Testing the iPhone 17 front camera A pixel-by-pixel comparison with the iPhone 16

With a redesigned sensor, Center Stage, and Dual Capture, Apple finally gives vloggers and selfie fans something new to play with.

- BY FILIPE ESPOSITO

The iPhone 17 arrived last fall, and as always, it has a slew of upgrades over prior models, especially when it comes to the front camera. Many people enjoy taking selfies and filming vlogs with their iPhone (myself included), and all the new iPhone 17 models—including the ultra-thin Air— have some really cool new tricks up their sleeves. But is it a reason to rush out and upgrade your iPhone 16?

Here’s a detailed comparison of the iPhone 17's front camera versus the 16's front camera.

A LOOK AT THE TECH SPECS

If you look at the iPhone 17 page on Apple's website, you'll quickly see that the front camera now has a new square-shaped sensor rather than a rectangular one. You'll also learn that the new sensor is higher quality: 18MP, 50 percent larger than the 12MP sensor Apple has used since the iPhone 11.

But in fact, Apple is using a 24MP sensor for the front camera, binning it to 18MP. And there's a good reason for that.

Because of its square (1:1) shape, the iPhone can capture 4:3 images at 18MP either vertically or horizontally by cropping the sensor. This allows Apple to not only adopt Center Stage from the iPad and Mac (a feature that keeps the focus on the user during video calls), but also to let people choose which orientation they want to shoot without having to rotate their phone.

This same new front camera sensor is available on the iPhone 17, iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max.

So no matter which of the new phones you choose, you'll get the same quality and features when it comes to the selfie camera.

THE ADVANTAGES OF A SQUARE-SHAPED SENSOR

Remember the 1:1 sensor? It turns out that it enables some really fun features you're going to love using.