Next Year's Slim iPhone 17 Could Be an 'iPhone Air'

[MacRumors]

Apple's rumored iPhone 17 "Slim" could be positioned as an iPhone "Air" to boost sales, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman explained how the "fourth" model in the iPhone lineup since 2020 (the iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 14 Plus, and iPhone 15 Plus) has largely been a commercial failure. In the case of the Plus model, this is likely because it is just $100 less than the Pro, so most customers simply opt for the higher-end model.

There has been uncertainty in recent months about the intention of the so-called iPhone 17 "Slim" and its rumored position in the lineup. Last week, YouTuber Jon Prosser was first to suggest that the device could be positioned as an "iPhone Air." Now, Gurman seems to have supported this idea.

The iPhone 17 "Air" will represent a new approach to this fourth model in the lineup, offering a device with a substantially thinner design that sits between the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro. Gurman compared the device to the original MacBook Air from 2008, which sat between the regular MacBook and MacBook Pro in the lineup.

The sales pitch will probably go like this: If you want something snazzier than a standard iPhone — but don't really need the performance, screen size or cameras of a Pro model — you can get something that looks much cooler while still having the specifications of a regular iPhone.

At minimum, Gurman expects the iPhone "Air" to be more popular than the iPhone mini and Plus devices from recent years.

Gurman added that the thinner 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.

Article Link: Next Year's Slim iPhone 17 Could Be an 'iPhone Air'

 

[sniffies]

And no, it won't be more advanced than iPhone Pro Max.

I do believe that there will also be iPhone Ultra at some point in the future.

Also kinda off-topic: I don't see Apple ever ditching 'i' from their product names entirely. iPhone is too iconic a name. And how would they rename iCloud?

 

[Radeon85]

If it's going to be really thin then I hope it's reinforced well, unless they want the thing snapping like a twig again.

 

[Christoffee]

Does that mean the iPad Air may become the slimmest iPad again?

 

[desslr]

This is going to flop badly if this is the case. Pay more for the same phone just thinner?

 

[swiftapplefan]

Yay, lineup consistency! Now give us a portable HomePod Air, like a speaker.

 

[Andres Cantu]

From mini to plus to air.

Apple really wants a 4th model to work out, huh?

 

[coffeemilktea]

Apple will eventually want to "squeeze the power of a Pro model into this smaller design."

I can predict this phone will also squeeze my wallet into a smaller size. 😩

 

[Momus]

Apple's rumored iPhone 17 "Slim" could be positioned as an iPhone "Air" to boost sales, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman explained how the "fourth" model in the iPhone lineup since 2020 (the iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 14 Plus, and iPhone 15 Plus) has largely been a commercial failure. In the case of the Plus model, this is likely because it is just $100 less than the Pro, so most customers simply opt for the higher-end model.

There has been uncertainty in recent months about the intention of the so-called iPhone 17 "Slim" and its rumored position in the lineup. Last week, YouTuber Jon Prosser was first to suggest that the device could be positioned as an "iPhone Air." Now, Gurman seems to have supported this idea.

The iPhone 17 "Air" will represent a new approach to this fourth model in the lineup, offering a device with a substantially thinner design that sits between the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro. Gurman compared the device to the original MacBook Air from 2008, which sat between the regular MacBook and MacBook Pro in the lineup.



At minimum, Gurman expects the iPhone "Air" to be more popular than the iPhone mini and Plus devices from recent years.

Gurman added that the thinner 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.

Article Link: Next Year's Slim iPhone 17 Could Be an 'iPhone Air'

Beta testing for a foldable iPhone

 

[CharlesShaw]

And if it doesn't sell as well as the more expensive heavier pro models, that will be taken as proof that everyone wants thicker and heavier phones.

 

[dz5b609]

The more I hear about this phone the less sense it makes.

 

[SactoGuy18]

Ah no. I still think this may be the long-awaited foldable iPhone like a Galazy Z Flip.

 

[winxmac]

 

[CWallace]

This is going to flop badly if this is the case. Pay more for the same phone just thinner?

The more I hear about this phone the less sense it makes.

If it looks visually different from earlier iPhone families than the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro families do, it could very sell quite well as it would clearly be "the latest iPhone". This would be especially important in markets like China where having "the latest" is a point of pride for owners.

 

[boak]

SE, base, Air, Pro, Pro Max/Ultra

 

[jazzzyJeff]

Think it’s time to fire their marketing dept.

 

[CWallace]

Ah no. I still think this may be the long-awaited foldable iPhone like a Galazy Z Flip.

Except "folding phones" are anything but slim, especially when folded.

 

[jz0309]

The mini and Plus have mostly been commercial failures?
how can that be? There have been 5 iPhone models for several years now (SE, regular, mini/Plus, Pro, ProMax) and iPhones are the highest volume products for Apple, and the highest revenue, yet there are now 6 iPad models (regular, mini, Air and Pro in 2 sizes each), and there are 8 Mac models (MBA and MBP in 2 sizes each, mini, iMac, Studio, Pro) and none seem to be “commercial failures”, or are they?
this is just bizarre… it’s not that Apple is offering many choices here…

 

[bradman83]

Also kinda off-topic: I don't see Apple ever ditching 'i' from their product names. iPhone is too iconic a name.

Technically they already have, at least for new products. The iPad was the last i-device Apple released.

Everything after that has been "Apple [Product]" or some other mashup of brand words like Air or Home. Apple TV, Apple Watch, Apple Music, Apple Fitness, Apple Vision Pro, AirPods, AirTags, HomePod, etc.

They'll keep the i-names around for existing products for brand recognition, but it's definitely dead for new products going forward.

 

[jz0309]

Ah no. I still think this may be the long-awaited foldable iPhone like a Galazy Z Flip.

I think that would be a better option than a “slim” model

 

[Analog Kid]

I don't want thinner, I want smaller. I hated the old iPhone5 series that was big and thin. It felt fragile to hold and lacked a sense of substance. I do like the thinner 13" iPad Pro, but it was huge and heavy. The iPhone is not.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

Also kinda off topic: I don't see Apple ever ditching 'i' from their product names. iPhone is too iconic a name. But I do hope they ditch the numerals.

Obviously not, and there has been no indications they plan on doing so.
However, I doubt they will ever introduce a new product category with “i”, as they’ve proven over the last decade or so.
Mainly because tons of other companies have taken it and used it as their own.
Can’t really call it iTV, that’ll make the British mad.
Can’t call it “iWatch, patent already taken. Surprised they even got Cisco to agree to “iPhone”.
Couldn’t really call the HomePod “iHome” because… it’s already taken.
See how they kind of drew themselves into a corner there?
As for the numerals, while I’m sure Apple would love to get rid of them and just have the name of the phone and what type of model it is with the year, I highly doubt the US carriers would ever allow them to do so.
Seeing how much power and influence the carriers had over Apple when it came to all of the 5G marketing, they are certainly not going to allow a change that would make it harder to distinguish last year‘s phone from this year‘s phone, like removing the numerals.

 

[Analog Kid]

Except "folding phones" are anything but slim, especially when folded.

But they need to be slim when unfolded because their folded size is twice as thick.

 

[platinumaqua]

The product line is getting more convoluted. Any way to juice up that YoY growth line I guess.

 

[redbeard331]

60hz screen, one camera, these will sell well to one person who buys it.