This iPhone 17 Pro Design Rumor Is Raising Antennas
This unconfirmed but intriguing leak (via Majinbu's official blog) posits that Apple is not just making changes to the iPhone 17 Pro's camera module for the sake of, well, cameras, but could serve a secondary purpose. Now, current iPhones feature antenna lines along the edges of the chassis, which can be susceptible to interference from a user's grip or from the phone's metal components. By moving the antennas to the camera module, in theory a less-obstructed area of the device, Apple could significantly enhance signal stability and performance.
The logic behind this new setup is sound. The Apple Watch Ultra's titanium chassis already employs strategically integrated antennas to maximize reception for its multi-band satellite navigation systems. Applying a similar principle to the iPhone 17 Pro (rumored) larger, camera bar could lead to a host of benefits for users. Bu suggests this new placement would improve the antenna's radiation pattern, reducing shadow zones and ensuring a more stable connection, particularly in dense urban environments or complex indoor spaces where signal can be weak.
Another added benefit of the antenna placement is a cleaner overall design, meaning that antenna lines (de rigueur on modern phones chassis) could be minimized or even eliminated altogether. Of course, as with all rumors, please take this information with a grain of salt, even if Majinbu has generally had a pretty reliable track record.
The antenna redesign is just one piece of a larger puzzle for the upcoming flagship. Other rumored specs for the iPhone 17 Pro include the new A19 Pro SoC, manufactured using TSMC’s latest 3nm process (and paired with up to 12GB RAM), promising gains in performance and efficiency. Some versions may see a return to aluminum frames, while others could see the introduction of a vapor chamber cooling for better heat dissipation.
In terms of imaging, there could be a major upgrade to a 48-megapixel telephoto lens, making all three rear cameras 48MP. The selfie cam is also rumored to be upgraded to 24 MP across the entire iPhone 17 lineup.
