iPhone 17 'Air' Expected to Be ~2mm Thinner Than iPhone 16 Pro

[MacRumors]

In 2025, Apple is planning to debut a thinner version of the iPhone that will be sold alongside the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. This iPhone 17 "Air" will be about two millimeters thinner than the current iPhone 16 Pro, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

The iPhone 16 Pro is 8.25mm thick, so an iPhone 17 that is 2mm thinner would come in at around 6.25mm. At 6.25mm, the iPhone 17 Air would be Apple's thinnest iPhone to date. The thinnest iPhone we've seen so far was the iPhone 6, which measured in at 6.9mm. iPhones got thicker with the iPhone X and beyond, as Apple increased thickness to provide more space for the battery, camera lenses, Face ID hardware, and more.

Apple will equip the iPhone 17 Air with its own custom-designed 5G modem chip, and that chip is smaller than 5G modem chips from Qualcomm. Gurman says that Apple focused on making the chip more integrated with other Apple-designed components to save space within the iPhone, and that space savings is what allowed it to create the slimmed down iPhone 17 Air without sacrificing battery life, the camera, or the display quality.

Prior rumors have also suggested that the iPhone 17 Air will be somewhere between 5mm and 6mm thick, and the ~6mm thickness has now been proposed by multiple reliable sources. The iPhone 17 Air is expected to have a display that's around 6.6 inches in size, and it will also feature a single-lens rear camera.

The iPhone 17 Air will be one of three devices that are set to get a custom Apple modem chip in 2025, with Apple also bringing the chip to the iPhone SE early in the year and a low-cost iPad.

As Apple improves its modem chip design, the saved space could allow for "new designs" such as a foldable iPhone. According to Gurman, Apple is continuing to explore foldable iPhone technology. Apple is aiming to phase out Qualcomm modems across a three-year period as Apple introduces increasingly more powerful modem chips.

Eventually, Apple could debut a system-on-a-chip that includes a processor, modem, Wi-Fi chip, and other parts, which would save additional space and allow for tighter integration between hardware components.

Article Link: iPhone 17 'Air' Expected to Be ~2mm Thinner Than iPhone 16 Pro

 

[vegetassj4]

The thinnest iPhone weve ever made ever, with more features than ever before seen in a phone so thin, ever. It is the best thin phone that is years ahead of any thin phone than ever before. you are going to love it.

 

[MrGimper]

Does anyone really care about thinness anymore?

 

[Azeroth1]

I’m over thin. I want a hulking chunk of metal and glass built like a tank.

 

[smulji]

I look forward to this.

 

[bLackjackj]

I don't know what the big deal is.

Apple is gimping a standard iPhone to make it thinner,..just so they can market "thinnest iPhone ever".

You can literally take any product, remove it's features and call it "thinnest ever". Post Steve Jobs it's all about gifting Apple Stakeholders & screw the customer.

 

[bLackjackj]

The iPhone 17 Air will be one of three devices that are set to get a custom Apple modem chip in 2025, with Apple also bringing the chip to the iPhone SE early in the year and a low-cost iPad.

Of course,..great way to Beta test, before hitting for general release.

 

[jz0309]

Sure, some folks will be all over this if/when it launches - will it increase Apples iPhone sales? Not enough to make a difference… something that is not a slab, different story

 

[scrapesleon]

enough of this thinness can't see how this makes a better battery life on that device

 

[dzankizakon]

I don’t see the appeal. What exactly is the benefit of a very thin phone? I’d understand if current iPhones were uncomfortably thick or heavy, but they aren’t.

 

[PowerButton]

I wonder if using steel rather than titanium would help make it even thinner considering steel has a higher elastic modulus.

 

[bLackjackj]

enough of this thinness can't see how this makes a better battery life on that device

Its not about battery life, it's about marketing the thinnest iPhone ever.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

The thinnest iPhone weve ever made ever, with more features than ever before seen in a phone so thin, ever. It is the best thin phone that is ahead of any thin phone than ever before. you are going to love it.

And “same great battery life”

 

[Billy_Bob]

If this new "thin" iPhone underperforms expectations, perhaps it will speed the return of the iPhone mini form factor.

 

[glenncashuric]

This has to be a test mule to study the durability of the width for the 2026 Apple Turnover flip phone (and no, I don't think it'll be called that). Otherwise, I don't quite understand this concept. Of course, I don't have a market cap of four trillion either so what do I know.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Com’on people: adding more battery might add like 10-12¢ to each unit. Do you think Apple is made of money?

But thinner is usually about subtraction. “Courageously” kick something(s) out to facilitate the “thin”, maybe swap out Qualcomm for 1st-gen house modem for even more Corp savings, spin “same great price”… and shareholders might… that’s MIGHT... be able to feed their families next year. If not, raise the price to also “thin” wallets everywhere. 😉

 

[CharlesShaw]

If the rumors become reality, the availability of a thinner iPhone (and presumably lighter, with a few compromises) is totally going to mess with the heads of those who already know they don't want it and plan to purchase one of the normal offerings.

 

[fatTribble]

Just complete conjecture, but it’s interesting that the rumors point to a thin iPhone while other rumors say a folding iPhone is in the works. Wouldn’t a folding iPhone have to be thinner? Meaning, is the thin iPhone the folding iPhone? Again, just conjecture.

 

[dannyyankou]

If it’s going to be that thin, I think they’re going to need to use something stronger than aluminum. At the very least, reinforce the inside with steel or something. And if the body is longer than the iPhone 6, doesn’t that make it more prone to bending? More possible pressure points.

 

[Plutonius]

Please don't make it thinner at the expense of the battery.

 

[Velin]

I want to see this new iPhone. It’s going to be cool as hell.

 

[StoneJack]

Now please bring thin and light Macbook Pro. My current Macbook Pro 14 inch m3 is neither thin nor light.

 

[Fluffyk]

I don't know what the big deal is.

Apple is gimping a standard iPhone to make it thinner,..just so they can market "thinnest iPhone ever".

You can literally take any product, remove it's features and call it "thinnest ever". Post Steve Jobs it's all about gifting Apple Stakeholders & screw the customer.

Exactly. If they made the Pro really thin while keeping all features and battery life that would be worth admiring. Meanwhile they’ll make just a worse phone that nobody will buy because it’ll last 2 hours on battery.

 

[GMShadow]

I don't know what the big deal is.

Apple is gimping a standard iPhone to make it thinner,..just so they can market "thinnest iPhone ever".

You can literally take any product, remove it's features and call it "thinnest ever". Post Steve Jobs it's all about gifting Apple Stakeholders & screw the customer.

This exact comment could have been made (and indeed, was made) in 2008 about the MacBook Air.

 

[Chuckeee]

At 6.25mm, the iPhone 17 Air would be Apple's thinnest iPhone to date

Does anyone really care about thinness anymore?

I don’t see the appeal. What exactly is the benefit of a very thin phone?

I don’t need a bigger screen so I’m out.

But from a marketing perspective, I think it would be better if Apple tried to sell this as the lightest weight iPhone instead of the thinnest iPhone. I can’t understand the desire for a thin phone, but I can at least comprehend the desire for a lightweight phone.

And if it is a lightweight phone, Then that provides at least some justification for “Air” moniker. AKA “As light as Air” Marketing slogan