Alleged iPhone 17 Pro Prototype Spotted in San Francisco: First Live Photos Leak

It’s rare to see unreleased iPhones in public, given Apple’s famously strict leak policies—but we might have just gotten our first real-world glimpse of the iPhone 17 Pro.

Spotted in Union Square, San Francisco, X user @Skyfops shared two intriguing photos showing a man holding two iPhones. One appears to be a caseless iPhone 16 Pro, identifiable by a standard Apple-issued data matrix code sticker typically used on employee test units.

The second device is where things get interesting. It’s believed to be the iPhone 17 Pro, hidden inside a thick black protective case—a typical move Apple makes during field testing to mask design changes. Despite the cover, you can clearly spot the repositioned LED flash and LiDAR scanner in the top corner of the back panel, matching earlier leaks that claimed Apple is planning a redesigned rear camera island spanning the full width of the phone.

Adding to the credibility, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has weighed in, stating that the image does appear to show a legitimate iPhone 17 Pro test unit.

A second image shows the two devices side by side from the front, highlighting the bulk of the test casing used to conceal the design—a common Apple tactic to keep its industrial design under wraps during public testing.

If legit, this is our earliest real-world confirmation of the iPhone 17 Pro, and it aligns with rumors of a significant camera overhaul coming in 2025.