By: Nick Gambino
We just saw the release of the iPhone 16 a couple months ago, but we’re already looking to 2025 and the release of the iPhone 17. And if the rumors are true, there are going to be some big shake-ups.
According to numerous reports, Apple intends to get rid of the Plus models and replace them with the iPhone 17 Air. This is a moniker they’ve used with the MacBook but never with an iPhone. We previously reported on it and called it the iPhone Slim.
While the Air doesn’t replace the Plus in terms of specs, it does keep with the model they introduced a few years ago where Apple offers consumers a variety of options for their smartphone.
As the name suggests, the iPhone 17 Air will be super thin, in fact, it might be the thinnest iPhone ever, stealing that title from the iPhone 6 which came in at 6.9 mm or .27 inches.
Obviously to pull that off, they’re going to have to empty the iPhone of some of its guts. Supposedly this means they’ll opt for only one rear camera, a single speaker and a tinier battery. This last one means it won’t hold as much charge, but we don’t know if this is a dealbreaker yet.
In terms of the display, the iPhone 17 Air is expected to come in at 6.6 inches. For comparison, the iPhone 16 Pro is 6.3 inches and the 16 Pro Plus is 6.7 inches. So the 17 Air will fall somewhere in between those two.
Now, Apple and other tech companies are always testing and building things that will never see the light of day. But apparently the iPhone 17 Air has already hit the first step in the manufacturing phase, suggesting that the company is serious about making it a real thing.
Digitimes reported that the 17 Air has entered the NPI (new product introduction) stage which means it could feasibly be ready for launch alongside the iPhone 17 in September 2025.
Again, it’s all rumors for now, but these are strong rumors. We’ll know more in the coming months.
