First look at iPhone 17 Air case shows large camera bar cutout

Apple’s upcoming iPhone 17 Air has a lot going for it. But it will also have at least one notable shortcoming: only a single rear camera. In our first look at a case for the iPhone 17 Air, however, it’s clear that Apple plans to give that camera its own unique emphasis through a bold design choice.

Camera bar is focal point of iPhone 17 Air case leak

Leaker Sonny Dickson, after recently sharing dummy models for the full iPhone 17 lineup, today returns with our first look at a case for the iPhone 17 Air.

In a new post on X, Dickson shared the following image of a case that highlights the iPhone 17 Air’s camera bar design.

You can see by looking closely at the sides that the case accounts for standard volume buttons, plus the Action Button, Side Button, as well as Camera Control on the iPhone 17 Air.

Otherwise, the only standout feature is the massive camera bar cutout at the top.

It’s currently unclear why Apple plans to give the 17 Air this camera bar design despite only offering a single rear camera.

The iPhone 16e, for example, keeps things simple by placing its single camera in the upper corner like most iPhones.

Based on what we’ve seen from dummy models, the 17 Air’s flash will be on the right side of the camera bar with the actual camera sensor on the left. But it will be interesting to learn this fall whether there are other functional benefits of Apple’s bold design choice.

What do you think of the iPhone 17 Air case, and why do you think Apple chose a camera bar design? Let us know in the comments.

Best iPhone accessories

• AirPods Pro 2 (currently just $199, down from $249)
• 10-year AirTag battery case 2-pack
• MagSafe Car Mount for iPhone
• 100W charging brick for fast charging
• iPhone desk stand with StandBy and MagSafe

Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed.