Video Shows Removable Camera Bump on iPhone 17 Pro is False

A video circulating online claims to show a person “tearing off” the raised camera bump (the “plateau”) from the back of an iPhone 17 Pro. The implication is that the raised part is a separate removable piece, not integrally part of the phone’s rear body. Upon examining the viral video, we found that the model shown in the footage is not an actual Apple iPhone 17 device.

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The video shows person using a tool to pry off the raised camera area from the back panel, suggesting it’s a separate detachable plate. This implies that the camera bump isn’t an integral part of the phone’s body but rather an attached, removable component. The video claims to be a genuine teardown of an actual iPhone 17 Pro device with the caption “Explore the Features of the iPhone 17 Pro”.

Source | Archive

Source | Archive

Fact Check

Visual Analysis

The device in the viral video doesn’t match a genuine iPhone 17 Pro. Apple‘s specs show the 17 Pro has a “heat-forged aluminum unibody” where the back, frame, and camera bump form one solid piece.

Source: Apple

The video shows what appears to be plastic: the shine, texture, and removal method suggest lightweight polymer, not metal. It also lacks the Apple logo, which is consistently present on the rear of authentic iPhones. While teardowns show the camera area can experience “spalling” (surface flaking at edges), this does not make it detachable. (Source)

Screenshots from the viral footage comparing with iFixit teardown video.

Technical Evidence

According to iFixit’s teardown analysis, the iPhone 17 Pro has a one-piece heat-forged aluminum unibody, replacing the previous titanium design. This means the frame and back panel are manufactured as a single unified piece, with only a small “Ceramic Shield” glass section under the cameras.

In durability tests, the flat surfaces resisted scratches well, but the sharp edges around the camera area showed some weaknesses. The aluminum’s protective coating sometimes flaked off at these edges (a process called “spalling”), revealing bare metal underneath. Experts note this is normal with sharp-angled designs and doesn’t mean the camera housing is detachable.

Apple has also changed how repairs work on this model. The teardown revealed that Apple eliminated the previous dual-access design, meaning most internal repairs must now be done through the front display rather than the back. This engineering choice further confirms that the back panel and camera bump are one structural piece, not separate components. (Source: iFixit, MacRumors)

Conclusion

The viral video claiming to show a removable camera bump on the iPhone 17 Pro is false. Analysis confirms this is a counterfeit or mock device, not Apple’s genuine product. The iPhone 17 Pro features a unibody aluminum design where the back panel and camera plateau are one integrated piece, not separate components as falsely suggested in the video.