This is Rumor Replay, a weekly column at 9to5Mac offering a quick rundown of the most recent Apple product rumors, with analysis and commentary. Today: iPhone 17 Pro camera upgrades, pricing, colors, and more. Here are this week’s Apple rumors.
iPhone 17 Pro-exclusive camera features
Citing an anonymous tipster, MacRumors reported that three iPhone 17 Pro-exclusive camera upgrades are coming:
- 8x telephoto zoom
- Second Camera Control button at top of device
- New ‘pro camera’ app
Separately, a test iPhone 17 Pro unit spotted in the wild might just lend credence to the Camera Control claim.
My takeaways
This is a tricky one to evaluate. On one hand, it’s easy to dismiss an anonymous tipster with no prior track record of Apple leaks. However, their request that MacRumors remove references to the company they work for makes the leak seem more plausible. And while that test unit spotted in the wild doesn’t show anything conclusive, it does add a little more fuel to the fire.
I do expect Apple to lean hard into features for actual “pros” this year. But I’m unsure an 8x telephoto lens or yet another Camera Control button truly qualifies. Overall, I’m pretty skeptical of these claims, but not immovably so.
Full iPhone 17 color lineup in dummy models
Reporting on the expected iPhone 17 color lineup is nothing new, but this week we got our first good looks at dummy models for the new colors.
Majin Bu shared a video showing off the iPhone 17 Pro colors, then Sonny Dickson posted a photo of the entire iPhone 17 model lineup with nearly all its various rumored colors.
My takeaways
Dummy models are seldom able to fully replicate what Apple’s final product will look like. But these are the best looks we’ve gotten yet at what to expect.
My biggest takeaway is that iPhone 17 Pro models look like they’ll get more ‘fun’ colors than other models for the first time in years. The orange and dark blue seem to especially pop, while Apple’s base iPhone 17 and 17 Air colors appear more muted.
Price increases expected for (most) iPhone 17 models
An analyst this week, ahead of Apple’s earnings, stoked speculation about iPhone 17 pricing.
He believes iPhone 17 Pro, Pro Max, and Air will all come with $50 price increases versus last year’s comparable models. Presumably, this means $949 for the Air.
The base iPhone 17, however, is expected to stay at $799.
My takeaways
Over the last few years, Apple has been very cautious about raising flagship iPhone prices. However, with potential tariff impacts, and the arrival of a brand new ultra-thin model, it does seem likely that this is the year prices will finally go up.
Honestly, $50 increases are not as bad as what I was expecting.
Apple Card, probably powered by Chase
In line with previous expectations, The Wall Street Journal reported this week that Apple and Chase were getting closer to a deal for Apple Card.
Current Apple Card partner Goldman Sachs has not been shy about expressing a desire to exit the business. And Chase has long appeared the front-runner to replace it.
My takeaways
This isn’t surprising at all, but it does indicate we’re getting closer to a deal happening. It’s unknown how Apple Card users might be impacted by the change of financial institution, but hopefully Apple will be able to offer the same kind of features and guarantees it does now.
What are your takeaways from this week’s Apple rumors? Let us know in the comments.
Best iPhone accessories
- AirPods Pro 2 (now only $199, down from $249)
- MagSafe Car Mount for iPhone
- HomeKit smart plug 4-pack
- 10-year AirTag battery case 2-pack
- 100W USB-C fast charging power adapter
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