A Thin Replacement for the Underperforming iPhone 16 Plus
Apple is reportedly working on an iPhone 17 Air, an ultra-thin version that will replace the underperforming iPhone 16 Plus. It is not a lonely move from the company, as it once attempted refreshing its lineup by replacing the ill-received iPhone Mini with the Plus variant.
The iPhone 17 Air will be Apple’s thinnest phone yet, even beating the 6.9mm thickness of the iPhone 6. More recent rumors-including those from prolific analyst Ming-Chi Kuo-indicate that it could go as low as 5.5mm at its thinnest point, pushing the boundaries of phone design to a whole new level.
Challenges of Ultra-Thin Design
That’s no small achievement, and rumor has it Apple has been dealing with some design issues to make this extreme thinness possible. Kuo says that this minimal thickness can be so less that it could allow the utilization of eSIM technology only since there would not be enough room for a physical SIM card slot. While this technology is more common in the U.S., that is not necessarily the case globally, which may raise more issues for Apple internationally.
But the “thinnest part” terminology used in the leaks suggests this 5.5mm thickness may not apply to the entire device, which probably means the phone will sport a camera bump, a common design element in modern smartphones. For context, the iPhone 16 measures 7.8mm at its thinnest point, but the camera bump brings the overall thickness to 11.28mm. If the iPhone 17 Air follows a similar pattern, that camera protrusion could make the device a fair bit thicker even if the base design remains ultra-slim.
Rumored Features and Sacrifices
To achieve this slim profile, the iPhone 17 Air will reportedly use only a single rear camera lens, compared to the dual- and triple-lens arrangements that have dominated most recent iPhones. That’s cause for some concern, but Apple has managed to deliver great 2x zoom on non-Pro models using advanced pixel-binning technology in the past.
But the sacrifices may not stop at the camera. Kuo thinks the iPhone 17 Air will have “downgraded components paired with a high price.” That’s a mix that could make the device less attractive to consumers, especially if performance or features are noticeably sacrificed.
Price and Availability
This ends those very early rumors that had the iPhone 17 Air as Apple’s most expensive handset. Instead, it appears the device will slot in for the $899 iPhone 16 Plus within Apple’s lineup. Of course, that still leaves open the possibility of a general price hike across all iPhone models in 2025.
The iPhone 17 Air is rumored to be announced in the latter half of 2025, which perfectly fits into Apple’s usual September releases. If all goes well, it could bring a whole new perspective to ultra-thin smartphone design, but it has yet to be seen if its compromises balance out its innovative form factor.
Conclusion
The iPhone 17 Air is perhaps Apple’s boldest attempt at making an ultra-slim smartphone. Although its innovative design may garner some attention, challenges like reduced features and the limited adoption of eSIMs will likely dampen its success. As the tech world awaits further details, one thing is for sure: the iPhone 17 Air could be the beginning of a whole new era in how Apple approaches the design of its smartphones.