In the weeks before Apple's September 9 announcement, the digital rumor mill has produced something both familiar and instructive: a leaked accessory — a magnetic crossbody strap allegedly designed for the iPhone 17 — that may reveal as much about the nature of tech speculation as it does about Apple's actual plans. Leaker Majin Bu has shared photographs of the purported strap, but contradictions between his own past and present claims remind us that the hunger for revelation often outruns the facts available to satisfy it. We are, as ever, left in the productive tension between anticipation a
Leaked iPhone 17 Crossbody Strap Raises Questions About Authenticity
The strap's ends are confusing because the images contradict earlier leaks
Mark
Why does it matter if this strap is real or not? It's just an accessory.
Mimi
Because it signals what Apple thinks people want to do with their phones. A crossbody strap suggests they're betting on hands-free carrying, on the phone as something you wear rather than hold. That's a shift.
Mark
But the leaker's story keeps changing. Why should anyone believe him?
Mimi
Exactly the point. Leakers build credibility over time, and when they contradict themselves, that credibility erodes. Bu has been right before, which is why people listen. But right and wrong don't average out—one major miss can poison the well.
Mark
So what happens on September 9?
Mimi
Either Bu looks prescient or foolish. And everyone watching learns whether to trust the next leak from this source, or any leaker like them.
Mark
Is there a scenario where both the old and new leaks are correct?
Mimi
Possibly. If there's a thin connector thread that Bu simply didn't show in the new images, the strap could be wider than the case cutouts suggest. But that's speculation filling in gaps, which is exactly what makes leaks unreliable.
Le Pouls
- A lanyard-style magnetic strap allegedly built for the iPhone 17 has surfaced through leaker Majin Bu, igniting fresh speculation about Apple's accessory ambitions.
- The strap's claimed design — magnetic along its full length, compatible with cases and possibly AirPods Pro 3 — is novel enough to feel either visionary or invented.
- A critical contradiction has emerged: the strap's apparent width doesn't match the cutouts shown in Bu's own earlier iPhone 17 case leaks, undermining the entire claim.
- Unanswered engineering questions linger — could a thin connector safely bear the weight of an iPhone worn across the body, and how would the attachment actually work?
- With Bu's track record described as decidedly mixed, the tech community is navigating a familiar dilemma: engage with the leak or dismiss it as noise ahead of September 9.
In the weeks before Apple's September 9 announcement, the digital rumor mill has produced something both familiar and instructive: a leaked accessory — a magnetic crossbody strap allegedly designed for the iPhone 17 — that may reveal as much about the nature of tech speculation as it does about Apple's actual plans. Leaker Majin Bu has shared photographs of the purported strap, but contradictions between his own past and present claims remind us that the hunger for revelation often outruns the facts available to satisfy it. We are, as ever, left in the productive tension between anticipation and uncertainty — a space Apple has long understood how to inhabit.
Last week, packaging images hinted at an Apple accessory no one had heard of — something called the Crossbody Strap. Now leaker Majin Bu has gone further, releasing photographs he claims show the actual product: a lanyard-style strap meant to be worn across the body, constructed from nylon-like material similar to Apple's Watch Sport Loop, with a possible silicone variant. Its defining feature, according to Bu, would be magnets running along its entire length, replacing traditional hooks or loops entirely.
The accessory is said to work with iPhone 17 cases and potentially the upcoming AirPods Pro 3 — a detail that, if true, would signal a broader ecosystem play from Apple. But the leak carries a significant problem: it contradicts Bu's own earlier work. Previous case images from the same source showed cutouts sized for a thin lanyard thread, yet the new strap photographs depict something considerably wider — too wide, seemingly, to fit through those same openings.
One possible explanation is that a thin connector thread would loop through the case holes, with the wider magnetic strap attaching to it. But that raises its own concerns about structural integrity — whether such a connection could reliably support the weight of a dropped or tugged iPhone. No clear answers exist yet.
Bu's history with Apple leaks is uneven at best, and these internal contradictions only deepen the skepticism. Whether the Crossbody Strap is a genuine Apple product, a misread prototype, or something else entirely will be settled when Apple takes the stage on September 9.
Last week, images of iPhone 17 packaging circulated online hinting at an accessory called the Crossbody Strap—a product no one had heard of before. The leak sparked immediate curiosity about what Apple might be planning. Now, a leaker known as Majin Bu has released photographs claiming to show the actual accessory in question: a lanyard-style strap designed to clip onto an iPhone and be worn across the body like a crossbody bag.
According to Bu's claims, the strap would be constructed from nylon-like material similar to Apple's Watch Sport Loop band, with a silicone version possibly available as an alternative. The strap's most distinctive feature, Bu suggests, is that it would be magnetic along its entire length. Rather than relying on traditional hooks or loops, the magnets would secure the strap's ends in place. The accessory is said to be compatible with iPhone 17 cases and potentially the upcoming AirPods Pro 3.
But there's a problem. The images Bu released this time contradict earlier leaks from the same source. In previous photographs of iPhone 17 cases, Bu showed cutouts where a lanyard could thread through. The new strap images, however, display a uniform thickness that appears wider than those earlier cutouts would accommodate. This inconsistency has raised serious questions about whether Bu's leaks are reliable or whether some of the information is simply wrong.
Several explanations could account for the discrepancy. It's possible that Bu's earlier case leaks contained errors. Alternatively, the strap images might be missing a crucial component—perhaps a thin thread that would loop through the case holes, with the wider magnetic strap attaching to that thread. But even if such a design exists, fundamental questions remain unanswered: would a thin connector be strong enough to safely support the weight of an iPhone if someone pulled on the strap? How would the attachment actually function in practice?
Bu's track record with Apple leaks is decidedly mixed. Some predictions have proven accurate, while others have not. This inconsistency means all of these claims should be treated with considerable skepticism. The leaker has built a following by sharing insider information, but the contradictions between past and present leaks suggest either access to unreliable sources or a willingness to speculate beyond what is actually known.
Apple is scheduled to officially announce the iPhone 17 and its accessories on September 9. That event will provide a definitive answer about whether the Crossbody Strap is real, whether it functions as Bu described, and whether the design matches the leaked images. Until then, the accessory remains in a state of uncertainty—an intriguing possibility that may or may not materialize when Apple takes the stage.
Citations marquantes
Bu has a mixed record with Apple leaks, so all this should be taken with skepticism— reporting on leaker credibility
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