Highlights

• The iPhone 17 Pro is expected to feature a new 48-megapixel telephoto lens offering 3.5x optical zoom.
• The iPhone 17 lineup might introduce vapour chamber cooling technology to improve thermal management.
• Apple plans to unveil the iPhone 17 series in September.

Caption – iPhone 17 Pro Max previously leaked render. (Image credit – Unknown)

Apple is gearing up for some exciting changes with the iPhone 17 series. While the rumoured iPhone 17 Air has already caught some attention, the Pro models are also expected to see major upgrades. Here’s what we know based on recent leaks.

A New Telephoto Camera for the iPhone 17 Pro

According to leaker Majin Bu, Apple is planning to introduce a new telephoto lens with a 48-megapixel sensor on the iPhone 17 Pro. While earlier reports have hinted at this change, the latest leak adds some interesting details.

The current iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max models come with a 12-megapixel telephoto lens that supports 5x optical zoom. But if this leak is accurate, the iPhone 17 Pro will switch to a 48MP telephoto sensor with 3.5x optical zoom, which is actually less than the current 5x zoom.

So why the downgrade? The reason is that with a higher-resolution sensor, Apple can crop the image digitally to offer more than 5x zoom while still keeping the quality high. It’s a similar approach to how the main camera on recent iPhones works. The iPhone 16’s 48MP sensor, for example, allows Apple to offer 2x digital zoom while maintaining a sharp 12MP photo.

Majin Bu also points out that this change could actually make portrait photography easier. With the current 5x zoom lens, users often have to step back to frame their shots properly. A 3.5x zoom would make it more convenient while still allowing up to 7x digital zoom when needed.

Meanwhile, other leaks suggest that all iPhone 17 models will come with a new 24MP selfie camera, and the Pro models will support 8K video recording for the first time.

Caption – iPhone 17 Lineup Dummy Models previously surfaced online. (Image credit – Sonny Dickson on X)

iPhone 17 Pro Series To Get Vapour Chamber Cooling

Apple is also working on improving the performance of the iPhone 17 lineup with the addition of vapour chamber cooling. While it might not sound like a big deal, it could make a significant difference, especially with Apple pushing for more power-hungry AI features under Apple Intelligence.

What Is Vapour Chamber Cooling?

Vapour chambers are a more efficient way to keep a phone cool. They contain a tiny amount of liquid that evaporates when the chipset heats up. The vapor then moves to the chamber’s walls, where it condenses and lowers the temperature.

The traditional metal heatsinks just absorb heat until they reach capacity, at which point the chipset has to slow down (thermal throttle) to prevent overheating. Vapour chambers allow the chip to maintain high performance for longer without throttling.

This cooling technology is already found in some Android flagships like the Pixel 9 Pro and Galaxy S25 Ultra, where users say it helps prevent overheating during gaming and heavy use.

How Vapour Chamber Cooling Will Help the iPhone 17 Pro?

The entire iPhone 17 lineup will feature A19-series chips built on TSMC’s third-generation 3nm process (N3P). This process offers a small (about 5%) performance boost over previous versions, but with performance gains getting smaller each year, better cooling is key to getting the most out of the chip.

Caption – Instant Digital’s recent post on Weibo. (Translated Via Google Translate)

Reliable leaker Instant Digital confirms that both the Phone 17 Pro and Pro Max will include vapor chamber cooling. Leaker wrote, “Confirmed: both the 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max will use vapor chamber cooling. The Pro model doesn’t have any compromises. Combined with the A19 Pro’s improved thermal management, performance under heavy load remains consistent without throttling.”

However, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes that only the iPhone 17 Pro Max will get this upgrade, while Chinese site MyDrivers claims all iPhone 17 models will feature it. Either way, if Apple does introduce vapor chamber cooling, it could be a game-changer for gaming, video editing, and high-performance tasks on the iPhone 17 Pro.

Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 17 series in September.

FAQs

Q1. What changes are expected in the iPhone 17 Pro’s telephoto camera?

Answer. The iPhone 17 Pro is rumoured to feature a new 48-megapixel telephoto lens with 3.5x optical zoom. While this is less than the current 5x zoom, the higher-resolution sensor allows for digital cropping to achieve enhanced zoom quality.

Q2. What is vapour chamber cooling and how will it benefit the iPhone 17 Pro?

Answer. Vapour chamber cooling uses liquid evaporation to manage heat more effectively, preventing overheating and maintaining consistent performance. This could enhance the iPhone 17 Pro’s ability to handle demanding tasks like gaming and AI features, especially with the A19-series chips.

Q3. Will all iPhone 17 models have vapour chamber cooling?

Answer. There is some debate among sources: while some claim all iPhone 17 models will include this feature, others suggest it will be exclusive to the Pro Max. Either way, it is expected to significantly improve thermal management.

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