Rumored ‘iPhone 9’ shows up in the wild on TikTok, probably isn’t the real deal

If the rumors are true, Apple is going to host a media event at the end of March and launch a brand new low-cost iPhone at the beginning of April.

But Apple hasn’t confirmed anything just yet, so it’s all just speculation. Leaving plenty of room for even more rumors and leaks. Take, for example, a popular post on TikTok that is allegedly showing off an “iPhone 9” out in the wild. The video has been making the rounds on the social network and, thanks to Stefan Constantine, shared on Twitter earlier today as well.

The video is pretty quick, measuring in at just 15 seconds. In that time we get to see the unnamed individual flip the rumored handset around a few times, showing off the edges, back of the phone, and the front. There is some Chinese text on the front, suggesting this could be fresh off the production line. However, there are plenty of reasons to be hesitant here.

First, as noted by 9to5Mac, if this really is a prototype handset being used out in the wild there would likely be a “Proprietary and Confidential” displayed on the lock screen. That does not appear to be the case here with this handset, which should give us pause regarding its legitimacy.

In addition to that, this handset on film appears to be marrying rumors swirling around about not only the iPhone 9 (or iPhone SE 2), but also the iPhone 12 — which is expected to arrive later this year. If you’ll recall, the rumor mill has suggested that the low-cost iPhone is going to look very similar to the iPhone 8, including the rounded sides and 4.7-inch display. Meanwhile, the oft-rumored iPhone 12 is said to feature a flat edge, similar to the design of the iPhone 4.

This handset, however, seems to present both design decisions. Which feels like a second strike against the possibility of this being the real deal.

It’s possible that this is a clone of some kind, and it’s possible it’s even running Android underneath that lock screen. Or this could be a case of some kind, which is installed on a different (real) iPhone model altogether.

You can check out the video below:

https://twitter.com/WhatTheBit/status/1230176767433990144

So, this is probably not real. But it goes to show just how popular a leaked iPhone might be. Does this suggest the iPhone 9, with its smaller form factor and cheaper price point, will be a popular device when/if it launches a little later this year? It could! But we’ll have to wait and see how it turns out once Apple actually launches the thing.