The camera bump appears to have grown slightly thicker
Each year, the shape of Apple's next iPhone becomes a kind of cultural Rorschach test — a surface onto which the tech world projects its hopes, fears, and educated guesses. New CAD renders of the iPhone 14 Pro, sourced from within the supply chain, offer the clearest picture yet of what Apple may actually be building this fall, and in doing so, they quietly correct the record on months of confident speculation. The device appears to refine rather than reinvent — slimmer bezels, a split front-camera cutout replacing the notch, and a camera bump that has grown rather than receded — a reminder that even the most detailed leaks are, at best, an approximation of intention.
- Months of circulating iPhone 14 Pro leaks are being challenged by fresh 3D CAD renders obtained directly from industry sources, throwing the rumor landscape into question.
- The expected notch replacement arrives as two distinct openings — a pill shape and a circular hole — smaller than the current notch but more prominent than some optimistic early renders had suggested.
- Contrary to widespread speculation, the camera bump appears to have grown thicker, not flatter, directly contradicting one of the most repeated predictions about the Pro's redesign.
- Claims of circular volume buttons and a SIM-card-free design are flatly refuted by the renders, which show buttons and ports unchanged from the iPhone 13 Pro.
- The September announcement remains the only true arbiter — until then, these renders offer the most grounded preview yet, while leaving room for further surprises.
The iPhone 14 Pro is beginning to take shape in ways that quietly contradict what the leaker community has been saying for months. Fresh 3D CAD renders from industry sources depict a device that keeps some anticipated changes while abandoning others entirely — a selective borrowing from rumor that serves as a useful reminder of how imprecise advance speculation can be.
The most visible change is at the top of the screen. Both Pro models are expected to retire the long-standing notch in favor of two separate openings: a pill-shaped cutout and a smaller circular hole. These consume less screen space than the current notch, and the bezels surrounding the display have been slimmed down and made symmetrical, lending the phone a more refined look overall.
The phone's fundamental form stays familiar — rounded edges, unchanged buttons and ports, and a retained SIM card tray. That last detail directly contradicts rumors suggesting Apple might eliminate it, and the absence of circular volume buttons puts another popular leak to rest.
Perhaps the most striking finding is about the camera. Earlier speculation had suggested Apple would make the iPhone 14 Pro thicker in order to flatten the camera bump. These renders suggest the opposite: the bump appears to have grown, not receded. It is a direct reversal of one of the cycle's most repeated predictions.
Apple's September announcement will ultimately confirm or complicate what these renders suggest. For now, they represent the most grounded look yet at a device that continues to resist easy prediction.
The iPhone 14 Pro is taking shape in ways that contradict what leakers have been saying for months. Fresh 3D CAD renders obtained from industry sources show a device that looks notably different from the speculative images circulating online—and in several key ways, it challenges the conventional wisdom about what Apple has planned.
Apple is expected to release four new iPhones this fall: a standard 6.1-inch iPhone 14, a larger 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Max, and two Pro variants in those same sizes. The renders in question depict the 6.1-inch iPhone 14 Pro, and they reveal a phone that keeps some expected changes while abandoning others entirely.
The most visible shift is at the top of the screen. Both Pro models are widely expected to replace the notch—that black pill-shaped cutout that has housed the front camera and Face ID sensors since the iPhone X—with something smaller. The new design splits the space into two separate openings: a pill-shaped cutout on one side and a circular hole on the other. These aren't as subtle as some earlier renderings had suggested, but they do consume less screen real estate than the current notch, which counts as progress. The bezels surrounding the display have been slimmed down and appear perfectly symmetrical, giving the phone a more refined appearance overall.
The phone's basic shape remains familiar. It keeps the rounded edges of the iPhone 13 Pro, though it appears slightly taller than its predecessor. Apple seems to have adjusted the aspect ratio to accommodate the new camera cutouts. The buttons and ports are unchanged from last year's Pro model—which means no circular volume buttons, despite what one unreliable leaker had claimed. The SIM card tray remains, contradicting rumors that suggested Apple might eliminate it from some models.
Perhaps the most surprising finding concerns the camera system. There had been speculation that Apple would make the iPhone 14 Pro thicker to allow for a flatter camera bump, reducing the protrusion on the back. These renders suggest otherwise. If anything, the camera bump appears to have grown slightly thicker, not thinner. This is a direct contradiction to what had been widely expected based on earlier leaks.
The renders represent the clearest look yet at what the iPhone 14 Pro may actually become, though they remain unconfirmed until Apple's inevitable September announcement. The device emerging from these images is one that borrows selectively from rumors while rejecting others outright—a reminder that even detailed leaks can miss the mark, and that the final product often surprises.
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why does the camera bump matter so much? It's just a small protrusion on the back.
It's not really about the bump itself—it's about what it signals. A thicker bump suggests Apple couldn't flatten the camera system even with more space, which tells us something about the optical engineering they're trying to fit in there.
So the renders contradict what leakers said about the phone being thicker?
Exactly. The rumor was that thickness would buy Apple room to make the cameras flush. These renders show the phone may be thicker, but the bump is still there, maybe even more pronounced. It's a gap between expectation and reality.
What about the pill-shaped cutout replacing the notch? Is that a real improvement?
It's a trade-off. You get more screen space back, which is what people have wanted for years. But the renders show it's not as invisible as some hoped. You're still looking at a fairly obvious interruption at the top of the screen.
And the symmetrical bezels—why does that matter?
It's about perception. Symmetrical bezels make a phone feel intentional and balanced, even if the actual measurements are nearly identical to the previous model. It's visual refinement, not revolutionary change.