iPhone 17 Pro

   iPhone 17 Pro may come with a smaller camera sensor as compared to iPhone 16 Pro Sensor

This year's iPhone 17 Pro models will feature a smaller main camera sensor than the one used in the Fusion camera currently found in iPhone 16 Pro models, according to reports available. A recent rumour claims that for the upcoming iPhone 17 Pro series, Apple could actually “downgrade” the camera by giving it a smaller camera sensor. But, is it really that big of a deal? The rumour claims that Apple will adopt a 1/1.3" sensor for the 48MP main camera in the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, down from the 1/1.28" sensor used in the iPhone 16 Pro models. The claim is part of a wider leak allegedly revealing that both iPhone 17 Pro models will have three 48MP cameras for the first time.

This year's upcoming iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will allegedly share all four of their cameras (three on the rear, one on the front). The selfie camera will be upgraded to a 24 MP one. On the rear, there will be a 48 MP main camera using a 1/1.3-inch type sensor, a 48 MP ultrawide, and a 48 MP periscope telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom. The sensor size notation originates from an old system used for video camera tubes, where the fraction represents the sensor's "type" rather than its actual physical dimensions. That's why a 1/1.3" sensor is slightly smaller than a 1/1.28" sensor. (For comparison's sake, the 48MP Fusion camera on the standard iPhone 16 model uses a smaller 1/1.56" sensor.)

The difference however is minimal, with the existing 1/1.28" sensor offering a marginally larger surface area than a 1/1.3" sensor. In practical terms, this size difference is unlikely to result in a noticeable impact on everyday photography. Apple's shift to using a smaller main camera could represent a worthwhile trade-off, with potential advancements elsewhere in the camera system to maintain or enhance overall performance. Apple will use a 48MP 1/1.3-inch sensor for the primary camera of the iPhone 17 Pro. This setup includes a 48MP ultrawide angle camera and a 48MP periscope lens with 5x optical zoom. For context, the current iPhone 16 Pro models feature a 1/1.28-inch sensor. It can be confusing that 1/1.3 inches is labelled as “smaller” than 1/1.28 inches. These numbers represent the type of sensor rather than its physical dimensions. However, the difference is negligible. Apple isn’t switching from a 1-inch sensor to a 1/1.3-inch sensor. However, this does beg the question: why is Apple opting for a smaller camera sensor in the iPhone 17 Pro models?

If the downgrade is true, Apple's shift from 1/1.28" to 1/1.3" could be due to space constraints caused by the new camera bump design. As part of a return to using aluminium, Apple is believed to be using a larger rectangular-style camera bump on the iPhone 17 Pro models which is made from aluminium rather than glass. Compared to the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max, the main camera sensor will be ever so slightly smaller, while the periscope telephoto camera will be higher-resolution. This all makes it seem like the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max will barely have any camera improvements compared to their predecessors.

Current Pro prototypes have a horizontal camera island on the rear just as rumoured before. The caveat here is that the design is allegedly only going to be finalized around March. Supply chain leaks have backed up a report by The Information about a camera design change. Leaks coming out of China suggest that the module is an "elongated oval shape," rather than a rectangular shape, with a smoother transition between the camera bump and the rear cover. Apple could introduce a new camera bump design. This design could result in space constraints, and as a result, force Apple to use a smaller sensor. The iPhone 17 series is expected to arrive around the usual mid-September time frame. 

Many smartphone manufacturers focus on the megapixels of their cameras because they can boast “larger” numbers. This makes their products more appealing in terms of marketing materials. However, it would be incorrect to say that megapixels are just marketing hype. There are other aspects of a camera which can contribute to its overall capabilities and quality. One aspect is the physical size of the camera sensor. While megapixels relate to the image’s resolution, the sensor size determines how much light the camera gathers. A larger sensor has a greater surface area, allowing it to collect more light. Light plays an essential role in the quality of an image. More light means the camera captures more data, resulting in greater detail, especially in low-light environments. A larger sensor can gather more data even in these conditions, leading to photos with less noise, more clarity, and thus more detail.

So, is Apple actually downgrading the cameras on the iPhone 17 Pro? From a sensor standpoint, that might seem like the case. However, there are other camera aspects such as software and lens aperture, that can impact image quality. So even with a slightly smaller sensor in the iPhone 17 Pro, Apple could compensate for it with software. It remains to be seen if these changes will have a negative impact on the overall image quality, but honestly, most people probably wouldn’t be able to tell the difference.