This 12 months, Apple is anticipated to discontinue the iPhone “Plus” machine in its iPhone 17 lineup to make manner for an iPhone “Air,” so-called due to its ultra-thin profile.
Under is a compilation of each rumor and leak now we have registered from respected sources to this point about Apple’s new entry in its flagship smartphone lineup.
iPhone 17 “Air”?
In regards to the Identify
There was some uncertainty about Apple’s technique for the brand new slimmer iPhone mannequin and its place within the lineup. YouTuber Jon Prosser was first to counsel that the machine could possibly be positioned as an “iPhone Air.” Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman has since come out in settlement in regards to the naming, which Apple may use to spice up gross sales.
Changing the iPhone “Plus,” which, just like the “mini” fashions earlier than it, has not offered effectively, the iPhone 17 Air will signify a brand new method in Apple’s iPhone lineup, providing a tool with a considerably thinner design that sits between the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Professional.
Gurman believes that the design of the iPhone 17 Air will “simply be a step towards one thing higher” since Apple will ultimately wish to “squeeze the facility of a Professional mannequin into this smaller design.” Nevertheless, he doesn’t anticipate this to happen earlier than 2027 on the earliest.
Machine Thickness Rumors
Thinner Than iPhone 6
In response to The Info, Apple’s all-new iPhone 17 mannequin may have a “considerably thinner” design with an aluminum chassis, relatively than a titanium casing like Apple’s Professional fashions.
There have been blended rumors on simply how skinny Apple will have the ability to make it. Rumors have hovered round 6mm, nonetheless in a latest report, dependable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo stated that he expects the iPhone to measure in at about 5.5mm at its thinnest level. At 5.5mm, the iPhone 17 Air could be the thinnest iPhone thus far – thinner than the 6.9mm iPhone 6 that got here out in 2014. 5.5mm could be roughly 30% thinner than the iPhone 16, which measures in at 7.8mm thick, and 33% thinner than the iPhone 16 Professional fashions, that are 8.25mm thick.
The machine is alleged to have solely a single speaker, within the earpiece, as there’s apparently not sufficient room for a second speaker on the underside edge. The Info additionally claims that the machine will function a narrower Dynamic Island, although this particular declare has since been contested. Internally code-named D23, the machine’s redesign has been described as a serious one equal to the iPhone X.
Show Measurement
Smaller Than Plus Mannequin
The primary particulars in regards to the measurement of the machine’s show arrived courtesy of Haitong Worldwide Securities analyst Jeff Pu, who stated it could be 6.6 inches. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has since corroborated Pu’s declare.
Show Provide Chain Consultants (DSCC) analyst Ross Younger says the machine will function a 6.55-inch show, which could possibly be rounded as much as 6.6 inches. Complicating issues, YouTuber Jon Prosser extra lately claimed that the iPhone 17 Air can be geared up with a 6.7-inch show, relatively than a 6.6-inch show as beforehand rumored. For context, the prevailing iPhone 16 Plus has a 6.7-inch show. Nevertheless, in response to Prosser’s prediction, Younger reiterated his 6.55-inch show measurement declare for the iPhone 17 Air.
All the time-On Show
ProMotion Help
Apple intends to develop ProMotion to the whole lineup in 2025, together with the iPhone 17 “Air,” permitting all iPhone 17 fashions to ramp as much as a 120Hz refresh price for smoother scrolling and video content material when essential. This can be enabled by Apple’s use of Samsung’s excessive efficiency “M14” OLED show panel.
Beforehand, solely “Professional” fashions in Apple’s iPhone lineup used the M1 OLED panel, which is why they’ve completely supported ProMotion. Notably, ProMotion would additionally allow the show on the iPhone 17 “Air” to ramp all the way down to a extra power-efficient refresh price as little as 1Hz, permitting for an always-on show that may present the Lock Display’s clock, widgets, notifications, and wallpaper even when the machine is locked.
Digital camera Redesign
Relocated Lens
The Info claimed that the iPhone 17 Air may have cameras in areas we’ve not seen earlier than on an iPhone. In response to a Might report, the rear cameras could possibly be moved to the “prime heart” of the machine. Some Android telephones like Google’s Pixel 9 Professional have rear cameras in a top-center place, or in a runway-style horizontal bar, however Apple’s iPhone digital camera system has occupied the top-left nook ever because the 2007 mannequin.
Including to the intrigue, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has claimed that the machine may have just one digital camera, versus two or three.
Since then, YouTube channel Entrance Web page Tech has revealed the alleged design of the iPhone 17 Air. The renders present an all-new digital camera bar throughout the highest of the machine’s rear shell. On the left aspect of the bar is a single rear digital camera, and on the correct aspect there’s a microphone and an LED digital camera flash.
Most lately, a CAD render of all of the units in Apple’s upcoming iPhone 17 lineup has been shared on-line by leaker Majin Bu, particularly exhibiting the allegedly totally different rear digital camera system designs of the usual iPhone 17, together with the all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air. The CAD exhibits the described horizontal digital camera bar design accommodating the one digital camera lens.
Alleged iPhone 17 Air proven on far left
Weibo-based leakers Fastened Focus Digital, Ice Universe, and Digital Chat Station have all backed the accuracy of the CAD picture, primarily based on their very own data from Apple’s provide chain in China. “The looks is mainly like this,” commented Digital Chat Station in reference to the picture.
Extra Sturdy Display
Anti-Reflective Coating
All iPhone 17 fashions will function an anti-reflective show that’s extra scratch-resistant than Apple’s Ceramic Protect discovered on iPhone 15 fashions, based on Chinese language Weibo leaker Instantaneous Digital.
The outer glass on the iPhone 17 sequence is alleged to have a “super-hard anti-reflective layer” that’s “extra scratch-resistant.” It isn’t clear whether or not Apple is planning to undertake the Gorilla Glass Armor that Samsung makes use of in its Galaxy S24 Extremely, however the description of Corning’s newest expertise matches the rumor.
Improved Entrance Digital camera
Higher Selfies
In response to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the whole iPhone 17 lineup will function a 24-megapixel front-facing digital camera with a six-element lens. The iPhone 14 and 15 function a 12-megapixel front-facing digital camera with 5 plastic lens parts, and the iPhone 16 lineup options the identical {hardware}.
The upgraded decision on the iPhone 17 will permit images to take care of their high quality even when cropped or zoomed in, whereas the bigger variety of pixels will seize finer particulars. The improve to a six-element lens must also barely improve picture high quality.
Extra RAM
Haitong analyst Jeff Pu claims the iPhone 17 Air will function 8GB of RAM, in comparison with 6GB of RAM on the iPhone 15 Plus.
It is value noting that each one iPhone 16 fashions (together with the brand new iPhone 16e) are fitted with 8GB of RAM – a {hardware} requirement of on-device Apple Intelligence – so it is virtually a surety that the slim machine will comply with swimsuit.
Subsequent-Gen Processor
Higher Efficiency
In response to The Info and Haitong Worldwide analyst Jeff Pu, the machine can be geared up with Apple’s A19 chip, which is more likely to be primarily based on an optimized model of TSMC’s 3nm course of, presumably N3P or N3X.
In distinction, the iPhone 17 Professional and iPhone 17 Professional Max are anticipated to incorporate an A19 Professional chip. In comparison with earlier variations of 3nm chips, the N3P chips supply elevated efficiency effectivity and elevated transistor density.
Spectacular Battery Life
Because of C1 Modem
In response to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman and business analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the iPhone 17 Air will make the most of the identical C1 modem that lately debuted within the iPhone 16e. The C1 is Apple’s first custom-designed modem chip, and can deliver important benefits to the upcoming iPhone 17 Air.
The C1 is essentially the most power-efficient modem ever featured in an iPhone, and guarantees superb battery life even throughout the body of the iPhone 17 Air’s ultra-thin design. In response to Apple’s tech specs, the iPhone 16e affords as much as 26 hours of battery life for video playback, in comparison with as much as 22 hours for the usual iPhone 16. This effectivity comes from Apple’s full management over the modem’s design and integration with its {custom} silicon. The one minor disadvantage to the C1 is that it doesn’t assist mmWave.
Wi-Fi 7 Help
For Enhanced Connectivity
Apple will use its personal custom-designed Wi-Fi chip in all upcoming iPhone 17 fashions, together with the iPhone 17 Air, based on business analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Kuo stated the change to in-house Wi-Fi chips will “improve connectivity throughout Apple units” whereas additionally giving Apple a price discount.
Apple’s {custom} wi-fi chip will assist Wi-Fi 7 specification, based on Jeff Pu, an analyst who covers firms inside Apple’s provide chain. All present iPhone fashions are geared up with a mixed Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip equipped by Broadcom.
eSIM Worldwide
No SIM Card Slot
The slim machine will lack a bodily SIM card slot, and as a substitute rely solely on digital eSIM expertise, based on Ming-Chi Kuo. Within the U.S., all iPhone 14, iPhone 15, and iPhone 16 fashions lack a bodily SIM card tray already, however all iPhones offered in different international locations nonetheless have one for now.
The dearth of a SIM card slot in all forthcoming iPhone 17 fashions worldwide has been beforehand reported, however it isn’t clear how the units could be offered within the Chinese language market, the place the usage of eSIMs in smartphones shouldn’t be at present approved.
Pricing Rumors
Premium or Inexpensive?
The Info reported that the slimmer iPhone 17 may have a better price ticket than the Professional Max mannequin, which at present begins at $1,199, regardless of ideas that it’ll not be as feature-rich as Apple’s top-tier Max.
Nevertheless, Haitong Worldwide analyst Jeff Pu believes the machine can be a mid-tier iPhone that replaces the Plus mannequin. Moreover, a report out of China has claimed that the ultra-thin iPhone 17’s worth can be much like that of the iPhone 16 Plus, which begins at $899 in the USA.
