Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro targets content creators with pro video tools

Apple unveiled its new iPhone lineup, with the iPhone 17 Pro emerging as the centerpiece for content creators — a market estimated at more than 200 million worldwide.

For years, the iPhone’s camera has outperformed most casual needs, but professional creators still relied on dedicated vlogging cameras from brands like Canon, Sony, and Fujifilm. The iPhone 17 Pro, however, may change that equation.

At the core of the upgrade is a 56% larger main sensor compared to the iPhone 16 Pro, delivering better low-light performance, sharper depth of field, and higher resolution. All three rear lenses — wide, ultrawide, and telephoto — are 48MP fusion cameras, offering optical zoom ranges from 0.5x to 8x.

The telephoto lens has jumped from 12MP to 48MP, while the selfie camera now captures at 18MP, up from 12MP.

“The wider field of views in higher resolution are particularly useful when recording yourself speaking directly to the camera, making our Pro models the absolute best choice for content creators,” said Patrick Carroll, Apple’s iPhone camera architecture manager.

Creator-first features

Beyond stills, the iPhone 17 Pro doubles down on video. It supports 4K 120 fps Dolby Vision recording, and adds creator-focused tools such as:

Dual front-and-back camera recording, available across all iPhone 17 models.

Center Stage mode, which auto-adjusts framing in horizontal or vertical orientations.

Ultra-stabilized 4K 60 fps video, exclusive to the Pro, catering to creators on the move.

Genlock support, allowing multiple cameras to sync for professional livestreams and studio setups.

Final Cut camera 2.0

Coinciding with the launch, Apple introduced Final Cut Camera 2.0, a major update to its free editing app. The software now supports ProRes RAW filming, enabling faster exports and smaller file sizes without quality loss. It also adds open gate recording, which uses the full sensor to capture beyond DCI 4K resolution — giving editors flexibility to reframe, stabilize, and choose aspect ratios in post-production.

One device, many roles

Unlike Canon or Sony, Apple balances camera upgrades with the iPhone’s role as a multi-purpose device. Still, the improvements position the 17 Pro as a realistic replacement for secondary cameras.

For many creators, the convenience may be decisive. Carrying one device instead of a phone and a vlogging rig could push the iPhone 17 Pro to become the primary tool for YouTubers, TikTokers, and streamers worldwide.