the Face ID system and the selfie camera beneath the display - a significant leap in iPhone design.

While it remains unclear whether these changes will be exclusive to the Pro models, Apple has historically introduced breakthrough display and camera technologies in premium devices before scaling them down to standard models - such as the Dynamic Island, which debuted on the iPhone 14 Pro in 2022 and later appeared on the iPhone 15 series.

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple’s 2027 anniversary iPhone will boast an “extremely complex and bold” design featuring expanded use of glass materials.

A recent report from South Korea adds that the 2027 iPhone Pro could feature a truly bezel-less screen that curves along all four edges - unlike current curved displays that wrap only around the sides. This innovation would create a visually limitless experience, with content flowing seamlessly in all directions.

Bloomberg also previously revealed that Apple is developing a fully glass iPhone with gentle curves and no visible display interruptions - underscoring its design ambition.

If these leaks prove accurate, Apple is planning a complete design transformation across three generations of iPhones - starting with a reimagined rear camera system, moving to a minimalist front, and culminating in a flawless, full-screen experience by 2027.

This roadmap not only represents significant hardware evolution but also underscores Apple’s bold ambition to set the standard for future smartphone design.

Hai Phong (Bloomberg, MacRumors)