Latest iPhone 17 Pro Dummies Highlight Apple's New Part-Glass Design

Seasoned leaker Sonny Dickson has shared more dummy models of Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 series, with the latest lot revealing a noticeable shift in Apple's iPhone Pro model design that goes beyond the much-talked-about new rear camera bar.

iPhone 17 Pro Render Front Page Tech
Dickson points out that the iPhone 17 Pro dummy models feature an outlined area on the back, beginning just below the camera module and extending to the bottom of the chassis. Dickson says this is "where the glass will change."

According to Chinese leaker Fixed Focus Digital, the iPhone 17 Pro models will use a combination of materials — specifically, a glass section for the logo area integrated into an overall metal chassis. This explains the red areas on the iPhone 17 Pro models we saw in a previous CAD image.

According to The Information, Apple has chosen a half glass, half aluminum build for its high-end devices to increase durability. The glass would allow wireless charging to continue to be available, but a partial aluminum frame would be less prone to breakage.

iphone 17 dummies sonny dickson
Apple's current iPhone 16 Pro models feature a titanium chassis – a change Apple touted as a key upgrade when it debuted with the ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro. With the introduction of the ‌iPhone 17‌ lineup, Apple is reportedly planning to bring the entire selection of devices back to aluminum.

Consistent with rumors and previous CAD images, the dummies depict Apple's embrace of an elongated horizontal camera module along the top of the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models and the iPhone 17 Air, but not on the regular model. The dummies also appear to have a smoother transition between the edges of the camera bump and the back cover, reportedly owing to Apple's use of a new glass-and-metal splicing material process.

Today's dummies also indicate that all iPhone 17 models – including the all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air – will feature MagSafe. The new design will constitute one of the most significant visual changes to Apple's high-end ‌iPhone‌ models in recent years. The new lineup is expected to arrive in September.

Related Roundup: iPhone 17 Pro

Popular Stories

2024 iPhone Boxes Feature

iPhones Could Cost Up to $2,300 in the U.S. Due to Tariffs, Analyst Says

Friday April 4, 2025 9:30 am PDT by
U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced that steep tariffs will be applied to imports from many countries, starting April 9. The tariffs could have a significant impact on Apple, as the company assembles the majority of iPhones in China, and products imported to the U.S. from China will be subject to a 54% tariff. iPhone prices could increase by up to 43% in the U.S. due to the...
iphone 16 pro colors 1

Is Now the Time to Upgrade Apple Devices Before Tariffs Lead to Price Increases?

Friday April 4, 2025 3:41 pm PDT by
If you have an older Apple device that you've been considering upgrading, you're probably wondering how the newly announced tariffs might impact prices going forward, and whether it's worth buying now before there's a price hike. Given analyst and economist responses to the tariffs, market panic, and Trump's stance on the current financial chaos, the answer is that making a purchase...
iOS 19 Mock WWDC25 Feature

iOS 19 Expected to Run on These iPhones

Monday March 31, 2025 5:28 pm PDT by
iOS 19 will not be available on the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, or the iPhone XS Max, according a private account on social media site X that has accurately provided information on device compatibility in the past. The iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max all have an A12 Bionic chip, so it looks like iOS 19 will discontinue support for that chip. All other iPhones that run iOS 18 are expected...
iPhone 17 Pro 34ths Perspective

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 10 New Features

Sunday March 23, 2025 10:00 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of March 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
iOS 18

12 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18.4

Tuesday April 1, 2025 4:06 am PDT by
Apple has released iOS 18.4, bringing further refinements to Apple Intelligence features, a neat new capability to iPhone 15 Pro devices, new emoji, and more. While not quite as packed with new features as Apple's preceding iOS 18 point releases, iOS 18.4 still introduces enhancements that aim to make your iPhone smarter and more intuitive. Below, we've listed 12 new things your ‌iPhone‌ ...
iphone x front back

Apple Planning 'Bold' New 20th Anniversary Design for 2027 iPhone Pro

Monday April 7, 2025 2:46 am PDT by
Apple is preparing a "major shake-up" for the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. iPhone X released in 2017 for 10th anniversary Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says that Apple plans to launch a foldable iPhone alongside a "bold" new iPhone Pro model that makes more extensive use of glass. Could this mean Apple plans to realize former...

Top Rated Comments

nfl46 Avatar
3 weeks ago

Is there a practical reason for the new camera bumper? Is it just to have a change?
It’s lipstick on a pig. At this rate, they probably felt the need to change something just for the heck of it. Their design team is probably bored out their minds.



Attachment Image
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TechRunner Avatar
3 weeks ago
Only six more months of mockups to go. Hang in there, all!
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JtheLemur Avatar
3 weeks ago
At least for the Air, how do you design a big-ass bar across the back but still have the lens stick out even further so it won't sit flat when you put it down? Un-effing-real.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kylo83 Avatar
3 weeks ago

It’s lipstick on a pig. At this rate, they probably felt the need to change something just for the heck of it. Their design team is probably bored out their minds.


If there’s no actual reason for this design change, it shows that Apple doesn’t know what they’re doing anymore
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
abatabia Avatar
3 weeks ago
Will take some getting used to. Not feeling it as of yet.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
thiscatisfat Avatar
3 weeks ago
If "Apple Intelligence" won't get people to upgrade from their 5 year old iPhone, I'm sure a a lot uglier, bulkier, and otherwise more or less the same version of their 5 year old iPhone 100% will.

Honestly, just give me a small, iPhone 5 sized, modern day iPhone without a camera bump and I'm in. I can't imagine this being that difficult. The modern day iPhone, this, is everything Steve Jobs didn't want an iPhone to be.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)