Apple’s latest smartphone steps into the major leagues Friday night as iPhone 17 Pro helps capture live footage during a professional sports broadcast for the first time, according to new reports. The Detroit Tigers vs. Boston Red Sox game at Fenway Park, streaming on Apple TV+ as part of Friday Night Baseball, will feature live game footage shot on four iPhone 17 Pro devices.
And by the way, the game, part of the teams’ final series of the regular season, has big playoff implications. And Apple TV+ subscribers can watch it at no extra cost.
iPhone 17 Pro helps shoot pro baseball game: Four cameras stationed around Fenway Park
Apple positioned four iPhone 17 Pro handsets in strategic locations throughout the iconic ballpark for this groundbreaking Friday Night Baseball broadcast, according to reports at MLB.com and elsewhere. One camera is inside the legendary Green Monster left field wall, shooting out onto the field, while others are stationed in team dugouts and one roaming camera captures the stadium atmosphere and crowd reactions.
The iPhones are mounted in Black Magic Phone docks and connected to iPads for exposure and white balance control. Running the Black Magic Camera app, the devices streamed continuously throughout the entire game at 1080p 59.94fps to match broadcast truck requirements, with feeds delivered via fiber-optic cables.
Leveraging the iPhone’s advanced camera system
The broadcast takes full advantage of the iPhone 17 Pro’s triple 48MP camera system. It uses focal lengths equivalent to 24mm, 48mm, 100mm and 200mm (using the 8x zoom capability).
While the iPhone 17 Pro can shoot up to 4K at 120fps, the broadcast maintains standard television specifications for seamless integration with existing production workflows.
Unique angles and mobility advantages
The iPhone’s compact size and mobility offer significant advantages over traditional broadcast cameras, allowing producers to capture unique angles that would be impossible with bulky professional equipment. The cameras recorded batting practice, player introductions, dugout shots, crowd reactions and live gameplay throughout the evening.
And viewers will be able to easily identify iPhone footage thanks to special on-screen overlays that appeared whenever the broadcast switched to iPhone-captured content.
Testing phase leads to historic broadcast
This isn’t Apple’s first rodeo with live sports footage. The company conducted a successful trial run the previous week during Clayton Kershaw’s final regular-season start at Dodger Stadium. iPhone 17 Pro cameras captured the legendary pitcher’s performance and Shohei Ohtani hitting a home run.
Major League Baseball officially authenticated the four devices as the first iPhones ever used by a broadcaster for live MLB game coverage. That marks a significant milestone for both Apple and sports broadcasting technology.
The iPhone integration represents the latest innovation in Apple TV+’s Friday Night Baseball coverage for 2025, joining other technological enhancements like in-stadium drone shots, umpire and helmet cameras, and cinematic-style “Megalodon” camera work that have elevated the viewing experience throughout the season.
