Ryan Haines / Android Authority
TL;DR
- The iPhone 17 Air, featuring a 6.6-inch display and a mind-blowingly slim build, may replace the Plus variant in 2025.
- A fresh report suggests this model will be around 6mm thick and dethrone the 6.9mm iPhone 6 as Apple’s thinnest smartphone yet.
- Next year’s Air model will likely lack some of the higher-end features, as its slim form factor will be its unique selling point.
Recently, Apple has been taking advantage of its efficient silicon to slim down its devices. Just a few months ago, the company revealed its thinnest device yet, the 5.1mm iPad Pro M4. It similarly has been overhauling its Macs now that their Intel era is over. The next device to receive a significant design overhaul may be the iPhone. According to multiple rumors, the Cupertino firm plans to replace next year’s Plus variant with a 6.6-inch iPhone 17 Air, and we now know how thin it could be.
Apple analyst Jeff Pu “agreed with the recent chatter of a 6mm thickness ultra-slim design of the iPhone 17 Slim model,” states MacRumors. If this turns out to be accurate, the iPhone 17 Air will dethrone the 6.9mm iPhone 6 as Apple’s thinnest phone to date.
While the upcoming Air iPhone may look the sleekest, it seemingly won’t be the most advanced. Leaks suggest that the device will sacrifice some higher-end specifications to fit the technology in its thin body. So, for example, it may only have a single 48MP rear lens instead of a dual or Pro camera system. It similarly may pack the standard A19 chipset, not the A19 Pro exclusive to the 17 Pro and Pro Max variants.
Ultimately, the iPhone 17 Air’s unique selling point will be its design, not its technical specifications. Apple will likely adopt a similar approach when it eventually launches its first foldable phone.
