For the past several years, the story of the Pro iPhone’s design has been about subtle refinements and hard-to-pick visual changes. Sharper edges were replaced with softer contours, materials shifted from stainless steel to titanium, but the core silhouette remained unchanged.
However, the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max repaint the picture for Apple (with a very vibrant Cosmic Orange color, no less). This year isn’t about refinement anymore; it’s about a statement. After spending time with both models, it’s clear that the iPhone 17 Pro models feature a design born from function, to a very good extent, forcing a bold new form that is as compelling as it is controversial.
Make Way For the Aluminum Unibody With A Camera “Plateau”
The first thing that you’ll notice about the iPhone 17 Pro and the iPhone 17 Pro Max is the gigantic camera module on the back, which is the most polarizing addition to the iPhones’ exterior. Apple calls it the camera “plateau,” which is just a fancy term for the protruding platform that houses the camera and LiDAR sensors, the larger battery, and a part of the advanced thermal management system.
You see, it helps Apple create some additional space to house the miniature components used in the logic board. The camera sensors, on the other hand, protrude out of the camera island (it’s a three-tier structure).
A few seconds after squinting at the camera “plateau,” I noticed how the module, along with the frame of the phone, has a textured, metallic finish (that doesn’t attract fingerprints), while two-thirds of the back panel has a frosted glass finish (resulting in a two-tone finish).
That’s because Apple has created a new aluminum unibody design for the handset, which improves heat dissipation, while the central glass portion enables wireless charging. And yes, the edges are curved, more curved than I expected them to be (and so are the corners). For this article, I’ve captured the Pro models in Cosmic Orange and Deep Blue colors, but there’s also a Silver finish available.
What I didn’t understand, however, is the decision to remove the Space Gray or black finish from the iPhone 17 Pro. I personally know at least a dozen people who have mentioned this to me, asking whether Apple has it on the cards for the future. While there’s a chance that the Cupertino giant could drop the Pro models in a dark finish sometime early next year, I’m not entirely sure at the moment.
After using the iPhone Air for a while, I realized that it’s slightly tricky to grip a thin phone, especially without a case, but that problem doesn’t exist with the iPhone 17 Pro models. Both of them are 8.8 mm thick, making them 0.5 mm thicker and slightly heavier than the iPhone 16 Pro models. And that’s because they get bigger batteries.
And yes, the presence of the large camera module makes the phone top-heavy, but not to an inconvenient extent. Putting on a case, however, will make the Pro models thicker than some people would appreciate.
It looks like Apple isn’t interested in making their regular phones thinner. But even so, both the handsets, especially the iPhone 17 Pro (since it’s smaller), feel sturdy and robust, so no complaints there. As always, you won’t be able to use the Pro Max with one hand, so keep that in mind.
My Thoughts
As I mentioned earlier, the design of the iPhone 17 Pro and the iPhone 17 Pro Max is a fascinating study in looks that follow utility, not aesthetics. Their appearance is not entirely void of contradictions, but it prioritizes performance and ergonomics. The unibody metal frame makes it comfortable to hold, while the two-tone back adds an element of contrast. These may not be the most beautiful iPhones ever made, but if you get one and put it on the table, you’ll surely attract some conversation around it.
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