Leaked video appears to show iPhone 17 Pro Max with full-width camera island ahead of Apple event

A brief video posted online appears to show an iPhone 17 Pro Max bearing a major redesign: a camera island that stretches across the full width of the top of the phone.

The clip, posted to the Chinese social platform Weibo and described in the post with a caption that translates as "Something big has happened, the suspected iPhone 17 Pro Max mass production machine has been leaked," shows a person picking up a silver, large iPhone-like device from a row of similar phones on what the poster says is a production line. The visible camera module runs from edge to edge at the top of the rear panel and appears to contain three primary cameras arranged in a triangular layout with two smaller sensors set to one side.

If authentic, the device in the video would represent a notable departure from the cornered, square camera cluster that has been a hallmark of recent iPhone Pro models. The reported island resembles a full-width camera bar, a form factor adopted earlier this year by another major smartphone maker. The person who posted the clip characterized it as a mass-production leak.

The purported leak surfaced about one week before Apple’s annual product event, scheduled for Sept. 9, where the company is widely expected to unveil the next-generation iPhone lineup. Multiple prior reports and rumors have circulated about changes to the iPhone 17 series' camera hardware and industrial design; the newly posted clip aligns with those accounts by showing a broad camera island and multiple rear sensors.

The authenticity of the clip could not be independently verified. Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Production-line images and videos of unreleased smartphones have at times accurately reflected final designs and at other times shown prototype hardware or misidentified components, making confirmation from the manufacturer the usual arbiter.

The change, if confirmed, would have implications for third-party accessories and could affect how Apple markets the device’s imaging capabilities. Apple typically uses its September event to highlight camera upgrades and new hardware features, and an altered rear module would likely figure into its presentation.

Leaks ahead of Apple product launches are common and have become a recurring part of the industry’s lead-up to official announcements. Observers will be watching the Sept. 9 event for confirmation of the hardware design and complete specifications, including sensor details, imaging software, and other changes that will accompany the next iPhone generation.