Very few people are talking about the iPhone 17’s best feature upgrade in years

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ZDNET Highlights

• The iPhone 17 series has a square sensor for center stage selfies.
• Apple introduced ultra-stabilized video shooting to the iPhone’s selfie camera, and it’s really useful.
• These features are available in all four new iPhones.

I recently ditched my iPhone 16 Pro and switched to the iPhone 17 Pro Max, thinking the new 4x telephoto camera and vapor cooling chamber would be the upgrades I’d notice the most. But after using the new iPhone for several weeks now, my favorite choice has become the selfie camera. Strange isn’t it?

Too: I’ve used every iPhone 17 model, and my annual shopping advice is changing in 2025

Many may dismiss the new selfie camera as a minor feature, but the 18MP sensor is more about a quality-of-life upgrade than just a megapixel bump. It’s located inside every new iPhone, including the iPhone Air, and offers capabilities that will undoubtedly be copied by the competition – not because they’re trendy, but because they’re convenient and enhance the overall user experience.

Bigger than we think

As a refresher, the iPhone 17 series is equipped with a new 18MP center stage camera housed in a square sensor. This lets you shoot landscape selfies without having to rotate your phone in that orientation. The software automatically restores its framing based on the number of people in the photo, and it works surprisingly well!

Apple’s Center Stage is one of those rare artificial intelligence features that’s reliable and works without you having to fiddle with settings. But the best part is that Center Stage works with third-party apps.

Too: Apple’s iPhone 17 will change the way we take selfies forever — including Android phones

I love it when this feature comes on my WhatsApp video calls. I can move around while working (I can’t sit still), but the camera keeps me in the frame and helps me disturb my girlfriend a little less. I’ve found Center Stage very useful for Zoom calls on my MacBook Air, and I’m glad it’s finally available on my most-used app on the iPhone.

I’ve also started shooting more selfies and videos thanks to the auto-framing and ultra-stabilized video features. I love selfies for their more intimate videos and group shots for their in-the-moment vibes. However, sometimes, the moment gets lost when you turn the phone to landscape orientation. But the iPhone 17 fixes that.

You can enter the camera, turn on selfie mode, and Center Stage for Photos will automatically adjust the framing according to the number of people in the group. It works fast, smooth and simple. It also gives you up-to-the-minute information by automatically finding the best framing. All you need to do is make sure that the Auto Zoom and Auto Rotate options are turned on in the viewfinder.

New selfie benefits accessibility

iPhone 17 also improves selfie video capture with ultra-stabilized video. This may not seem like a huge improvement on paper, but it’s another upgrade that makes my life easier.

Too: I took the iPhone 17 on a plane trip, and it exceeded my expectations (until it didn’t)

I suffer from a neurological disorder that causes my hands to shake constantly, often making my selfie videos look shaky – especially in low light. outcome? Weird, unnerving footage that kept me from recording or posting it online. After all, no one wants to watch a shaky vlog of a launch event. But the new iPhones may finally change that.

The iPhone 17 Pro is the first phone that actually makes me want to record myself again and again. I can shoot smooth, stable 4K 60fps video without having to switch to action mode or switch to the rear camera. The footage is stable, clear in low light, and – ultimately – something I’m proud to share with the world.

Whether I’ll actually start posting from the launch event around the world is another question — but at least for now, my videos can look as seamless and professional as everyone else’s, without any external gimbals. I like this feature more than any other upgrade in the iPhone 17 lineup. And with dual capture, it’s really fun to use.

New iPhones let you record yourself And Capture what’s in front of you at the same time, using both front and rear cameras. While many Android phones have offered this before, Apple’s unmatched stabilization on both sides gives the iPhone a clear edge in overall quality.

Also: I tested the iPhone Air for a week, and here’s why 17 Pro Max users shouldn’t sleep on it

I haven’t taken enough photos with the rear camera yet to judge how much of a leap the new 4x telephoto really is. But from day one, it was clear that I would prefer to use the front camera.

From center stage in video calls to auto-framing in photos and ultra-stabilized clips, the 18MP selfie camera is easily the star of the show on my iPhone 17 Pro. And I’m glad Apple didn’t reserve it for the Pro models — you get the same experience on the more affordable iPhone 17 and ultra-slim iPhone Air.