Apple’s $1,099 iPhone 17 Pro adopts a camera design seen on $385 POCO handsets? here is a closer look

With any major new update or launch, the natural urge to compare plays a dominant role in people’s minds. The same can be said of one of the most anticipated products of 2025, Apple’s iPhone 17 series. Months before launch, rumors were already swirling that Apple’s camera design overhaul would bear an uncanny resemblance to a far more budget-friendly device: Xiaomi’s POCO lineup, particularly popular across India and Europe.

Now that the iPhone 17 Pro is official, those whispers seem justified. Apple has indeed introduced its biggest camera redesign since the iPhone 11 Pro, replacing the familiar triangular cluster with a stretched horizontal bar. The new module runs across the top back panel, holding three sensors in a compact row, a design language instantly familiar to POCO users who have seen similar layouts on sub-$400 handsets.

To be fair, comparing a $385 POCO phone with the $1,099 iPhone 17 Pro is hardly about performance; this is purely about design language. And in this case, Apple seems to have taken inspiration from the utilitarian aesthetics of budget devices, wrapping them in its signature premium materials, refined finishes, and tighter hardware-software integration.


The result is a camera housing that feels futuristic yet minimal, balancing form with functionality. Where POCO opts for bulkier frames and plastic shells, Apple elevates the same concept with surgical-grade titanium, subtle curvature, and polished symmetry.

The internet world also didn't shy away from comparing. After the launch, one user posted, “Here is the iPhone 17 Pro; sorry, I should have said the POCO copy, the POCO 17 Pro.” and attached photos for comparison.