New iPhone might be able to charge your camera – but more likely your Apple AirPods!

iPhone17 Pro guess render
(Image credit: asherdipps)

There are a lot of iPhone 17 rumors flying around – not least about an all-new iPhone 17 Air – but one of the more interesting that the future Pro phone will be able to share its charge wirelessly.

Not only that, but some – not least Youtuber Jon Prosser – are claiming that've actually seen the final product:

Here's the iPhone 17 Pro | First Look - YouTube Here's the iPhone 17 Pro | First Look - YouTube
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The web is awash with renders created by 3D designers, but most are clearly not too well thought through. The ones below – spread by @asherdipps – do, however, seem to have at least hit the 'buildability' requirement!

What we're seeing, essentially, is a Google Pixel 9-like bar around the existing Apple iPhone 16 Pro 3-camera arrangement (which we've seen in broadly the same triangle for several generations now). Why? Well, for sure manufacturing changes would be lower and a style change is probably needed to drive people to the stores.

But perhaps there is some confusion going on. After all there is also a lot of talk of an iPhone 17 Air. Perhaps the bar is for the Air and the Pro will stay broadly the same?

Whatever the case, the normally reasonably sensible MacRumors is reporting that Chinese leaker Instant Digital has posted on the instant messaging platform Weibo about the 7.5 watt feature.

That would be enough to charge Apple devices like the watch and the AirPods.

It's also interesting to note that Apple hasn't yet brought out a USB-C version of its MagSafe Battery Pack, so some kind of cooperative charging system might be possible.

In fact, it seems almost essential that a new battery back should be on the way if Apple is to consider an iPhone Air at all – assuming, that is, that the Air is light on thickness rather than features.

In other iPhone release news, we're expecting to see the long-awaited iPhone SE 2024 as early as today, but MacRumors, at least, think it'll be called the iPhone 16E. This is the product I'm expecting.

X (nee Twitter)'s AI rumor round up indicates it'll have an A18 chip, an OLED panel, 48MP camera and 8GB RAM and be priced at $499. That, interestingly, could leave space for the SE to continue at a lower price. We'll know in a few hours!

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Check our guide to the best phone for photography and the best iPhone for photography. We also have a guide to the best iPhone power bank.

Adam Juniper
Managing Editor

With over 20 years of expertise as a tech journalist, Adam brings a wealth of knowledge across a vast number of product categories, including timelapse cameras, home security cameras, NVR cameras, photography books, webcams, 3D printers and 3D scanners, borescopes, radar detectors… and, above all, drones. 

Adam is our resident expert on all aspects of camera drones and drone photography, from buying guides on the best choices for aerial photographers of all ability levels to the latest rules and regulations on piloting drones. 

He is the author of a number of books including The Complete Guide to Drones, The Smart Smart Home Handbook, 101 Tips for DSLR Video and The Drone Pilot's Handbook

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