Apple is reportedly preparing to introduce a new addition to its iPhone lineup: the iPhone 17 Air. The ultra-thin model is expected to make its debut sometime this year (September, as per reports). It will roll out alongside the iPhone 17, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max models, and will replace the Plus model in the iPhone lineup.
According to a report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, to call the new device an ultra-thin model would not be an exaggeration. The device is set to be the slimmest iPhone to date, with its thickness estimated to range between 5.5mm and 6.25mm. This marks a significant reduction compared to current iPhones, including the iPhone 16 Pro (which measures approximately 2mm thicker). To put this into perspective, the iPhone 6, previously the thinnest Apple smartphone, was 6.9mm thick. The iPhone 17 Air will likely feature advanced miniaturization techniques so that the phone is durable enough without making any compromises in its functionality.
In addition to this, Gurman’s report further adds that the iPhone 17 Air is set to come with the company’s proprietary cell modem, internally referred to as Sinope, which will also debut in the upcoming iPhone SE. This will enable the company to reduce its reliance on external suppliers like Qualcomm and gain greater control over its hardware ecosystem. Additionally, the Air could incorporate Apple’s Proxima Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chips, further marking Apple’s shift away from third-party chipmakers. The iPhone 17 Air is also expected to run on Apple’s A19 chip, a mid-tier processor compared to the Pro versions (and expected to be an improvement from the A18 used in the iPhone 16 lineup), and offer 8GB of RAM, Apple’s on-device AI features, and more.
While the iPhone 17 Air is positioned as a mid-tier device, it is expected to include premium elements, such as a 6.6-inch OLED display with ProMotion technology. This feature, which offers a 120Hz refresh rate, has previously been reserved for Apple’s Pro models. However, the Air will balance these advancements with simplified hardware, featuring a single 48-megapixel rear camera and a 24-megapixel front camera. The device is also rumored to rely solely on eSIM technology, eliminating the physical SIM card slot. This means that the device is likely to face challenges in markets like China, where eSIM adoption remains limited.
