- Apple is reportedly targeting vloggers with the iPhone 17 series
- It may replace a dedicated digital camera for video creators
- For now, it's not clear what any potential video upgrades could be
We're gradually learning more and more about what Apple has in store for us with the iPhone 17 later this year, and a new report suggests the four phones are going to have a special focus on video recording features.
"In past years, Apple has focused more heavily on the camera's photo-taking abilities," writes Mark Gurman in his Power On newsletter for Bloomberg. "This year it will stress improvements to video recording."
Gurman is one of the more reliable Apple tipsters in the business, and he says Apple is targeting the "vlogging community" and "video creators" to move away from standalone cameras and use their iPhones instead.
It's not clear if there will be any new video recording features, or exactly what they might be, but it sounds like Apple is going to hype up these particular capabilities when it comes to iPhone 17 launch day (most probably sometime in September).
The current top-end iPhones, the iPhone 16 Pro and the iPhone 16 Pro Max, can record video at a maximum resolution of 4K, and at up to 120 frames per second. Multi-stream ProRes and 3D spatial video recording are supported as well.
Potential upgrades
If Apple is going to introduce new video features on the iPhone 17, what could they be? And will they offer enough to get vloggers to leave their dedicated digital cameras behind and go all-in on the iPhone?
A boost in megapixels is expected, as is a new telephoto sensor. On the hardware side, improved audio and video capture would certainly appeal, as would a boost to optical video stabilization for those smooth, extended shots.
There are likely to be improvements on the software and AI side too – perhaps something to match the Pixel's Audio Magic Eraser that cuts out background noise and can identify different types of sound (like singing or the hum of traffic).
Yet even if the iPhone 17 does get these features, it won't completely replace the best vlogging cameras. TechRadar Cameras editor Tim Coleman says: "If a future iPhone 17 Pro is to be taken seriously by aspiring and pro filmmakers, Apple has its work cut out because we'd need to see several hardware improvements equating to the biggest single camera upgrade we've seen yet" he said.
"These include the quality of lenses, and for vloggers especially a dramatic improvement in the quality of the selfie camera. A built-in ND filter together with some sort of pro mode in the native camera app offering manual exposure control, including aperture and shutter speed, will make footage feel more natural and premium. I'd also hope for better heat dissipation, battery life, and larger SSD storage, although there are accessories to boost battery life and storage, so those points aren't dealbreakers" he added.
Whatever happens, dedicated pro video cameras are likely to be around for a long time yet. "Today's vlogging cameras have evolved to keep them ahead of the best smartphones, like the iPhone 16 Pro. The DJI Osmo Pocket 3, for example, has a built-in gimbal for stabilization and smoothly following the subject" our cameras editor notes.
"The likes of the Panasonic GH7 and Sony ZV-E1, meanwhile, have much bigger sensors than iPhones and a wealth of pro-friendly recording modes. iPhones have made great strides with video, but there will be a place for standalone video cameras for a while yet" he added.
Still, while the iPhone 17 series won't be a primary camera for many filmmakers, it could well bring pro-friendly features to a new audience – and we're looking forward to finding out what those rumored features are later this year.
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