Rumor has it Apple could debut its thinnest-ever phone next year, but now we have an idea of exactly how slim that'll be. The iPhone 17 Air (or possibly iPhone 17 Slim) will be 2 millimeters (0.08 inches) thinner than the iPhone 16 Pro, according to a new report this week from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
With the iPhone 16 Pro measuring 8.25 mm (0.32 inches) thick, that means the iPhone 17 Air clocks in at around 6.25mm (0.24 inches). That's a hair thicker than some rumors that put the iPhone 17 Air at as little as 6mm (0.23 inches) thick, but it still dwarves the thinnest Apple smartphone to date: 2014’s iPhone 6 at 6.9mm (0.27 inches) thick.
It's no small feat that Apple's managed to shave off some 24% of the iPhone 16 Pro's width for its upcoming phone. To slim the handset down without sacrificing battery life, the camera array, or display size, Apple plans to ditch the Qualcomm modems it's traditionally used for iPhones in favor of a thinner, in-house 5G modem that could “be more tightly integrated with other in-house components," taking up less space and battery power, Gurman said.
"By using its own modem, Apple is able to create a smartphone that’s about 2 millimeters thinner than an iPhone 16 Pro, while still having room for the battery, display and camera system," he added.
In lab tests, sources told Bloomberg that Apple's first modem reportedly "caps out at download speeds of about 4 gigabits per second, less than the top speeds offered by non-mmWave Qualcomm modems." However, since, as he goes on to say, “real world speeds for both types of modems are typically far less, meaning that customers might not notice a difference in day-to-day use.”
The report also claims that Apple's suite of lower-end iPads in 2025 as well as the upcoming iPhone SE 4 could also pack Apple's in-house modem. But don't expect it in Apple's higher-end products anytime soon, Gurman warns.
Spec-wise, the iPhone 17 Air is tipped to pack a simplified camera array, consisting of just a single-lens rear camera, and a 6.6-inch display, which would land in between the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. All this slimming down could come at a premium, though, with the iPhone 17 Air tipped to be the most expensive Apple handset ever — even more than the $1,199 iPhone 15 Pro Max. That's one rumor we hope doesn't end up being true. Be sure to stay tuned to our iPhone 17 Air hub for all the latest leaks as they emerge.
More from Tom's Guide
- iPhone 17 Air — 7 biggest rumors so far
- Apple preparing 3-year modem rollout in bid to outdo Qualcomm — starting with the iPhone SE 4
- Apple tipped to enter development process for foldable iPhone — what that means
