iPhone 17 Pro Leaks: 10 New Features to Expect

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Happy Sunday, Tech Squad. If your Apple Watch starts watching you back sometime soon, don’t freak out — that’s just the future happening.

This week, we’ve got Apple slapping cameras on your wrist, Tesla’s Full Self-Driving doing battle with a painted wall (again), and a new Severance season officially on the way (and I can’t wait!) Plus: early iPhone 17 Pro rumors.

It’s been a week of big swings, future-vision, and a surprising amount of Looney Tunes energy.

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📱 iPhone 17 Pro: Aluminum, AI Power, and a Whole Lotta Camera

We’re still half a year out from the iPhone 17 Pro’s expected September launch, but the rumor mill is already spinning faster than a Mac Studio fan during a Final Cut export. Apple’s next flagship could mark one of the most design-forward updates in years - and not just in looks.

According to leaks (via Front Page Tech and others), the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max are packing major hardware changes that signal Apple is thinking beyond titanium and into the AI-powered future.

• Aluminum frame replaces titanium (lighter, but not necessarily stronger)

• New “part-aluminum, part-glass” rear panel design

• Rectangular camera bump with the familiar triangle lens layout

• Upgraded scratch-resistant, anti-reflective display coating

• Larger battery for the Pro Max thanks to a thicker design

And under the hood:

• A19 Pro chip using TSMC’s next-gen 3nm process

• Apple-designed Wi-Fi 7 chip replaces Broadcom’s

• 12GB RAM upgrade on both Pro models (vs. 8GB on iPhone 16)

• 48MP Telephoto rear camera and a 24MP front camera

• Better internal cooling, possibly vapor chamber-based

This feels like Apple beefing up its phones not just for photos, but for Apple Intelligence and the next wave of on-device AI.

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🚧 Tesla vs. Wile E. Coyote, Round 2

After Mark Rober’s viral video showed a Tesla failing to recognize a cartoon-style painted wall as a road hazard, YouTuber Kyle Paul decided to run his own Looney Tunes-themed test.

In his follow-up experiment, Paul used two Teslas - a Model Y running on the older HW3 hardware and a Cybertruck equipped with Tesla’s latest Hardware 4 / AI 4 setup. Both had Full Self-Driving (FSD) enabled, and both faced off against a fake tunnel wall, straight out of a Road Runner cartoon.

• The Model Y (FSD v12.5.4.2) failed the test, just like Rober’s

• Paul had to manually brake to avoid cartoonish catastrophe

• The Cybertruck (FSD v13.2.8), however, recognized the wall

• It slowed down and came to a full stop before impact

So, progress? Maybe. The Cybertruck’s performance suggests Tesla’s newer hardware and software combo may finally be learning to distinguish real roads from art projects. Until then, best to keep an eye out for suspiciously flat-looking tunnels.

👁️ Eye See What You Did There, Apple

Apple Watch might be getting literal vision. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is working on versions of the Watch (and even AirPods) with built-in cameras, all designed to power a new wave of AI features called Visual Intelligence.

These aren’t for FaceTime selfies. Visual Intelligence is already in the wild on the iPhone 15 Pro, and 16 series, where it can scan things like event flyers and auto-add them to your calendar, or identify restaurants on the fly. Now, Apple wants to bring that smarts to your wrist - and eventually, your ears.

• The standard Apple Watch will hide the camera under the display

• The Watch Ultra will place it near the digital crown and button

• The idea is for devices to “see” the world and offer contextual info

• AirPods with cameras are reportedly in the works, too

Apple aims to switch from third-party AI models to in-house ones by 2027, which is also the expected launch window for these new camera-equipped devices. Leading the charge is Mike Rockwell, the same exec behind Vision Pro. He’s now running point on overhauling Siri and laying groundwork for even more ambitious wearables - including long-rumored AR glasses.

🧠 Severance Season 3 Is Official

The Severance Season 2 finale drops on Apple TV+ today, but don’t clock out just yet — a third season is officially on the books. Apple CEO Tim Cook confirmed the renewal with a cheeky “Season 3 is available upon request” video reply to producer Ben Stiller.

The delay between seasons 1 and 2 (an agonizing three years!) was largely thanks to the 2023 Hollywood strikes. But if you’re worried about waiting until 2027 to find out what’s next for Lumon Industries, Stiller has good news.

• On the Kelce brothers’ New Heights podcast, he said the long gap won’t happen again

• Season 2 was heavily delayed due to industry-wide shutdowns

• Season 3 is already in the works and likely coming much sooner

Severance follows Mark Scout (Adam Scott), whose memory is surgically split between work and personal life — a sci-fi concept that’s become cult-favorite TV. Also starring Brit Lower, Tramell Tillman, and Christopher Walken, the show blends eerie corporate satire with genuine emotional weight.

And in true Lumon fashion, Stiller added, “Any recollection of these future events will be irrevocably wiped from my memory as well.”

QUICK BITS

Nvidia’s GTC 2025 Highlights: Nvidia unveiled its Blackwell Ultra AI chips and the Groot N1 AI model for robotics at GTC 2025. They also introduced Blue, a robot developed with Google DeepMind and Disney, and announced Nvidia Halos, a safety initiative for self-driving cars in partnership with GM. 

Google’s Pixel 9a Launch: Google released the Pixel 9a, featuring a 6.3-inch display, a 5,100mAh battery, and the Tensor G4 chip. Priced at $499, its release has been delayed due to a component quality issue. 

EU’s Action Against Tech Giants: The European Commission accused Google and Apple of violating the Digital Markets Act, alleging self-preferential treatment in services and restricting developer access. This move aims to foster fairer competition and innovation in the tech industry. 

Core Devices’ New Smartwatches: Core Devices, led by Pebble’s founder, launched two new smartwatches: the Time 2 and Core 2 Duo, priced at $225 and $149 respectively, marking Pebble’s return to the tech scene.