Users who are planning to upgrade to the standard iPhone 17 version have just received some not-so-good news.
Although LG Innotek is investing heavily in the production of new camera modules, it seems that Apple will still "favor" reserving the periscope telephoto camera for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max models.
According to a source from the Korean newspaper The Elec, the periscope telephoto camera with superior optical zoom capabilities will continue to be the difference between the Pro version and the standard iPhone 17 models.
The standard iPhone 17 models will not have a periscope telephoto camera.
This means that the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air (or Slim) will not be equipped with this advanced photography feature, forcing users to consider if they want to experience long-distance photography with a periscope telephoto camera.
Previously, Apple introduced a periscope telephoto camera on the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max with 5x optical zoom. This camera is expected to continue to be upgraded on the iPhone 17 Pro, providing even more impressive optical zoom capabilities.
This decision by Apple may be disappointing for some users, but it is not too surprising. The company often "reserves" high-end features for the Pro models to differentiate and boost sales.
However, the lack of a periscope telephoto camera could make the iPhone 17 and 17 Air less attractive than Android competitors in the same price segment, especially when many Android smartphones are already equipped with telephoto cameras with impressive optical zoom capabilities.
