Apple is rumored to be shaking up its 2025 iPhone lineup, with a brand new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air. Here is what the rumor mill thinks is coming.
The long-rumored iPhone 17 Air, or iPhone 17 Slim because it’s generally referred to as, is ready to launch alongside the usual iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Professional, and iPhone 17 Professional Max. It would, nevertheless, change the Plus variant of the iPhone, which hasn’t seen important reputation with finish shoppers.
Simply because the iPhone 14 Plus changed the iPhone 13 mini in 2022, the iPhone 17 Air will seem rather than the Plus mannequin for 2025. Moderately than merely being a bigger model of the usual iPhone, Apple’s new iPhone Air mannequin will give attention to thinness above all else.
Leakers and analysts alike have offered specifics concerning the dimensions and options of the slim iPhone, they usually have quite a bit to say.
iPhone 17 Air shall be noticeably thinner than earlier fashions
Although the title of the gadget continues to be up for debate, Apple’s ultra-thin iPhone will undoubtedly echo the design philosophy of the unique MacBook Air. The principle promoting level shall be its skinny and light-weight design.
The iPhone 17 is anticipated to be lower than 6mm skinny.
Although it will not be as skinny because the M4 iPad Professional, which is Apple’s thinnest product ever at simply 5.1mm, the iPhone 17 Air might nonetheless be thinner than any iPhone so far.
An October 2024 rumor prompt that the gadget can be 6mm thick, and that declare was later reiterated by analyst Jeff Pu in November of the identical 12 months. The battery of the iPhone 17 Air reportedly influenced the gadget’s thickness, in that it was a limiting issue.
In January 2025, nevertheless, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo chimed in, saying that the iPhone 17 Air can be even thinner than initially believed, at solely 5.5mm. Leaker “Ice Universe” stated the identical factor in March 2025, whereas YouTuber Jon Prosser claimed in February 2025 that the gadget would have a thickness of 5.64mm.
After alleged CAD information have been shared by a number of leakers, increasingly more dummy items of the iPhone 17 Air started showing on-line. A March 2025 video indicated that the gadget can be round 5.6mm thick. This implies it is set to be Apple’s thinnest iPhone but, even surpassing the iPhone 6, with its notorious “Bendgate” drawback.
In response to a July 2024 rumor, Apple selected a titanium-aluminum alloy body for the iPhone 17 Air. The declare was later echoed by Jeff Pu in February 2025. Apple might have chosen a stronger titanium-aluminum alloy to stop the gadget from bending.
In October 2023, a rumor prompt that Apple would use thinner and lighter motherboard expertise with the iPhone 17 vary, by using resin-coated copper. Apple probably needed to overcome important engineering challenges to realize the specified sub-6mm thickness, which can have result in some compromises with the iPhone 17 Air design.
The iPhone 17 Air is likely to be eSIM-only
Particularly, reviews from November and December 2024 prompt that the iPhone 17 Air would ship and not using a bodily SIM slot to realize the specified sub-6-mm thickness. Extra just lately, in April 2025, dummy items confirmed the iPhone 17 Air and not using a SIM card slot, giving this rumor some extra credibility.
Alleged iPhone 17 vary dummies.
The absence of a bodily SIM card slot would not make a lot of a distinction in the US, as each iPhone bought within the nation is already eSIM-only. This might be a difficulty for customers in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macao, nevertheless, as iPhones supplied in these areas solely assist two bodily SIM playing cards.
It appears unlikely that Apple would create a mannequin unsuitable to be used throughout completely different international locations and areas. Even with its ultra-thin design, dummy items point out that the iPhone 17 Air will retain the Digicam Management button presently discovered on the iPhone 16 vary. It would not be not possible for Apple to incorporate a SIM card slot, and the iPhone maker wants to take action if it desires to promote the iPhone 17 Air worldwide.
By way of mobile connectivity, the iPhone 17 Air is anticipated to function the C1 modem — a carryover from the budget-friendly iPhone 16e, introduced in February 2025.
The iPhone 17 Air is likely to be geared up with Apple’s C1 modem.
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo first prompt in July 2024 that Apple’s in-house modem can be accessible on the iPhone 17 Air, after which repeated this declare the identical month the iPhone 16e made its debut. This rumor aligns with two separate reviews, which stated Apple’s in-house modem would seem in additional inexpensive merchandise.
Whereas the C1 lacks choose options, comparable to mmWave and Wi-Fi 7, it gives higher energy effectivity relative to the Qualcomm modems present in most iPhones. Apple’s already believed to be engaged on up to date variations of its in-house modem, however Kuo has prompt they will not debut with the iPhone 17 vary.
The iPhone 17 Air could also be thinner than Apple’s present Plus mannequin, nevertheless it will not essentially be larger.
In Could 2024, Ross Younger of Show Provide Chain Consultants stated that the Plus variant within the 2025 iPhone vary would have a smaller show than its 6.7-inch predecessor. It is protected to imagine that this declare pertains to the iPhone 17 Air, as a number of sources have talked about the gadget that includes a 6.6-inch show, comparable to Jeff Pu in October 2024. YouTuber Jon Prosser, nevertheless, believes the gadget will function a 6.7-inch show.
The iPhone 17 Air will reportedly function a 6.6-inch Samsung OLED show with ProMotion.
In response to a February 2025 report, the iPhone 17 Air is anticipated to function Samsung’s M14 OLED panels. The M14 panels within the iPhone 16 supplied some advantages over the previous M13 panel, together with a 30% increase to brightness and a greater lifespan. This was partly instigated by switching blue fluorescence with a blue phosphorescence, which additionally lowered energy consumption.
As for the show decision, Kuo insisted that the panel on the iPhone 17 Air would have a decision of two,740 by 1,260, which might be near the two,796 by 1,290 show of the iPhone 16 Plus.
A number of sources have stated that the complete iPhone 17 vary would obtain ProMotion assist. The declare was first made by DSCC in April 2023. It was then reiterated in February 2024, after which it was repeated by leaker “Ice Universe in July 2024. The latest mentions date to September 2024, November 2024, December 2024 and March 2025.
Whereas a beautiful addition for the iPhone 17 Air, particularly whether it is to be a featured mannequin launch, there may be nonetheless some doubt to it really occurring. For Apple so as to add ProMotion to the mannequin, it will imply the Professional fashions would lose one of many line’s large promoting factors. Apple may need to spotlight the iPhone 17 Air’s radical design adjustments as a substitute.
iPhone 17 Air — Rear digicam bar and key design elements
Dummy items and 3D renders based mostly on CAD information all counsel that the iPhone 17 Air will function a single rear digicam, positioned in a raised “digicam bar” that hasn’t been seen on earlier iPhone fashions.
Circumstances for the iPhone 17 Air function a rear digicam bar design.
In November 2024, a report indicated that the ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air wouldn’t function a telephoto digicam. In December of the identical 12 months, rumors of an obvious rear “digicam bar” started popping up, although one leaker claimed this wasn’t occurring.
A month later, in January 2025, a picture of what gave the impression to be an iPhone backplate or case confirmed off the rumored digicam bar design. Since then, this similar design has appeared on just about each 3D render and dummy unit of the iPhone 17 Air, together with circumstances for the gadget.
The digicam bar solves an inside area dilemma, as Apple might nonetheless match a rumored 48MP digicam within the iPhone 17 Air, whereas sustaining the sub-6-mm thickness initially envisioned for the gadget. As for the entrance digicam, Ming-Chi Kuo and Jeff Pu each declare will probably be upgraded to 24MP — double that of the present iPhone 16 vary.
The digicam bar design of the iPhone 17 Air could be seen in leaked CAD information.
The iPhone 17 Air will reportedly use a 24-megapixel digicam with a six-element plastic lens. For reference, the TrueDepth digicam array within the iPhone 15 makes use of a 12-megapixel digicam, with 5 lens components made from plastic.
The rest of the iPhone 17 Air design largely resembles the prevailing iPhone 16, full with an Motion button and Digicam Management, which means that the one main adjustments are the digicam bar and the lowered thickness.
Different iPhone 17 Air rumors — A19 chip, 35W quick charging
By way of processing energy, the iPhone 17 Air is anticipated to function Apple’s A19 chip. Rumors have prompt that the A19 chip within the iPhone 17 Professional will use TSMC’s 2nm course of, nevertheless it’s not clear if this variation may even apply to the iPhone 17 Air.
Analyst Jeff Pu believes the iPhone 17 vary shall be able to 35W wired quick charging.
No particular claims have but been made concerning the efficiency or processing {hardware} of the iPhone 17 Air, and there aren’t any indications Apple plans so as to add groundbreaking options just like the vapor chamber cooling rumored for the iPhone 17 Professional.
In February 2025, Jeff Pu claimed that the iPhone 17 vary would assist wired charging speeds of as much as 35W. In our evaluation of the iPhone 16 Professional, we hit 34W of energy with appropriate wired charging gear, and we have seen reviews of some customers getting 39W whereas charging.
In response to leaker ShrimpApplePro, nevertheless, the iPhone 16 vary is already succesful of charging at speeds of as much as 45W by way of a cable, which is quicker than the purported iPhone 17 charging pace offered by Pu, although unofficial.
The iPhone 17 Air is anticipated to debut in September 2025, alongside the bottom mannequin iPhone 17, the iPhone 17 Professional, and iPhone 17 Professional Max. It may not be for everybody, however the gadget is certain to reach, based mostly on the sheer quantity of rumors and the completely different sources behind them.
