This Dubious Leak Shows A Purported iPhone 17 Pro Prototype After A Drop Test

Apple hasn't announced the iPhone 17 launch event, but reports and estimates say the four iPhone 17 models will be introduced on September 9. That's when Apple will confirm many of the iPhone 17 Air and iPhone 17 Pro leaks we've witnessed in the past few months, including the significant design changes this year's iPhones will introduce. A brand-new leak gives us a look at a purported iPhone 17 Pro prototype, seemingly confirming previous design-related leaks. But this leak is more unusual than the kind of iPhone 17 rumors we've been seeing in the past few months.

The alleged iPhone 17 Pro photo comes via PhoneArena from a leaker with no established track record, so there's no way to establish their trustworthiness. X user God_FoxLeaks shared the photo online as seen below, claiming the image shows an iPhone 17 Pro prototype after undergoing a drop test in China. But the image shows a photo of a smartphone displaying the photo of the alleged prototype. It's not the original image that leaked.

Prototype under stress test.
iPhone 17 Pro (not final hardware).
深圳跌落测试后原型机。#iPhone17Pro #AppleLeaks #Leaks@TheAppleHub @MacRumors @9to5mac @TheVerge pic.twitter.com/UY0LrKYwAl

— God FoxLeaks (@God_FoxLeaks) August 17, 2025

In the age of powerful generative AI tools that can create photos that look like pictures captured with a phone, the authenticity of the photo shown on the phone above is questionable. It could easily be a fake made to look like what you'd expect from an iPhone 17 Pro leak. However, the prototype in the image has all the markings seen elsewhere, matching previous design claims.

The alleged iPhone 17 Pro prototype posted on X matches iPhone 17 design claims from the early months of 2025. Those rumors said the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max will have two-tone rear panels made of glass and metal. Also, the iPhone 17 Pro models would feature an elongated camera module, with the flash and LiDAR sensor being placed on the right side rather than next to the cameras. Finally, the metal frame would also create a metal border on the back around the glass. The image above checks all those boxes. Also, the picture shows the glass on the back cracked during a drop test.

More recent iPhone 17 Pro leaks suggested Apple's most expensive 2025 iPhones would feature a chassis mostly made of metal. Apple would use glass only for covering the circular MagSafe connector. The overall iPhone 17 Pro design would still be consistent with older rumors, but if the chassis leak is real, Apple might move away from using large glass panels on the back of iPhones. This could improve the iPhone's durability and prevent accidental damage to the rear panel during drops.

All of this is speculation based on unconfirmed reports. Dubious or not, these leaks can't be verified at this time, and Apple will explain all the design changes for the iPhone 17 series in a few weeks.