You can already get a feel for the iPhone 17 lineup in your hands
This year Apple will unveil the iPhone 17 lineup with the first major changes in quite a few years. These changes, a point of contention amongst tech enthusiasts on online forums, can now be seen first hand: provided you’re willing to book a ticket to China.
A popular industry insider has provided multiple renders and CAD files of the upcoming iPhone 17 series that try to accurately depict what the new phones will look like. They also provided renders of the iPhone 17 Pro in colorful cases, giving us a look at what we can expect the phones to look like all covered up.
Their CAD files have made the rounds across the internet and now, apparently, are being used by a store in China. The store has 3D printed dummies of the upcoming iPhone 17 series and is using them to give customers a feel for what Apple’s newest flagships will feel like. While this helps customers see the revised camera island in person it also lets them get a feel for how slim the iPhone 17 Air will be.
The company had previously replaced the iPhone mini models with the Plus variants but both remained the weakest selling models. Samsung is also trying its hand at the slim smartphone market with the Galaxy S25 Edge which should be coming out later this year.
A trip to China is a lot but the most die-hard iPhone fan may find it easier than 3D printing their own copy. I’d just recommend waiting till September however.
A popular industry insider has provided multiple renders and CAD files of the upcoming iPhone 17 series that try to accurately depict what the new phones will look like. They also provided renders of the iPhone 17 Pro in colorful cases, giving us a look at what we can expect the phones to look like all covered up.
In China, a store is using the CAD models I provided to show people how the various iPhone 17 models differ from older models pic.twitter.com/ZVug7ksAWC
— Majin Bu (@MajinBuOfficial) April 21, 2025
The biggest news, more significant than the new camera island in my opinion, is that Apple is retiring the iPhone Plus model. In its place the company is trying a new tactic: a much slimmer phone that is targeted primarily at users who greatly value aesthetics. The iPhone 17 Air will probably be more expensive than the Plus models that it is replacing but if it sells well then Apple will have finally found a model worth keeping around.
Apple also replaced the iPhone SE with the iPhone 16e this year. | Video credit — Apple
The company had previously replaced the iPhone mini models with the Plus variants but both remained the weakest selling models. Samsung is also trying its hand at the slim smartphone market with the Galaxy S25 Edge which should be coming out later this year.
A trip to China is a lot but the most die-hard iPhone fan may find it easier than 3D printing their own copy. I’d just recommend waiting till September however.
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