A render of what the iPhone 17 Pro could look like – Image Credit: AppleInsider
A leaker is hyping up the upcoming release of the iPhone 17 Pro Max, but the image being used shows something that is more likely to be part of case production, rather than a component of the smartphone itself.
Since the start of the year, rumor sharers have repeatedly insisted that there will be a major change to the way Apple designs the camera bumps in the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max. However, while there have been renders of complete devices and early components, there’s not been a believable one of a real-world component yet.
In an image shared by serial leaker Majin Bu on X, a selection of metal plates are displayed in a pile. The plates, at first glance, have holes and spaces that hint at being used somehow in connection to the rumored iPhones, complete with a space for MagSafe components and the camera layout.
Majin Bu also comments to help the perception, insisting “iPhone 17 Pro Max is ready.”
The insinuation is that the image is of something to do with the iPhone 17 Pro Max. If it’s a genuine image and not an AI-generated one or a render, it’s more likely what’s shown isn’t used in actual iPhone production at all.
Not a part
At first glance, the plates could be thought of as part of the actual construction of the iPhone itself. The modern iPhone uses a glass sandwich design, with a middle metal chassis adding strength.
Indeed, people who remember the disassembled iPhones in teardowns may remember a similar plate used in the iPhone 15 Pro models. The plate had cutouts for MagSafe, the cameras, and other sensors.
Teardowns showing an actual plate [right] in the iPhone 15 Pro Max, and the lack of one in the iPhone 16 Pro Max [left] – Image Credit: iFixit
However, teardowns of the iPhone 16 Pro Max showed that the full-body frame idea didn’t carry over to the newer models. Partial plates were used, such as around the camera module, but not one covering the entire body.
It seems unlikely for Apple to press forward with a plate that covers practically the entire internal structure, move away from the idea, then to return to it.
The plates in the shared image also don’t really lend themselves for use inside of an iPhone. There are main cutouts for elements that poke out the back of the iPhone, including cameras and the flash elements, but it doesn’t have all of the cutouts as seen in earlier generations.
Furthermore, the pictured parts have extruded elements around the larger holes on the design. These simply don’t work with the iPhone’s design, especially considering how thin one is compared to those extruded sections.
What is it?
While we can say with some certainty that the image doesn’t show an actual iPhone component, we can’t say what exactly they are for. That is, if they’re real, physical items and not an AI-generated image.
Our best guess, given the extrusions, is that it is used somehow in the production of cases. It’s not hard to imagine some rubber or other materials formed around each plate, as if it’s a mold, with the extrusions producing voids in the final case design.
This does make some sense, as case manufacturers tend to work in advance of an iPhone launch to create their products based on rumor and speculation, so that there is ample supply ready for the iPhone’s release date.
If they do represent molds used for production, then Majin Bu’s declaration is wrong. It’s less the iPhone 17 Pro Max being “ready,” and more the accessory producers.
