A leaked source from China has revealed that Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 Pro will support 8K video recording, a significant upgrade from the current maximum resolution of 4K on the iPhone 16 Pro.

The Weibo account "Fixed Focus Digital" recently claimed that the iPhone 17 Pro will be a highly anticipated device, as 8K video recording will soon be "within users' reach." This rumor appears to have some basis.

Did Apple test 8K recording on the iPhone 16 Pro?

In September last year, a report indicated that Apple had experimented with 8K video recording on the iPhone 16 Pro, but the feature was not activated, likely due to hardware limitations with the current triple-lens camera system.

The iPhone 16 Pro features a 48MP Fusion camera and a 48MP Ultra Wide camera, while the Telephoto camera only has 12MP. Since an 8K frame requires approximately 33MP, both 48MP cameras are capable of 8K recording, but the 12MP Telephoto camera is not.

Reports suggest that if the iPhone 17 Pro is equipped with a 48MP Telephoto camera as predicted, 8K video recording will officially become available on this device.

Several sources have confirmed that the iPhone 17 Pro will be upgraded with three 48MP cameras, including the Telephoto lens. If true, this would mark the first time that all rear cameras on an iPhone could support 8K video recording.

Some rival smartphones, such as the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra and Google Pixel 9 Pro (via AI enhancement), already offer 8K video recording. Although 8K is not yet widely adopted among content creators, it still presents several advantages.

For instance, shooting 8K video using the Ultra Wide camera allows for a 50% crop while maintaining 4K quality. This feature is particularly useful for professional videographers.

Notably, Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman revealed in February that Apple plans to emphasize enhanced video recording capabilities with the launch of the iPhone 17 Pro later this year, although he did not specify which new features would be introduced.

"In previous years, Apple primarily focused on iPhone photography. However, this year, they are prioritizing video recording. The goal for the 2025 iPhone lineup is to attract vloggers and video creators, encouraging them to transition from dedicated cameras to iPhones. Expect Apple to showcase the most powerful video recording features ever when the new iPhone is unveiled in September," Gurman said.

8K video recording could become a major highlight when Apple introduces the iPhone 17 Pro. Over recent years, Apple has continually enhanced iPhone video recording with features like Action mode for stabilization, Cinematic mode for professional bokeh effects, and Dolby Vision 4K at 120 frames per second for cinematic quality.

New camera design on the iPhone 17 Pro

Many reports suggest that the iPhone 17 Pro models will feature a completely redesigned rear camera system.

Leaked information indicates that the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will have a horizontally-aligned camera bar, similar to the Google Pixel lineup. This bar could span the width of the rear panel, with three lenses arranged in a triangular formation on the left, while the flash, microphone, and LiDAR sensor are positioned on the right.

The reason behind this new design and the use of additional space remains unclear. However, numerous recent images and 3D renders show this design as a potential reality.

Moreover, all four iPhone 17 models are rumored to include an upgraded 24MP front camera, improving selfie quality and video calling performance.

The new iPhone lineup is expected to launch this September, featuring four models: iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and the ultra-slim iPhone 17 Air, each with various upgrades, particularly the Pro models.

Hai Phong