Apple is preparing a new phone to launch alongside the iPhone 17 series. The speculated iPhone 17 Air is slated to replace the Plus variant. However, it will not be a direct replacement but will emphasize a sleek design. The iPhone 17 Air could be the thinnest iPhone Apple has ever produced. Before the highly anticipated introduction, supposed iPhone 17 Air hands-on photographs surfaced online.
The purported iPhone 17 Air pictures reveal a matte back and a single camera module that protrudes slightly from a Google Nexus 6P-style camera bump. Its appearance is consistent with the iPhone 16 family, including volume rockers and an action button on the left side. It will supposedly have Camera Control on the right side.
How Slim Could the iPhone 17 Air Get?
According to rumors, the iPhone 17 Air will be about 5.5mm thick. According to Majin Bu’s leaked dummy unit, it measures 5.44mm. This would make it somewhat thicker than Apple’s thinnest device, the M4 iPad Pro (5.1mm).
For comparison, the Tecno Spark Slim concept phone was unveiled at MWC 2025 as the world’s thinnest phone, measuring 5.75mm. Meanwhile, Samsung has unveiled the Galaxy S25 Edge, which is claimed to measure 5.84mm. So, the iPhone 17 Air could become the world’s thinnest phone.
Apple iPhone 17 Air: Full Specs Breakdown
The iPhone 17 Air won’t be a high-spec gadget. According to Bloomberg, it will lie between the 6.3-inch iPhone 16 Pro and the 6.9-inch iPhone 16 Pro Max in terms of dimensions.
Several speculations suggest a 6.6-inch ProMotion-enabled OLED panel with ultra-slim bezels. MacRumors believes Apple may improve scratch resistance on the Ceramic Shield display using an anti-reflective substance. It may be confined to iPhone 17 Pro versions and unavailable on iPhone 17 and Air.
Apple reportedly explored making the iPhone 17 Air as large as the 16 Pro Max but decided against it due to worries that a significant display on a thin smartphone would bend more readily.
The iPhone 17 Air is rumored to include a single back camera, identical to the iPhone 16e. According to Pu, the front camera will be improved to 24MP, up from 12MP in the iPhone 16 series. While the iPhone 17 Pro Max is projected to have a smaller Dynamic Island, the pill-shaped notch on the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air will likely remain unchanged from the iPhone 16 series.
Kuo and Bloomberg have previously stated that the ultra-thin design will necessitate concessions in optics and battery capacity.
The iPhone 17 Air will likely be powered by an A18 or A19 chipset, making it comparable to the standard iPhone 17. It could have 8GB of RAM for Apple Intelligence and Apple’s own in-house C1 modem, which was introduced with the iPhone 16e.
Apple is also expected to overhaul its mobile operating system with iOS 19. The upgrade will allow users to change the appearance of icons, menus, apps, windows, and system buttons. The company is “working to simplify the way users navigate and control their devices,” and will take design inspirations from Vision Pro’s operating system.
iPhone 17 Air: Expected Price and Release Date
According to Bloomberg, the iPhone 17 Air will cost roughly $900, placing it in the same price range as the previous Plus model and keeping its position in the lineup hierarchy. It is projected to cost more than the iPhone 17 but less than the iPhone 17 Pro.
The iPhone 17 Air will arrive alongside the iPhone 17 series in September of this year. It may replace the iPhone 17 Plus, creating a lineup that includes the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max.
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