One of the more prevalent rumors about the next generation of iPhones is that Apple could launch the iPhone 17 Air, also called the iPhone 17 Slim.
There’s a lot to like about the upcoming phone if the rumors and leaks are to be believed. However, as we come to the end of 2024 I find myself feeling pretty uninterested in the device. This isn’t something new — I felt the same way about the iPhone 16 after all. However, that was due to a lack of any noticeable changes between generations. My issue with the iPhone 17 Air is more of a concern, enough of one that I'm not interested in buying it.
So, what is it about the iPhone 17 Air that has me worried, and why am I pretty much positive that I’ll not bother purchasing/upgrading my device? Well, in my opinion, I think the thinness of the phone is a major issue.
iPhone 17 Air: How thin do the rumors claim it will be
It’s funny how thinness in smartphones has recently taken something of a backseat compared to AI capability. There’s still a bit of a contest about who can make the thinnest phone, although it focuses more on foldable phones. So far we’ve seen rumors that the iPhone 17 Air could either be the thinnest phone ever, or it could just be on the border of beating the iPhone 6.
Either way, we can expect the iPhone 17 Air to be somewhere around 7mm thick, if not thinner. The issue when trying to figure out the exact size is that Apple is pretty good at keeping phone details under wraps. However, we can make some educated guesses based on several hardware factors. The biggest has to do with the size of the battery, something that we’ve seen several different rumors about. If Apple can find a way to get past some of the design issues they’re reportedly facing then it should be entirely possible.
Aside from the thickness of the phone, we have heard that the phone will likely have fewer cameras than other devices. There were some indications that Apple could elect for a more Pixel-like camera layout, but recent leaks have put that into question. There are also rumors of an OLED display with a new technology called “touch and display driver integration” (TDDI). Finally, it’s more than likely that the iPhone 17 Air will include the same A19 processor as the other iPhone 17 series, as well as Apple’s new in-house processor.
iPhone 17 Air: why am I not excited?
All of that sounds great on paper, so why am not interested in the phone? The answer is that I remember the iPhone 6, and with that, I also remember how much of an issue it was trying to keep the phone from bending. If you don’t remember or weren’t around for that time, then let me explain. One of the biggest issues with thin phones was that they tended to bend when placed under any amount of pressure. It wasn't a minor issue either, and it didn't take much to bend them. For instance, I saw more than a few phones that were bent in people's pockets.
If you think a cracked screen is an issue, then let me tell you that a bent phone is even worse. A cracked screen is a pretty easy, if expensive, issue to fix in a repair store, or at home. But when your phone bent, there was no easy way to fix it, although more than a few people thought they could bend it back.
Trust me on this: you really can’t bend them back to any degree without further issues. While a minor bend wasn't the end of the world, it inevitably led to more problems, such as the screen cracking. Plus, a minor bend would inevitably get worse and could damage the main board and battery.
It isn't only the durability that I have an issue with. The problem, from what I can see, they're going to have to make some sacrifices to keep achieving this thickness. For instance, Apple taking away some of the cameras is a mistake that might turn away a lot of users. Now, in theory, you could imagine that Apple Intelligence would be a solution for the lack of cameras but, considering Apple's current history, you might be waiting for a while.
iPhone 17 Air: Outlook
Is it entirely fair to judge a phone on something that was an issue in the past? Possibly not but, as the old saying goes, those who forget history are doomed to repeat it. Am I saying that the iPhone 17 Air will be a bad phone? Not at all, there is every chance it will be a fantastic device. However, the issues as I see them will need to be addressed for me to consider the phone.
There are some initial solutions that I can see, although they might be a bit lacking. For instance, Apple could push users to get cases for their iPhone 17 Air, which not only costs more money, but the added thickness of the case would remove the one selling point of the phone.
For now, all I can do is wait and see what the final device is like. However, considering everything I've seen thus far, the iPhone 17 Air is going to be a miss for me. However, let me know what you think: is the iPhone 17 Air a definite purchase, or are you also a bit concerned about it?
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