Apple reportedly working on new iPhone 17 'Slim' — and the iPhone Plus could be dead

Apple iPhone 15 Plus review.
(Image credit: Future)

Apple iPhone fans currently have iPhone 15 in hand, and the company is slated to launch the iPhone 16 models later this year. However, that hasn't stopped the rumor mill from talking about the iPhone 17 already, with the latest rumor suggesting that Apple might do away with the Plus model in favor of iPhone 17 Slim offering.

According to Haitong International Securities analyst Jeff Pu (via 9To5Mac), the iPhone 17 models will feature a tweaked design, improvements to the front-facing camera, a shrunken Dynamic Island, and a new model called the iPhone 17 Slim. Instead of adding a fifth model, it looks like the iPhone 17 Plus could get the axe.

Pu's report says the iPhone 17 will come in the following screen sizes:

  • iPhone 17: 6.1-inch display
  • iPhone 17 Slim: 6.6-inch display
  • iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3-inch display
  • iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9-inch display

That would be an exciting change for the company. With current models, the Plus and Pro Max offer the same screen size, and having the Slim slightly smaller than the Pro Max would also be a departure. Additionally, the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro also offer the same size displays, so Apple moving to four different screen sizes seems like a big deal. It'll give buyers more choices, which is never bad.

This isn't the first time an analyst has reported on an iPhone 17 Slim; noted Apple analyst Ross Young reported similar changes

The analyst also cites a "more complex" aluminum design, though they didn't get into much detail about how the complexity would jump from previous models. 

The smaller Dynamic Island change is reportedly only coming to the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, with the other models keeping the current design. For people who don't like Dynamic Island, this could be a big selling point, as it could be a little less intrusive.

Pu also claims the iPhone 17 will feature the following specs:

  • iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Slim: 8GB RAM, A18 or A19 chip
  • iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max: 12GB RAM, A19 Pro chip

As mentioned, Apple hasn't even announced the iPhone 16 models yet, so take early rumors like this with a huge grain of salt. Still, it's interesting to see Apple possibly shifting to four different display sizes instead of two, but we'll have to wait until closer to release to find out for sure. In the meantime, check out all the rumored changes coming to your iPhone with the iOS 18 update.

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Dave LeClair
Senior News Editor

Dave LeClair is the Senior News Editor for Tom's Guide, keeping his finger on the pulse of all things technology. He loves taking the complicated happenings in the tech world and explaining why they matter. Whether Apple is announcing the next big thing in the mobile space or a small startup advancing generative AI, Dave will apply his experience to help you figure out what's happening and why it's relevant to your life.