Supposed iPhone XI Chassis Might Confirm ‘Ugly’ Triple-Lens Camera

Evidence that Apple will release a triple-lens iPhone this year continues to roll in. And some fans aren’t happy about some of the implications.

The latest leak is an alleged metal chassis for an upcoming iPhone that seems to corroborate a triple-lens camera setup in a triangular design. An image of the chassis was posted to Weibo and highlighted by leaked Ben Geskin.

While the chassis doesn’t reveal much about any upcoming Apple devices, the physical cutouts on it do seem to suggest that whatever device it belongs to will sport a triple-lens camera setup.

It’s also worth noting that the chassis strongly resembles a past leak. Last week, an alleged design schematic for an “iPhone XI” appeared on Slashleaks. That schematic depicted a metal smartphone chassis that looked basically identical to the Weibo image.

A triple-lens camera setup will bring a number of benefits to the iPhone lineup, such as enhanced virtual reality experiences and a bump to overall photo and video quality — including a larger field of view, better zoom capabilities and improved low-light performance.

On the other hand, a notable design leak depicting what a triple-lens iPhone may look like isn’t making Apple fans very happy.

Back in January, mobile leaker Steve Hemmerstoffer (@OnLeaks) released supposed CAD renderings what he says is a 2019 iPhone model. Those renderings showed off a triple-lens iPhone with an objectively clunky and squarish camera bump.

The alleged camera bump is, to put it plainly, kind of ugly. It doesn’t really seem to fit within Apple’s clean design aesthetic. And if you pursue the Apple blogosphere for any amount of time, it’s plain to see that the ostensible design doesn’t have many fans.

And yet, more and more reports seem to suggest that the ugly square camera bump may be destined for an upcoming iPhone. Hemmerstoffer even noted this himself, tweeting last week that the Slashleaks post “seemingly confirmed” the accurate of his past CAD renderings.

Of course, we can’t be certain if this is the final design for the 2019 triple-lens iPhone or if it’s an early prototype.

But what’s becoming more certain is that a triple-lens iPhone is coming. In addition to recent leaks, a triple-lens setup has been reported by renowned Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, as well as media outlets like The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg.

[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]