The iPhone has had a distinctive look since its initial release in 2007. Sure, the sizes have changed, as have materials, but you can generally glance at an iPhone of any generation and say, “Yeah, that’s an iPhone.” Now, a rumor suggests that the iPhone 17 could draw inspiration from its predecessors and bring back the curved edges that have appeared several times throughout the generations.
Leaker Fixed-Focus Digital shared on Weibo (a Chinese social media platform) that the iPhone 17 would reintroduce the rounded sides of the first few iPhones, doing away with the straight edges current models have. Some fans find the straight sides less comfortable to hold, although a case can make a big difference in how the phone feels in your hand. Fixed-Focus Digital doesn’t share further details, but Apple tends to differentiate its premium lineup from the base models. The design change could apply only to the base versions of the iPhone 17, to only the Pro and Pro Max versions, or to every version.
For reference, all iPhones up to the iPhone 4 had curved sides, as did several models later on. Apple tends to switch between curved and straight sides every few generations. The iPhone switched to flat edges with the iPhone 12 series in 2020, and all mainline iPhones since then have stuck with the flat design. If Apple moves back to rounded edges for the iPhone 17 this year, we could be looking at one of the biggest iPhone design changes in the last several years.
This leak fits with other news about the next iPhone, such as its potential 120Hz display. There are conflicting reports, however, like the ones suggesting the iPhone 17 will have a camera arrangement more in line with the Pixel, as well as the leak from November that points to an aluminum rather than titanium frame for the Pro lineup.
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There are a lot of leaks and rumors about the iPhone 17, many of which contradict one another. It’s still too early in the development cycle to state with any certainty which way the handset might go, but Apple will likely host an event in the fall that could yield more details on the upcoming release.
No company can stop all leaks, but Apple has proven particularly effective at keeping things under wraps. What details do make it out are often incomplete and fail to paint the entire picture, but one thing we can say with relative certainty is the iPhone 17 will likely be released in September — and there’s a chance there might be an iPhone 17 Air, too.