iPhone 17 Air model appears in Apple Store for customers to preview the Pixel camera bar design

It was previously revealed that not only will the ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air be launching as an all-new smartphone segment for Apple, but it will also be introducing a new design that will be unique among the iPhone 17 line-up. This design was previously revealed by CAD models leaked by smartphone Apple leaker, MajinBu, but whether it was the real deal was still somewhat in question. Now, though, it seems as though an Apple Store in China is lending credence to the design change leaks. 

According to a recent video posted by the aforementioned leaker, dummies seemingly CNC machined using those CAD models have shown up in a Chinese Apple Store, with staff using the models to demonstrate to customers what the next-generation iPhone will look like. In the video shared on X, the iPhone 17 Air is compared directly to what appears to be an iPhone 16 Pro Max. This comparison serves to once again highlight the stark difference between the current-generation iPhones and the upcoming Air model, which is slated to be as thin as 5.5 mm in the main part of the body. 

Despite this video having been taken in an Apple Store, showing customers a pre-release design would go counter to Apple's previous behaviour. This suggests that this is a “rogue” Apple employee that has gone off-script somewhat, although the reason behind showing customers the new design is unclear. 

As is also shown off in the video, the camera bump supposedly coming to the iPhone 17 Air is a different story. Not only does the design look a lot like the Google Pixel camera bar (except for the $499 Pixel 9a, of course), it is also much thicker than the bulk of the phone's body, with previous leaks indicating it could be as much as 8.5 mm thick. The iPhone 17 Air and the rest of the iPhone 17 series are slated to launch in September 2025, so expect a slew of fresh leaks and rumours between now and then.