What’s the Hype About iPhone 17 Air? Everything You Need to Know

Apple’s dropping out of the smaller form factor with the rumored iPhone SE 4 can be disappointing for some people. However, Apple might please people looking for a thinner iPhone, so much so that the slim iPhone is rumored to be around 6.25 mm in thickness and will be unlike any other iPhone in the past.

We might see a new iPhone 17 Air in the second quarter of 2025, along with the iPhone 17 series announcement if you have been hearing all about it lately. Can this be the slim model on the lines of Samsung Galaxy S25 Slim? Here is everything that you should know about the Apple iPhone 17 Air.

So Slim With Just 6.25 mm Thickness

According to the latest industry rumors, the Apple iPhone Air is rumored to have a thickness of just 6.25 mm. For reference, the current iPhone 16 Plus measures about 7.8 mm, and the iPhone 16 Pro measures about 8.3 mm, respectively. This means, by numbers, the iPhone 17 Air is nearly 20 percent less than the current iPhones.

Apple has been rumored to launch the slim version of the iPhone Air for a while now, and plenty of reliable leakers, including Mark Gurman and Apple analyst (Ming-Chi Kuo), have confirmed that the iPhone 17 Air is in the works.

We have plenty of leaks about the device. In addition to these, the latest improvements in battery tech can also help Apple to include decent batteries in the slim form factor. Also, since Apple discontinued the mini version of the model later and increased the size of the iPhone SE 2025 if their rumors are true, we might finally see two new iPhone models in 2025.

Pro Motion Display, A18 Bionic Chip and More

iPhone 17 Air is going to be a premium smartphone from Apple with specifications similar to those of the pro models. As per leaks, the device is also rumored to have a 6.6-inch LED display with ProMotion Technology with a 120 Hz refresh rate, and it is also expected to have an aluminum titanium frame similar to the pro-iPhone models that are currently offering.

It is also expected to include Apple’s A19 Bionic chip, which is going to be built on a 3 nm process and also expected to power other iPhone 17 series. Since Apple has started offering the same year chip on all models, the iPhone 17 Air is also expected to have the same A19 chip. Also, since there is also support for Apple Intelligence, the base variant is going to start at 8GB RAM and 256GB internal storage.

As per connectivity, the iPhone 17 Air series might use Apple’s in-house 5G modem; however, Apple is facing problems with a 5G modem regarding the heat. However, if not the in-house 5G modem, Apple is expected to use Qualcomms 5G modem on the iPhone series (Qualcomm recently confirmed that it will supply modems for Apple devices through 2026).

However, what sets the iPhone 17 apart from other devices is that since the design is already a compromise in terms of space and seamlessness, Apple is expected to offer only the eSIM model of the iPhone 17 Air instead of a physical SIM, which takes up space. Since Apple has been among the first ones in the industry to remove the headphone jack, it is no surprise to go for a portless iPhone. In addition to this, Apple is also expected to include only a single speaker due to size constraints. However, we don’t know what Apple is planning as of currently because we assume that the slim form factor might not allow it. However, Apple includes an action button and recently announced camera control. 

However, one key area where the iPhone 17 Air sets apart from existing models and also seems to be a downgrade is in terms of the camera. According to the latest rumors, the iPhone 17 may have a single 48-megapixel rear camera similar to the rumored iPhone SE 2025, which is also expected to launch in early 2025. However, on the front, an updated 24-megapixel camera is expected compared to the 12-megapixel camera that is present in the iPhone models.

Finally, regarding the pricing, as per the specifications and some compromises regarding the size. Apart from this, Apple may position it as a premium offering, which might be priced higher than the current iPhone Pro models. According to the leaks and rumors, the iPhone 17 Air is expected to price at around $1300 (the latest rumors claim to be affordable at $899), and the official launch is anticipated in the second quarter of 2025, which might be released along with the iPhone 17 series.

iPhone 17 Air Specifications (Rumored)