The
iPhone 17 Pro just dropped, and everyone’s talking about the specs, the performance, and yes—the price. But here’s the thing: the raised triple-camera island? It looks… familiar. Anyone who has followed
Xiaomi and its sub-brand
POCO knows exactly what I mean.
Back in 2023,
POCO released the X6 Pro. A $350 phone. Not exactly a luxury device. But it featured a bold, rectangular black camera module with three lenses arranged in a way that made people take notice. At the time, some called it daring. Others thought it over the top. But two years later, Apple’s flagship appears to be taking a page from that same playbook.
The Boldness of POCO
What always impressed me about the X6 Pro wasn’t just that it performed well for its price—it’s that it had a clear design personality. That camera island wasn’t an afterthought. It felt deliberate, even confident. It said: we don’t need to follow the crowd.
And it worked. People
remembered it. It stood out in a sea of smartphones that often feel interchangeable. There’s a lesson there: design can make as much impact as specs. You can have a great processor, a bright screen, and a big battery, but if the phone doesn’t look like it belongs in 2025, it fades into the background.
Mid-Range Ideas, Premium Impact
Now we see Apple doing something similar. Are they copying POCO? Probably not in the legal sense. But influence works in curious ways. A mid-range device with a smart design choice can end up shaping a $1,300 flagship. That’s how trends evolve.
This shift is good for everyone. Apple isn’t the only company dictating what “premium” should look like anymore. Smaller brands can take risks, experiment, and sometimes set the tone. And we, the consumers, benefit from that unpredictability. Phones look fresher, feel different, and keep companies on their toes.
My Take
Honestly, I love it. It’s a reminder that innovation isn’t reserved for the priciest devices. Sometimes, the small guys push boundaries, and the giants eventually notice. And that’s how the industry moves forward—slowly, sometimes quietly, but often in ways that make the next device more interesting than the last.
Key Points
- The iPhone 17 Pro features a raised triple-camera island similar to the POCO X6 Pro.
- POCO introduced this design in 2023, ahead of Apple.
- The move reflects Xiaomi’s growing role as a trendsetter, not just a follower.
- Innovation is no longer restricted to premium-priced phones.
- This design influence highlights a more competitive, consumer-friendly market.