iPhone 17 Air Rumors: All the Details We Know So Far

Although the iPhone 16 is only two months old, Apple fans are already looking ahead to next year’s models. Specifically, rumors are circulating about a new, slimmer iPhone set to debut in 2025: the iPhone 17 Air, also referred to as the iPhone 17 Slim. Here’s everything we know so far about the iPhone 17 Air.

iPhone 17 Air Release Date and Price

The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be announced in September 2025, following Apple's usual release schedule. It's likely to be revealed earlier in the month, though we'll have to wait for a specific date.

As for the price, it's still too early to determine, but past pricing trends give us some insight. The iPhone 16 starts at $799, while the iPhone 16 Plus begins at $899 for the 128GB model. If the iPhone 17 Air is set to replace the Plus, it may be priced closer to the $899 range.

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has predicted that there will be no new Plus model next year, but the iPhone 17 Air won't act as a direct replacement. Instead, it will emphasize design and form factor over upgrades to the processor, camera, or other hardware. Some rumors even suggest the iPhone 17 Air could be priced higher than the high-end Pro Max model, which starts at $1,199.

That said, trying to price the iPhone 17 Air higher than the Pro Max could be challenging if some of the other rumors about its features prove to be accurate.

iPhone 17 Air Design and Size

As its name suggests, the iPhone 17 Air’s main appeal is expected to be its slim design. According to The Information (via MacRumors), prototypes of the iPhone 17 Air have been measuring between 5 and 6mm thick, making it the thinnest iPhone Apple has ever made. For comparison, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro are both 7.8mm thick.

While this ultra-slim design may be visually appealing, it also poses challenges when it comes to fitting powerful hardware into the device. The battery Apple plans to use is already 6mm thick, which is reportedly complicating the company’s goal of achieving an even slimmer profile. If Apple can’t find a solution, the iPhone 17 Air might not be much thinner than the iPhone 6, which measured 6.9mm when it was released in 2014.

Regarding screen size, the iPhone 17 is expected to feature a display between 6.1 to 6.7 inches, according to The Information (via MacRumors). However, analysts anticipate it will be closer to the upper end of this range, with both Kuo and Jeff Pu estimating it will be around 6.6 inches, while Ross Young predicts a 6.55-inch display. This would make the iPhone 17 Air larger than the 6.1-inch iPhone 16, but smaller than the 6.7-inch iPhone 16 Plus.

Focusing on the form factor, Kuo suggests the iPhone 17 Air will have a titanium-aluminum alloy frame, while Pu believes it will feature an aluminum frame instead.

iPhone 17 Air New Features

As mentioned, the iPhone 17 Air's slim design will likely affect its features due to limited space. The Information's latest report indicates that the iPhone 17 Air will have a smaller battery compared to other iPhones, which could result in a reduction in battery life. However, the exact extent of this potential reduction is yet to be revealed.

The report also notes that the iPhone 17 Air will feature just one speaker, located near the ear, as Apple was unable to fit a second speaker at the bottom due to the slim profile. While most iPhones come with two speakers, this design choice may impact the overall sound experience.

Another significant change seen in iPhone 17 Air prototypes is the absence of a physical SIM tray, suggesting the device may rely solely on eSIM technology. This won't affect U.S. users, who have been without a physical SIM tray since the iPhone 14 in 2022. However, international users may notice the lack of support for physical SIM cards, as previous iPhone models in other regions have continued to include the tray.

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, the single camera on the iPhone 17 Air will have a lot to prove, especially considering that camera quality is a crucial factor for many consumers when selecting a new phone. The last iPhone with a single rear camera was the budget-friendly iPhone SE (3rd generation), with a new version expected to launch in spring next year.

However, the iPhone 17 Air is unlikely to compromise on all its features. Kuo and Pu have both confirmed that the phone will feature a 24-megapixel front camera, which is double the pixel count of the front-facing cameras on the current iPhone 16 lineup. Additionally, both analysts predict that the Dynamic Island will remain largely unchanged. According to Young, the iPhone 17 Air is also expected to support a 120Hz screen refresh rate, similar to the iPhone 16 Pro, using Apple's ProMotion technology.

Pu has also reported that the iPhone 17 Air will come with 8GB of RAM, enabling on-device Apple Intelligence. He and Kuo both suggest that the phone will be powered by Apple's next-generation A19 processor, a step up from the A18 found in the iPhone 16.

Finally, the iPhone 17 Air is rumored to be equipped with a new 5G modem developed in-house by Apple. Kuo has reported that Apple will move away from the Qualcomm chips it has used for years and instead integrate its own 5G chips into the iPhone 17 Air, as well as the upcoming fourth-generation iPhone SE.

Apple has been developing its own chips since at least 2018. Despite this, the company extended its agreement with Qualcomm last year, ensuring that Qualcomm's hardware would remain in iPhones until at least 2026. However, there has long been speculation that Apple could start using its own modem sooner. If the rumors surrounding the iPhone 17 Air prove accurate, we could see Apple debut its in-house 5G modem chips within the next year.