Apple TV iPhone 17 Launch Event Leak Is Fake, But The Date Still Makes Sense

The iPhone launch is one of the most highly anticipated tech events of late summer. The iPhone 17 series is no different, with Apple expected to unveil four new iPhone 17 models in the second half of September. Apple has not sent out press invites for the event as of this writing, but we've witnessed a few fake event leaks in the past few days. One showed an apparent invite from Apple earlier this month. A more recent image surfaced on social media this week, showing a purported Apple TV screenshot that included an Apple event set for September 9.

We explained why the leaked iPhone 17 media invite from a few days ago was fake, but why the rumored date made sense. The same applies to the Apple TV screenshot that appeared on X on Thursday. That image is confirmed to be fake, but the September 9 date mention might be accurate. It previously appeared in leaks from well-connected insiders, and it's in line with Apple's playbook for the annual iPhone launch event.

X user AppleLeaker shared the following images, both showing a purported listing for an Apple Event set for "09.09.25" saying that Apple accidentally listed the event. Initially, the leak made sense. Apple is a very secretive company, but it sometimes makes mistakes that reveal details about unreleased products.

EXCLUSIVE!!

Apple accidentally added the 2025 September 9th iPhone event invite to the AppleTV App before promptly taking it down.

The design is reminiscent of the OG MacBook Air wallpaper, likely a hint towards the new iPhone 17 Air. pic.twitter.com/b9qLYTfZJC

— AppleLeaker (@LeakerApple) August 21, 2025

Accidentally listing the iPhone 17 launch event date on Apple TV before the official press invites go out is plausible. The leaker noted in the tweet that it was quickly removed, suggesting Apple caught the mistake soon after accidentally posting the event placeholder listing in the app.

UPDATE: I have been informed that this leak was fabricated. We will get real invites in the coming week or so we just need to be patient for a little longer.

— AppleLeaker (@LeakerApple) August 21, 2025

A few hours later, AppleLeaker posted an update on X saying they were informed the leak was fabricated by a third party who then shared it with the leaker. iPhone fans who keep close tabs on all Apple rumors before a major product launch like the iPhone 17 event would have probably believed the leaks mentioned above were real. They offered the same event date that appeared in a report from a trusted source of Apple leaks in mid-July and early August.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said in one of his Power On newsletters that Apple would unveil the iPhone 17 series in the week of September 8, right after Labor Day. It's what Apple does every year, hosting the September iPhone event after the holiday. Since Apple holds events on a Tuesday or Wednesday, September 9 or 10 are the likely candidates for the iPhone 17 keynote. Exceptions to the unofficial rule exist. The iPhone 16 series was unveiled on September 9 last year, which fell on a Monday.

iPhone 17 preorders would start on the first Friday after the event, or September 12. The iPhone 17 release date would be September 19, the first Friday after preorders start. In early August, a German blog offered the same September 9 event date for the iPhone 17 series, citing information from German retailers.

Apple has been using this launch schedule for years. Friday is always the day when preorders start, and the release date is set a week after that. The schedule gives Apple about two weeks of strong iPhone sales fueled by interest in the newest generation, and those sales are then included in the September quarter.

That's why leaks like the fake Apple invite or the fake Apple TV listing make sense. They rely on reports from well-informed sources and a general knowledge of Apple's operations. Apple should release the real invite for the iPhone 17 keynote a few weeks before the event, or in late August.