Each year, Apple releases four new iPhones: a regular iPhone, two Pros, and one Plus model to cater to every audience. However, it is going to be a little different this year, as Apple is expected to ditch the Plus in favor of a new model called iPhone 17 Air.
Yes, the iPhone 17 Air is not yet official, but the rumor mill running around it has become more potent than before. Keep reading to know everything about the rumored iPhone 17 Air.
iPhone 17 Air: Display
Ross Young, a Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC) analyst, in a post to subscribers on X (formerly Twitter), says that the rumored iPhone 17 Air will feature a 6.6-inch OLED display, which is ever-so-slightly smaller than the 6.7-inch display on the Plus model that it is replacing.
It is expected to use the same LTPO panel as the Pro models. As such, it may feature a ProMotion display that Apple has restricted to the Pro model until now. This means the screen can go from 1 Hz all the way up to 120Hz, as required, offering you smooth scrolling and better content viewing experience without significantly draining the battery.
Furthermore, similar to all current models, the iPhone 17 Air will likely come with Face ID and Dynamic Island, a sure-shot upgrade if you are coming from the iPhone 14 or older lineup.
Another important aspect is that a ProMotion display is more power efficient than Apple’s regular displays. This is because the refresh rate on a ProMotion display can be ramped down to as low as 1Hz, which isn’t possible in current non-pro models. Due to this, Apple might add Always on Display support to the iPhone 17 Air, which allows some elements of the lock screen to stay illuminated even when the phone is locked.
iPhone 17 Air: Design and build
As the name suggests, the iPhone 17 Air will be much lighter and slimmer than its contemporaries. This is most likely due to its aluminum-built and ultra-thin design, which measures just 5.5mm at its thinnest point, as Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported in a Medium blog post. While the Titanium build would have been better, Apple will keep it reserved for Pro models in the future as well.
Furthermore, as reported by a Chinese Weibo leaker Instant Digital, the outer glass on all the models in the iPhone 17 lineup will come equipped with a “super-hard anti-reflective layer” that is more scratch-resistant and durable than you can think.
It is still unknown whether Apple is following in the footsteps of Samsung and adopting the Gorilla Glass Armor used in Samsung Galaxy S24 and S25 Ultra models, but the description of Corning’s technology matches Chinese leaker’s claims.
Also, a renowned Apple leakster Majin Bu, in an X (formerly Twitter) post, shared an image sourced from Weibo showcasing the alleged back design of the upcoming iPhone 17 Air.
As per the shared image, the device is said to have a single rear camera; the iPhone 17 Air will have a wide camera bar at the back extending from one side to the other instead of the supposed circular camera bump. The camera placement will be the same as in the current models, while the microphone and LED flash will be on the right.
Furthermore, a recent video published on the Front Page Tech YouTube channel also substantiates the said design, as the iPhone 17 Air design in the video matches what we have covered so far.
iPhone 17 Air: Cameras
The Camera department is where the iPhone 17 Air’s popularity graph may go downhill. According to leaks and speculations, the iPhone 17 Air will most likely have a single 48MP rear camera and a 24MP front shooter.
Yes, you heard it right: when other smartphones offer multiple rear cameras, such as dedicated Telephoto or ultra-wide cameras, in the same budget, a single rear camera on the iPhone 17 Air does not seem fair.
However, the iPhone 17 Air will likely include Apple’s propriety “Fusion” camera, so if you are upgrading from an older iPhone generation, it could well be an upgrade for you.
iPhone 17 Air: Battery life
While there are no leaks or rumors regarding the iPhone 17 Air’s battery life, things may go downhill courtesy of the slimmer design. This is because a slimmer physical structure won’t be able to accommodate even the 3,561 mAh battery found on the regular iPhone 16. So, if you opt for the slim design, be ready to experience a battery life that is not as good as the current models.
iPhone 17 Air: Apple Intelligence
Whether you care about Apple Intelligence or not, it is here to stay, and all the upcoming iPhones will come with it. The same is true for the iPhone 17 Air, too, which will support many Apple Intelligence features, such as Writing Tools, Image Playground, Notification Summary, and more. However, the support for Visual Intelligence is still unknown as there is no information on whether the iPhone 17 Air will have a Camera Control button.
iPhone 17 Air: Custom 5G modems and Wi-Fi chip
According to the renowned Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the iPhone 17 Air is going to be Apple’s second smartphone after the rumored iPhone SE 4 to have an Apple-made 5G modem. This new custom 5G modem is expected to bring enhancements such as improved speed and better energy efficiency.
The report also suggests that at least one model in the iPhone 17 lineup will come equipped with an Apple-designed Wi-Fi 7 chip. While nowhere says that the iPhone 17 Air will be that one model, we expect it to be.
iPhone 17 Air: No physical SIM slot
This claim by Ming-Chi Kuo makes the most sense, considering the ultra-thin design of the iPhone 17 Air, which leaves no space for an exclusive physical SIM slot. Thus, the iPhone 17 Air is expected to rely solely on e-SIM functionality even outside the United States.
Whether or not the iPhone 17 Air will be sold in the Chinese market is still unknown, as using eSIM in smartphones is still not authorized in China.
iPhone 17 Air: Other rumored specifications
Other than the ultra-thin design and a larger display, there are speculations that the iPhone 17 Air will be powered by the same A19 chip that Apple has planned for the base iPhone 17 model. This makes the iPhone 17 Air a better prospect than the other rumored iPhone SE 4, which might come with an older chip.
Furthermore, the device will have 8GB of RAM, as it is the minimum requirement set by Apple for Apple Intelligence. Also, like the recent Apple devices, the iPhone 17 Air, without a doubt, will have the USB-C port instead of the decade-older Lightning port.
Although there hasn’t been any rumor regarding whether the rumored device will have an Action button or the older Ring/Silent switch, the presence of an Action button makes more sense.
iPhone 17 Air: Pricing
Considering the iPhone 17 Air appears to be a significantly watered-down version of the Pro models, a lower price point makes the most sense. And with rumors suggesting that it would replace the iPhone 17 Plus model, you may think the price would most probably be similar to that of the current iPhone 16 Plus, which is $899 in the United States.
However, in a recent report, The Information writes that the iPhone 17 Air could come with a higher price tag than the Pro Max model, currently priced at $1299, which seems absurd as the device clearly appears to have way fewer features than the Apple flagships.
Summing up…
That is everything we know about the speculated iPhone 17 Air. Although the ultra-thin design of the iPhone 17 Air might fascinate many users, the device appears to have many compromises than Apple’s flagship models due to the same slim design.
Apple should release the iPhone 17 Air sometime in September, along with other iPhone 17 models. We expect to see more details about it emerge until then. So stay tuned for all the latest updates.
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