Next year's much-rumored iPhone 17 Air (or iPhone 17 Slim) might be the thinnest iPhone ever, according to a new report from The Information and Wayne Ma.
Thanks to handset prototypes, the report revealed several new details about the slim iPhone. Allegedly, the prototypes feature a thickness between 5mm and 6mm. The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus models are 7.8mm thick, while the iPhone 16 Pro versions are 8.25mm.
Due to losing between 2 and 3mm of thickness, compromises have been made. While the design isn't finalized, the current version does not feature a physical SIM card tray. This means that the phone would use a virtual SIM card. Since the iPhone 14, every iPhone has used an eSIM card in the United States, but China currently has a ban on that technology.
For the most part, U.S. iPhones have been similar to global releases, unlike some Android manufacturers, which alter their releases depending on the market. With a design that isn't finalized, it'll be interesting if Apple attempts to shove a physical SIM card tray into the phone. According to Ma's report, Apple plans to eliminate eSIM next year in as many markets as possible.
Outside of the SIM card, the iPhone 17 Air might only feature one speaker in the earpiece. There isn't enough room for a speaker on the bottom of the phone.
Ma also reports that Apple "Engineers are also finding it hard to fit the battery and thermal materials into the device, one of the people said."
Another compromise is in the camera, which the report says is a "large, centered camera bump on its back" with a single lens. Current iPhone 16 models have two or three rear cameras.
One area where Apple has managed to get smaller is the Apple-designed 5G modem, which is supposed to be smaller and more power efficient than the Qualcomm modems in current iPhones. Ma's report notes that the modem will lack mmWave 5G support and have a slower overall data speed.
iPhone 17 Pro model changes
Beyond the iPhone 17 Air, next year's Pro models will also see a significant design change.
According to the report, the iPhone 17 Pro Models will switch from titanium frames to aluminum ones. Additionally, the rear of the phone will feature a "part-aluminum, part-glass design." The camera bump is supposed to change to a larger rectangle made of aluminum rather than 3D glass. This bump is supposed to be larger than that on previous Pro models.
The bottom half of the device is supposed to be glass to "accommodate wireless charging."
A glass back was first introduced on the iPhone 8; most previous models featured aluminum panels.
The Information is generally very accurate with its Apple rumors, so these changes would mark a significant visual change for the iPhone.
The iPhone 17 Air, aluminum Pro and Pro Max and standard iPhone 17 should launch in the fall of 2025, most likely in September.
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