Among the many rumors about the upcoming iPhone 17 is that it will feature a new camera bar design across the back of the body. It’s a major change from the upper-corner placement that has been on iPhones since the beginning. The iPhone 17 Pro, in particular, may have a large camera bar to accommodate the three lenses that stretches across the entire back of the phone.
That bar may have a role in cellular connectivity, too. Leaker Majin Bu reported on Monday that Apple is going to move the cellular antenna on the iPhone 17 Pro around that big camera bar. The company is taking a cue from the Apple Watch Ultra, which has its cellular antenna “near structural and functional elements of its chassis,” according to Bu.
Apple usually places the antenna on the side edge of the iPhone. On the camera bar, the antenna would be “less prone to shielding and interference, improving performance in congested environments and ensuring a stable connection on the go,” according to Bu. Bu also points out that this would enhance 5G mmWave performance, reduce latency, improve efficiency, and optimize the main body for the battery and thermal components.
Bu specifically addresses the iPhone 17 Pro with this structural change. It’s not clear if the standard iPhone 17 or the rumored iPhone 17 Air will have the same antenna implementation. It’s possible that the camera bars on those phones are not large enough to accommodate an antenna. Apple introduced its own C1 cellular modem with the iPhone 16e, but the iPhone 17 Pro models are still expected to use Qualcomm’s modem.
While the current antenna implementation in the phone’s side frame has proven fully functional, it has had its hurdles. Apple ran into problems with the iPhone 4 and its antenna placement, which left customers dissatisfied with the cellular performance–so much so that the issue was infamously dubbed Antennagate. Since then, the iPhone’s cellular reliability and performance have been consistently solid.
Apple’s Awe Dropping event is set for September 9, 2025. Want to know what to expect? We’re anticipating new hardware releases including the iPhone 17 (running iOS 26), Apple Watch Series 11, Ultra 3 and SE 3rd-gen (running watchOS 26), and potentially new AirPods. Find out how, when, and where to watch the Apple September Event, and keep tuned to our Event Guide for all the latest coverage. If you just can’t wait, here’s our satirical take on the Apple September Event keynote script – and don’t miss the Macworld Podcast iPhone event preview.
Author: Roman Loyola, Senior Editor, Macworld
Roman is a Macworld Senior Editor with over 30 years of experience covering the tech industry, focusing on the Mac and other products in the Apple ecosystem. He is also the host of the Macworld Podcast. His career started at MacUser, where he received Apple certification as a repair technician (when Apple did that kind of thing). He's also worked for MacAddict, MacLife, and TechTV.