An Apple employee was seen using what looks like a pre-release iPhone in public. The phone was in a special case that hides its design. The photo appeared on X (formerly Twitter) on July 29, 2025, and quickly made people wonder if the employee might lose their job for showing the phone early.
However, many posts on X explained that Apple often tests new iPhones in public using disguised devices. This helps engineers check things like network signal and performance in real life, without revealing the final look of the phone. This testing method is similar to how car companies test new models covered in camouflage.
Apple is known for its secretive work culture and has fired employees in the past for leaks. For example, in 2017, an engineer lost his job after his daughter posted a video of the iPhone X before its release. But controlled field tests with camouflaged phones are normal and approved.
In the past, Apple also faced leaks from lost or sold prototypes, like the iPhone 4 left in a bar in 2010 and an iPhone 5 sold on Craigslist in 2011. But this recent sighting appears to be part of Apple’s official testing process.
The incident shows Apple’s effort to keep its products secret while testing them in real settings. Some worry the employee might face trouble, but many believe the public sighting was planned and allowed.
Apple has not made any official comment about the device or the employee.
