The upcoming iPhone 17 Pro is set to make its official debut on September 9, but the internet is already buzzing over a curious sight – a so-called iPhone 17 Pro dummy with its screen lit up. At first glance, you might think it’s running iOS 26. 
Look closer, though, and the truth peeks through: it’s actually running Android, disguised with Apple-style icons and themes.
The images, shared by reliable tipster Sonny Dickson, show the dummy unit in three poses – its plain retail box, a sleek silver back adorned with the Apple logo, and the same phone powered on. While the home screen mimics iOS with familiar icons like Safari and the App Store, the devil is in the details. The biggest giveaway? The clock. Instead of Apple’s typical ‘5:20’, the display reads ‘05:20’, a subtle trait far more common in Android’s default layouts.
That’s not the only quirk. Observers also pointed out the dummy’s chunky bezels, a far cry from the ultra-thin borders expected on the real iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max – which are rumored to outshine even the iPhone 16 Pro series in this department
. These telltale flaws confirm this is no Apple prototype, just an Android handset dressed in Cupertino cosplay.
As launch day nears, such fakes are a reminder to take early ‘leaks’ with skepticism. They might be entertaining, but they’re often more parody than preview. And, perhaps, Apple still has a few genuine surprises hidden away for the big reveal – something rare in today’s leaky tech world.