A new series of images claiming to be the iPhone 18 Pro chassis have been leaked, but they appear to be sophisticated accessories instead.
It's always suspicious when a leaker has just a single image of a purported device, but now a series of shots have shown off most of the colors expected for the iPhone 18 Pro. The problem is, they're not the iPhone 18 Pro at all.
In a social media post from LusiRoy8, photos of blue, dark cherry, and black rear panels for iPhone 18 Pro were shared. Upon further inspection and discussion with sources close to AppleInsider, these are actually photos of aftermarket rear case replacements users can order for iPhone 17 Pro.
The iPhone 17 Pro rear casing shown in rumored iPhone 18 Pro colors. Image source: LusiRoy8
The leaker has shown off one Dark Cherry frame, two black ones, and three of the light blue version. There's no distinguishable difference between the units when two or three are displayed.
There's no indication of the source of the components. However, each of the black and light blue ones shown have a small plastic bag that appears to contain a SIM-card tray
While these are likely third-party accessories, they could also have been manipulated with AI or image editing software to achieve the desired colors. Telltale signs appear that might suggest AI manipulation, like differences in the screw holes, the SIM card tray sizes, and other aspects, although some of those signs are explainable by what we know about production validation test materials.
Apple's push for more secrecy could have led to more desperation from various sources, or the leaker themselves is just fabricating images for clout. Either way, it is getting harder than ever to determine what is real and what isn't.
Black version of the same frame part. Image source: LusiRoy8
The same leaker has been on a bit of a streak lately, sharing various images of previously unreleased test products and possible product leaks. Though, looking through the poster's timeline, many are clearly AI generated or taken from other sources.
For example, the recent Apple Vision Pro leak in black had been shared before by various sources, though obviously abandoned at the testing stage. While the images of the product might be new, it is odd to call it photos of a second-generation product when it was clearly the first-generation Apple Vision Pro in testing. Even then, some images, like the battery pack, had hallmarks of AI manipulation.
Updated June 4, 3:37 p.m.: updated with new information indicating the leaked rear casing was likely sourced from third-party accessory makers and possibly manipulated as well.
This story had to be changed once more information came to light about the rear casing being possibly sourced from third-party accessory makers. Additional examination shows hallmarks of possible manipulation as well, so the story has been updated to reflect that.
The leaker in question will be watched all the more closely in the future for such possible deception.
