This year, Apple is expected to discontinue the iPhone "Plus" device in its iPhone 17 lineup to make way for an iPhone "Air," so-called because of its ultra-thin profile.
Below is a compilation of every rumor and leak we have registered from reputable sources thus far about Apple's new entry in its flagship smartphone lineup.
iPhone 17 "Air"?
About the Name
There has been some uncertainty about Apple's strategy for the new slimmer iPhone model and its position in the lineup. YouTuber Jon Prosser was first to suggest that the device could be positioned as an "iPhone Air." Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has since come out in agreement about the naming, which Apple could use to boost sales.
Replacing the iPhone "Plus," which, like the "mini" models before it, has not sold well, the iPhone 17 Air will represent a new approach in Apple's iPhone lineup, offering a device with a substantially thinner design that sits between the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro.
Gurman believes that the design of the iPhone 17 Air will "just be a step toward something better" since Apple will eventually want to "squeeze the power of a Pro model into this smaller design." However, he does not expect this to occur before 2027 at the earliest.
Device Thickness Rumors
Thinner Than iPhone 6
According to The Information, Apple's all-new iPhone 17 model will have a "significantly thinner" design with an aluminum chassis, rather than a titanium casing like Apple's Pro models.
There have been mixed rumors on just how thin Apple will be able to make it. Rumors have hovered around 6mm, however in a recent report, reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that he expects the iPhone to measure in at about 5.5mm at its thinnest point. At 5.5mm, the iPhone 17 Air would be the thinnest iPhone to date – thinner than the 6.9mm iPhone 6 that came out in 2014. 5.5mm would be approximately 30% thinner than the iPhone 16, which measures in at 7.8mm thick, and 33% thinner than the iPhone 16 Pro models, which are 8.25mm thick.
The device is said to have only a single speaker, in the earpiece, as there is apparently not enough room for a second speaker on the bottom edge. The Information also claims that the device will feature a narrower Dynamic Island, though this specific claim has since been contested. Internally code-named D23, the device's redesign has been described as a major one equivalent to the iPhone X.
Display Size
Smaller Than Plus Model
The first details about the size of the device's display arrived courtesy of Haitong International Securities analyst Jeff Pu, who said it would be 6.6 inches. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has since corroborated Pu's claim.
Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC) analyst Ross Young says the device will feature a 6.55-inch display, which could be rounded up to 6.6 inches. Complicating matters, YouTuber Jon Prosser more recently claimed that the iPhone 17 Air will be equipped with a 6.7-inch display, rather than a 6.6-inch display as previously rumored. For context, the existing iPhone 16 Plus has a 6.7-inch display. However, in response to Prosser's prediction, Young reiterated his 6.55-inch display size claim for the iPhone 17 Air.
In mid-March 2025, we reported on a rumor out of China claiming that the iPhone 17 Air shares the same dimensions as the iPhone 17 Pro Max, with the only difference being in the thickness of the devices. Days later, Bloomberg reported that Apple prototyped a larger ultra-slim iPhone 17 Air with a 6.9-inch display, but ultimately decided not to go ahead with the device because of fears that it could be susceptible to bending. It's quite possible the China-originating rumor had its origins in Apple's canned prototype.
Always-On Display
ProMotion Support
Apple intends to expand ProMotion to the entire lineup in 2025, including the iPhone 17 "Air," allowing all iPhone 17 models to ramp up to a 120Hz refresh rate for smoother scrolling and video content when necessary. This will be enabled by Apple's use of Samsung's high performance "M14" OLED display panel.
Previously, only "Pro" models in Apple's iPhone lineup used the M1 OLED panel, which is why they have exclusively supported ProMotion. Notably, ProMotion would also enable the display on the iPho... Click here to read rest of article
Article Link: iPhone 17 Air Design, Specs, and More: All the Rumors So Far
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