The iPhone 16 Pro already packs one of the best camera setups found on any phone, but the iPhone 17 needs to take things even further when it launches in just a few weeks. Sure, Apple's phones are capable of taking stunning photos, thanks to its awesome software, ProRaw format and its wealth of video skills, but Apple's rivals have been doing big things, too. The Galaxy S25 Ultra, the Pixel 9 Pro and the Xiaomi 14 Ultra all pack amazing camera setups that have given the iPhone 16 Pro a run for its money and made it clear that Apple isn't the only company innovating in the imaging arena.
Read more: Camera Champions Face Off: iPhone 16 Pro vs. Galaxy S25 Ultra
While early reports from industry insiders claim that the phone's video skills will get a boost, there's more the iPhone 17 will need to make it an all-around photography powerhouse. As both an experienced phone reviewer and a professional photographer, I have exceptionally high expectations for top-end phone cameras. And, having used the iPhone 16 Pro since its launch, I have some thoughts on what needs to change.
Here are the main points I want to see improved on the iPhone 17 when it likely launches in September 2025.
An accessible Pro camera mode
At WWDC, Apple showed off the changes to the upcoming iOS 26 which included a radical change to the interface with Liquid Glass. But that simplified style extended to the camera app too, with Apple paring the interface down to the most basic functions of Photo, Video and zoom levels. Presumably, the idea is to make it super easy for even the most beginner of photographers to open the camera and start taking Instagram-worthy snaps.
The new camera app is incredibly bare-bones. Apple/Screenshot by Joe Maldonado/CNET
And that's fine, but what about those of us who buy the Pro models in order to take deeper advantage of features like exposure compensation, Photographic Styles and ProRaw formats? It's not totally clear yet how these features can be accessed within the new camera interface, but they need to not be tucked away. Many photographers -- myself very much included -- want to use these tools as standard, using our powerful iPhones in much the same way we would a mirrorless camera from Canon or Sony.
That means relying on advanced settings to take control over the image-taking process to craft shots that go beyond simple snaps. If anything, Apple's camera app has always been too simple, with even basic functions like white balance being unavailable. To see Apple take things to an even more simplistic level is concerning, and I want to see how the company will continue to make these phones usable for enthusiastic photographers.
Larger image sensor
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