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 can, 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 instead of the Plus mannequin for 2025. Somewhat than merely being a bigger model of the usual iPhone, Apple’s new iPhone Air mannequin will concentrate on thinness above all else.
Leakers and analysts alike have offered specifics concerning the dimensions and options of the slim iPhone, and so they have so much to say.
iPhone 17 Air will likely be noticeably thinner than earlier fashions
Although the title of the machine remains to be up for debate, Apple’s ultra-thin iPhone will undoubtedly echo the design philosophy of the authentic MacBook Air. The principle promoting level will likely be its skinny and light-weight design.
The iPhone 17 is predicted 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 to this point.
An October 2024 rumor steered that the machine could be 6mm thick, and that declare was later reiterated by analyst Jeff Pu in November of the identical yr. The battery of the iPhone 17 Air reportedly influenced the machine’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 could 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 machine would have a thickness of 5.64mm.
After alleged CAD information have been shared by a number of leakers, increasingly dummy items of the iPhone 17 Air started showing on-line. A March 2025 video indicated that the machine could 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 line with 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 machine from bending.
In October 2023, a rumor steered that Apple would use thinner and lighter motherboard expertise with the iPhone 17 vary, by means of using resin-coated copper. Apple probably needed to overcome important engineering challenges to attain the specified sub-6mm thickness, which can have result in some compromises with the iPhone 17 Air design.
The iPhone 17 Air could be eSIM-only
Particularly, reviews from November and December 2024 steered that the iPhone 17 Air would ship with out a bodily SIM slot to attain the specified sub-6-mm thickness. Extra not too long ago, in April 2025, dummy items confirmed the iPhone 17 Air with out a SIM card slot, giving this rumor some further credibility.
Alleged iPhone 17 vary dummies.
The absence of a bodily SIM card slot would not make a lot of a distinction in the USA, as each iPhone bought within the nation is already eSIM-only. This may very well be a difficulty for customers in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macao, nevertheless, as iPhones provided in these areas solely help two bodily SIM playing cards.
It appears unlikely that Apple would create a mannequin unsuitable to be used throughout totally different nations 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 unattainable for Apple to incorporate a SIM card slot, and the iPhone maker wants to take action if it needs to promote the iPhone 17 Air worldwide.
By way of mobile connectivity, the iPhone 17 Air is predicted to characteristic the C1 modem — a carryover from the budget-friendly iPhone 16e, introduced in February 2025.
The iPhone 17 Air could be geared up with Apple’s C1 modem.
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo first steered in July 2024 that Apple’s in-house modem could be out there 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 reasonably priced merchandise.
Whereas the C1 lacks choose options, equivalent to mmWave and Wi-Fi 7, it presents 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 steered 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 Might 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 secure to imagine that this declare pertains to the iPhone 17 Air, as a number of sources have talked about the machine that includes a 6.6-inch show, equivalent to Jeff Pu in October 2024. YouTuber Jon Prosser, nevertheless, believes the machine will characteristic a 6.7-inch show.
The iPhone 17 Air will reportedly characteristic a 6.6-inch Samsung OLED show with ProMotion.
In line with a February 2025 report, the iPhone 17 Air is predicted to characteristic Samsung’s M14 OLED panels. The M14 panels within the iPhone 16 provided some advantages over the previous M13 panel, together with a 30% enhance to brightness and a greater lifespan. This was partially 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 your complete iPhone 17 vary would obtain ProMotion help. 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 newest mentions date to September 2024, November 2024, December 2024 and March 2025.
Whereas a gorgeous addition for the iPhone 17 Air, particularly whether it is to be a featured mannequin launch, there’s nonetheless some doubt to it truly taking place. For Apple so as to add ProMotion to the mannequin, it might imply the Professional fashions would lose one of many line’s large promoting factors. Apple may wish to spotlight the iPhone 17 Air’s radical design modifications as an alternative.
iPhone 17 Air — Rear digicam bar and key design elements
Dummy items and 3D renders primarily based on CAD information all recommend that the iPhone 17 Air will characteristic a single rear digicam, positioned in a raised “digicam bar” that hasn’t been seen on earlier iPhone fashions.
Instances for the iPhone 17 Air characteristic a rear digicam bar design.
In November 2024, a report indicated that the ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air wouldn’t characteristic a telephoto digicam. In December of the identical yr, rumors of an obvious rear “digicam bar” started popping up, although one leaker claimed this wasn’t taking place.
A month later, in January 2025, a picture of what seemed to be an iPhone backplate or case confirmed off the rumored digicam bar design. Since then, this identical design has appeared on nearly each 3D render and dummy unit of the iPhone 17 Air, together with instances for the machine.
The digicam bar solves an inside house 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 machine. As for the entrance digicam, Ming-Chi Kuo and Jeff Pu each declare it is going to be upgraded to 24MP — double that of the present iPhone 16 vary.
The digicam bar design of the iPhone 17 Air might 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 parts product of 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 modifications 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 predicted to characteristic Apple’s A19 chip. Rumors have steered 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 also apply to the iPhone 17 Air.
Analyst Jeff Pu believes the iPhone 17 vary will likely 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 help wired charging speeds of as much as 35W. In our evaluate 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 line with 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 predicted to debut in September 2025, alongside the bottom mannequin iPhone 17, the iPhone 17 Professional, and iPhone 17 Professional Max. It won’t be for everybody, however the machine is certain to reach, primarily based on the sheer quantity of rumors and the totally different sources behind them.