The iPhone 16 may only be two months old, but Apple aficionados are already anticipating next year’s new models. In particular, rumours are swirling about a new, slimmer iPhone expected to arrive on the scene in 2025: the iPhone 17 Air, also known as the iPhone 17 Slim.
Here’s everything we know about the iPhone 17 Air.
‘iPhone 17 Air’ plans may be on thin ice — here’s why
iPhone 17 Air release date and price
Apple’s iPhone 17 Air release is expected to be announced in September 2025, following the same pattern as the past few years. By that same token, it’s likely to be earlier in the month rather than later, though we’ll have to wait to find out a specific date.
It’s also too early to know how much Apple will charge for the iPhone 17 Air, though we can look at past pricing for a guide. While the iPhone 16 starts at $799 on Apple’s official store, the iPhone 16 Plus starts at $899 for 128GB. Considering some rumours have hinted that the iPhone 17 Air will replace the Plus, it wouldn’t be surprising if it’s priced closer to the latter.
However, though Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has predicted there will be no new Plus model next year, he noted the iPhone 17 Air won’t intend to act as a replacement. Rather, the iPhone 17 Air will focus on design and form factor as opposed to its processor, camera, or other hardware specifications. Other rumours have suggested that the iPhone 17 Air will actually be more expensive than even the high end Pro Max model, which starts at $1,199.
Even so, attempting to surpass the Pro Max in price may be a big ask if other rumours about the iPhone 17 Air’s capabilities turn out to be true.
iPhone 17 Air design and size
As the name suggests, the iPhone 17 Air’s most obvious drawcard is expected to be its slim form factor. The Information (via MacRumors) reports that iPhone 17 Air prototypes have been measuring around 5 to 6mm thick, which would make it the thinnest phone Apple has ever released. In comparison, this year’s iPhone 16 and 16 Pro are both 7.8mm thick.
Yet while potentially aesthetically pleasing, the iPhone 17 Air’s thin form does mean there will be less space to pack in powerful hardware. The battery Apple reportedly plans to use is already 6mm thick, which is apparently causing issues for the tech giant’s goal of a slimmer form factor. If it can’t find a solution, the iPhone 17 Air could end up not much thinner than the 2014’s 6.9mm iPhone 6.
Mashable Light Speed
In terms of screen size, the iPhone 17 is expected to land between 6.1 to 6.7 inches according to The Information (via MacRumors). Analysts expect it to be at the higher end of that range though, with both Kuo and Jeff Pu pegging it at around 6.6-inches, while Ross Young predicts a 6.55-inch display. That would make it larger than the 6.1-inch iPhone 16, but smaller than the 6.7-inch iPhone 16 Plus.
Following Apple’s focus on form, Kuo states that the iPhone 17 Slim will have a titanium-aluminium alloy frame, while Pu states it will be aluminium.
iPhone 17 Air new features
As mentioned above, the iPhone 17 Air’s thinner form will likely impact its features by restricting the space Apple has to work with. The Information’s most recent report states that the iPhone 17 Air’s battery will be smaller than other iPhones, so it wouldn’t be surprising if its battery life is reduced as well. Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait to find out exactly how large any potential reduction will be.
The report further states that the iPhone 17 Air will only have one speaker, which will be positioned by the ear. iPhones typically have two speakers, however Apple has apparently been unable to cram in a second one at the bottom of the slim 17 Air.
Another element reportedly missing from current iPhone 17 Air prototypes is a SIM tray, meaning it may rely solely on eSIMs. This isn’t a significant change for U.S. users, who have gone without a SIM tray since 2022’s iPhone 14. However, overseas iPhone models have continued to accommodate physical SIM cards until now.
The Information states that iPhone 17 Air’s camera won’t be spared the necessary downsizing either. Rather than the multiple rear cameras iPhone users have grown accustomed to, the iPhone 17 Air will reportedly only have a single, centered camera on its back. Kuo previously stated this as well, noting that it would be a wide camera — no ultra wide lens as in the iPhone 16, nor a telephoto lens like the iPhone 16 Pro. Pu concurred that the iPhone 17 Air will have only one rear camera, predicting it to have 48-megapixels.
Regardless of its megapixel count, that lone camera has a lot to prove considering that camera quality is a key consideration for many in the market for a new phone. Apple’s most recent phone with a single rear camera is the budget iPhone SE (3rd generation), with its fourth iteration currently expected in spring next year.
Fortunately, the iPhone 17 Air likely won’t downgrade all its features. Kuo and Pu have stated that the phone will have a 24-megapixel front camera, which is double the pixel count on the current iPhone 16 lineup’s front-facing cameras. Both also predict the Dynamic Island will remain relatively unchanged. According to Young, the iPhone 17 Air is further expected to feature a 120Hz screen refresh rate just like the 16 Pro (dubbed ProMotion technology by Apple).
Pu has reported that the iPhone 17 Air will have 8GB of RAM as well, making it capable of on-device Apple Intelligence. He and Kuo have also claimed that the iPhone 17 Air will have Apple’s next-generation A19 processor, an update from the iPhone 16’s A18.
Finally, the iPhone 17 Air is rumoured to have a new 5G modem developed in-house by Apple. Kuo has reported that the tech giant will eschew the Qualcomm chips it has relied upon for years, instead fitting the iPhone 17 Air and fourth generation iPhone SE with its own 5G chips.
Apple has been working to develop its own chips since at least 2018. Despite this, the company extended its agreement with Qualcomm just last year, with the latter’s hardware to continue featuring in iPhones until at least 2026. Yet even then, there was already speculation that Apple could begin using its own modem earlier. If the rumours about the iPhone 17 Air are true, we may finally see Apple debut its 5G modem chips within the next year.