- The iPhone 17 reinvents the selfie camera with its square-shaped sensor that can take landscape selfies while holding the iPhone upright.
- All the models in the iPhone 17 lineup come with an 18 MP Center Stage front camera that takes sharper selfies in any orientation, without the need to tilt the phone.
- It also allows for more stable front camera videos and optimizes hand held video calls.
Apple has just changed the way we take selfies with the iPhone 17 series. The new iPhones come with a large, square-shaped sensor in the selfie camera. This not only allows for sharper pictures, but for the first time, you can take wide landscape selfies while holding your iPhone upright. This is a big change that fixes a long-standing problem that has become a second nature to us.
How iPhone 17’s Square Sensor Changes Selfies
Taking selfies isn’t something limited to iPhone users. It’s a global phenomenon that we all do, and no matter the device, one issue has remained consistent. Whenever you have to take a group selfie with lots of people, or want a wider view to capture more of your background, you need to tilt your phone to the landscape position.
But the iPhone 17’s new front camera setup smartly addresses this issue that we were not even talking about. It comes with an 18 MP Center Stage front camera, which has a large, square-shaped sensor. This is important because typical camera sensors are rectangular, which limits how you can frame your photos. But a square sensor can fit in photos in any orientation without a loss in quality.
So you can expand to landscape view while comfortably holding your iPhone 17 in an upright position. No need to fiddle around in landscape mode anymore. Plus, it can also accommodate wide-angle selfies since the sensor size is so large. It’s such a simple and effective implementation that it hurts my brain to understand why other companies didn’t come up with this before.
Probably The Best Camera Setup for Video Calls
iPhone 17’s Center Stage camera isn’t just good for selfies, but it also automatically readjusts the viewfinder depending on how many people are in the frame. It can go from portrait to landscape to wide portrait and wider landscape. Plus, it is great for selfie videos and FaceTime calls.
As Apple explained in its presentation, the new setup and larger sensor allow for high-quality videos from the front snapper. These videos are more stable as the company has employed some of the same technology that is used for iPhone’s Action mode feature to stabilize the footage. It is also optimized for handheld FaceTime calls, keeping your face in the center.
Why This Change is Bigger Than iPhones
I purposely kept the title of this article, “iPhone 17 Reinvents Selfies,” and that is true. You see, everyone takes selfies. It’s part of how we document our lives, from night-outs to family gatherings. And the hassle of turning your phone sideways is universal, no matter if you own a Galaxy, Pixel, or an iPhone.
By rethinking the front camera with a square sensor, Apple may have set a new expectation for the entire industry. iPhone users will definitely start using this new feature to take more landscape selfies, and other brands will start to follow soon. Future flagships across Android and iOS could bring over this same feature, because it feels natural and that obvious.
