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Surprising new iPhone 17 rumor

Surprising new iPhone 17 rumor

iPhone 17 to get new Dynamic Island-based UI?

Leander Kahney
July 07, 2025

I gotta admit, I’ve been skimming new iPhone 17 rumors lately.

The new iPhone lineup is due in the fall, but at this point, it doesn’t seem like there’s a ton more to learn about it.

We appear to already have lots of details about the different models, their camera arrays, chips, external design and more.

Of course, none of this official, and there may certainly be surprises when Apple introduces the handsets later this year.

But there’s a fresh new rumor that’s kinda surprising. Coming out of China, it’s claimed the iPhone 17 may feature some kind of new UI based on the Dynamic Island!

Say what? I haven’t heard that before!

The new UI is not part of the current iOS 26 beta, and the details are being saved for a surprise reveal when the new handsets are announced. This is according to a popular Chinese social media channel with a reputation for accurate Apple leaks.

The social media channel also confirmed — if that’s the right word — a lot of previously rumored features, like the camera arrays and ultra-thin screen bezels. Here’s the latest out of the Chinese rumor mill.

Also in today’s newsletter:

Apple’s got a mega-hit on its hands with the F1 movie. The Brad Pitt vehicle did blockbuster business over the holiday weekend.
I’d like to thank Incogni for sponsoring the Cult of Mac Today newsletter this week. If you get spam calls, texts and emails, Incogni may the answer. Incogni scrubs your personal info from the web, protecting you from scammers. Get a special 60% discount with code CULTOFMAC.
Toughness is a big part of iPhone design. Guess how many iPhones Apple destroys each year testing the durability of its latest devices?
The totally fab AirPods Pro 2 are currently on sale for the lowest price so far this year.
This over-the-air TV antenna also offers DVR-style recording — and it’s also on sale.
If you’re travelling abroad this summer, now’s a good time to play around with the hidden gem that is your iPhone’s built-in Translate app. It really is pretty good.

— Leander Kahney, EIC.

iPhone 17 leak teases Pro-exclusive design upgrades

The upcoming iPhone 17 series may pack big design changes, at least on the Pro models, with the base variant featuring subtle changes.

F1 breaks Apple’s string of theatrical flops

Apple has a blockbuster movie with “F1” starring Brad Pitt as a Formula 1 driver. It’s earned nearly $300 million in ticket sales.

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They can’t scam you if they can’t find you

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This is how Apple torture tests its devices

A new report offers a rare glimpse into Apple’s durability testing lab and the extreme conditions its devices endure before launch.

Murderbot still beats almost every streaming series

The Murderbot sci-fi action comedy from Apple TV+ earns high ratings, as does the sports comedy Stick. Don’t miss them.

^{A message from}^{the Cult of Mac Deals team}

Amazing deal knocks $90 off AirPods Pro 2

Apple's high-end, noise-canceling earbuds already provide incredible value, and this AirPods Pro 2 deal makes them even more affordable.

Today in Apple history: App Store surpasses 15 billion downloads

On July 7, 2011, the App Store passed 15 billion downloads. Apple's software marketplace hits this milestone just three years after launch.

How to use the built-in Translate app on iPhone

The Translate app built into your iPhone is a hidden gem if you’re traveling abroad — it could help you out of a sticky situation.

Tweets of the day

Sitting in the F1 seat for IMAX F1 is for real cinephiles only.
— Joe Russo (@joerussotweets)
4:53 PM • Jul 6, 2025

Best new feature of watchOS 26? You can add HomeKit widgets to Control Center, controlling any HomeKit device with just two clicks.
Can’t wait for third party support to go full throttle!
#watchOS26 #watchOS
— Fahadx (@onefahadx)
3:45 PM • Jul 6, 2025

hear me out: MacBook SE
— System Settings (@app_settings)
10:28 AM • Jul 5, 2025

Wallpaper of the day

New Harry Potter 4K
— Aesthetics 𝕏 (@aestheticsguyy)
12:15 PM • Jul 4, 2025

One more thing ...

❝

So if Apple just becomes a place where computers are a commodity item and where the romance is gone, and where people forget that computers are the most incredible invention that man has ever invented, then I'll feel I have lost Apple. But if I'm a million miles away and all those people still feel those things and they're still working to make the next great personal computer, then I will feel that my genes are still in there.

— Steve Jobs, 1985.

Today’s poll

Anyone see F1? What did you think?

Results from last Friday’s poll: Do you plan to take fireworks pix with your iPhone?

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