Hacker News Reader

They probably still do, if they have the device, because you definitely want to make sure before creating the not-cheap-even-in-China tooling.

As others have mentioned, these are more useful for when they don't, i.e. before the actual release.

Commoditize your complements. Wide choice and availability of accessories benefits hardware sales.

The big manufactureres pay or just simple acquire the leaks.

I remember around iPhone 6 or such popular design rumours that were circulating around turned out to be wrong. There were photos of chinese warehouses filled with cases made for the incorrect design.

With iPhone 4 Gizmodo literally acquired the prototype and still large portion of the crowd did not believe them, because the design seemed radically different to what they expected.

Nowadays with the size of the supply line there seem to remain no more hardware secrets before the keynotes.