In a remarkable turn of events, the highly anticipated iPhone 17 Pro has been seen in public prior to its expected launch in September. Late Monday, a user on X, known as @Skyfops, shared two intriguing images that appear to show an Apple employee handling a test-development model of the upcoming device.
Although the iPhone 17 Pro is encased in a protective security cover—commonly used to conceal the device's final design—there are clear indicators that suggest this is indeed the unreleased model. Notably, the right-aligned LiDAR sensor and flash provide a strong hint about its identity. Even renowned tech journalist Mark Gurman from Bloomberg has expressed confidence in the authenticity of these images.
Leaks and rumors surrounding the iPhone 17 Pro have consistently pointed to an exciting redesign of the camera bar. The new configuration is expected to maintain the same camera arrangement in the upper-left corner, consistent with previous models, but will feature additional sensors on the right side. This design is reminiscent of the Poco M4 Pro, promising to deliver a more substantial upgrade in camera optics.
Phone enthusiasts will likely welcome the rumored horizontal camera bar, which is considered one of the most significant hardware changes in recent years. This new design is expected to reduce the device's wobbling when placed on a flat surface, enhancing overall user experience.
In addition to the redesign, Jon Rossignol from MacRumors recently revealed that the iPhone 17 Pro might be equipped with a groundbreaking new telephoto lens capable of achieving up to 8x optical zoom—an upgrade from the 5x zoom available on the current iPhone 16 Pro. The possibility of a dedicated Camera Control button on the top edge of the device has also been mentioned, although this feature isn't visible in the shared images.
The thick security cover observed in the images is likely designed to obscure the new camera bar, while a second image shows the device equipped with a privacy screen protector, giving it a darker appearance when viewed from certain angles.
As for the reason behind the Apple employee testing the iPhone 17 Pro in a public setting, it remains a mystery. Possible outdoor applications could range from testing 5G signal strength to assessing screen brightness and camera performance. Notably, this incident marks the first time an Apple employee has been spotted publicly using an unreleased iPhone, heightening anticipation for the upcoming launch.
ZDNET has reached out to Apple for further information regarding this development and will keep you updated with any new findings. As we draw closer to the official announcement, excitement continues to build around the features and enhancements of the iPhone 17 Pro.
