In 2025, Apple is anticipated to discontinue the iPhone “Plus” machine in its iPhone 17 lineup to make method for an iPhone “Air” – though it could not really be referred to as this when the machine debuts within the fall of subsequent 12 months. Regardless that the iPhone 16 sequence has solely simply launched, when you think about that we discovered about bigger shows on the iPhone 16 Professional fashions method again in Could 2023, rumors a couple of next-generation iPhone aren’t all that uncommon to this point forward of time.
Whereas we proceed to acclimatize to the brand new iPhone 16 sequence, this is a compilation of all the pieces we’ve got heard from respected sources to this point about Apple’s so-called iPhone 17 “Air.”
iPhone 17 Air: Rumors So Far
Concerning the Title
Apple’s rumored slimmer iPhone 17, beforehand known as the iPhone 17 “Slim,” might be positioned as an iPhone “Air” to spice up gross sales, in accordance with Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman. There was uncertainty in current months concerning the intention of the so-called iPhone 17 “Slim” and its rumored place within the lineup. YouTuber Jon Prosser was first to counsel that the machine might be positioned as an “iPhone Air.” Now, Gurman appears to assist this concept. Changing the iPhone “Plus,” which, just like the “mini” fashions earlier than it, has not offered nicely, the iPhone 17 “Air” will symbolize a brand new method to the fourth mannequin in Apple’s iPhone lineup, providing a tool with a considerably thinner design that sits between the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Professional. Gurman has in contrast the machine to the unique MacBook Air from 2008, which sat between the common MacBook and MacBook Professional within the lineup.
Thinner Design
In accordance with The Info, Apple’s all-new iPhone 17 mannequin subsequent 12 months may have a “considerably thinner” design with an aluminum chassis, reasonably than a titanium casing like Apple’s Professional fashions. The information outlet additionally claims that the machine will characteristic a narrower Dynamic Island (probably attributable to Apple’s adoption of a smaller “metalens” for the Face ID system) though this particular declare has since been contested. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo expects the handset to have a titanium body, however with a decrease proportion of titanium than used for the iPhone 15 Professional fashions. Internally code-named D23, the machine’s redesign has been described as a significant one equal to the iPhone X.
Smaller Show
The primary particulars concerning the dimension of the machine’s show arrived courtesy of Haitong Worldwide Securities analyst Jeff Pu, who stated it might be 6.6 inches. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has since corroborated Pu’s declare. Nevertheless, in accordance with Show Provide Chain Consultants (DSCC) analyst Ross Younger, it would characteristic a 6.55-inch show. For comparability, the iPhone 16 Plus has a 6.7-inch show. Apple remains to be stated to be testing totally different designs for the slimmer telephone, so the show dimension might at all times change between now and the machine’s launch.
ProMotion Help
Apple intends to increase ProMotion to your complete lineup in 2025, together with the iPhone 17 “Air,” permitting all iPhone 17 fashions to ramp as much as a 120Hz refresh charge for smoother scrolling and video content material when essential. Beforehand, solely “Professional” fashions in Apple’s iPhone lineup have supported ProMotion. Notably, ProMotion would additionally allow the show on the iPhone 17 “Air” to ramp all the way down to a extra power-efficient refresh charge as little as 1Hz, permitting for an always-on show that may present the Lock Display’s clock, widgets, notifications, and wallpaper even when the machine is locked.
Relocated Cameras
The Info claimed that the iPhone 17 “Slim” or “Air” may have cameras in places we have not seen earlier than on an iPhone. In accordance with a Could report, the rear cameras might be moved to the “prime middle” of the machine. Some Android telephones like Google’s Pixel 8 Professional have rear cameras in a top-center place, however Apple’s iPhone digital camera system has occupied the top-left nook ever because the 2007 mannequin. So as to add to the intrigue, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has claimed that the machine may have just one digital camera, versus two or three.
Anti-Reflective Coating
All iPhone 17 fashions will characteristic an anti-reflective show that’s extra scratch-resistant than Apple’s Ceramic Protect discovered on iPhone 15 fashions, in accordance with Chinese language Weibo leaker Instantaneous Digital. The outer glass on the iPhone 17 sequence is alleged to have a “super-hard anti-reflective layer” that’s “extra scratch-resistant.” It is not clear whether or not Apple is planning to undertake the Gorilla Glass Armor that Samsung makes use of in its Galaxy S24 Extremely, however the description of Corning’s newest know-how matches the rumor.
ProMotion Know-how
In accordance with The Elec, all iPhone 17 fashions will characteristic OLED shows with low-power backplane know-how, bringing ProMotion to Apple’s non-Professional iPhone fashions for the primary time. ProMotion permits the show to ramp as much as a 120Hz refresh charge for smoother scrolling and video content material when required. ProMotion additionally permits the show to ramp all the way down to a extra power-efficient refresh charge as little as 1Hz, which is why the iPhone 16 Professional screens characteristic an always-on functionality that exhibits the Lock Display’s clock, widgets, notifications, and wallpaper even when the machine is locked.
Improved Selfie Digital camera
In accordance with Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, your complete iPhone 17 lineup will characteristic a 24-megapixel front-facing digital camera with a six-element lens. The iPhone 14 and 15 characteristic a 12-megapixel front-facing digital camera with 5 plastic lens parts, and this 12 months’s iPhone 16 lineup options the identical {hardware}. The upgraded decision on the iPhone 17 will permit images to take care of their high quality even when cropped or zoomed in, whereas the bigger variety of pixels will seize finer particulars. The improve to a six-element lens must also barely improve picture high quality.
Inner Upgrades
Haitong analyst Jeff Pu claims the iPhone 17 “Slim” or “Air” will characteristic 8GB of RAM, in comparison with 6GB of RAM on the iPhone 15 Plus. It is price noting that every one iPhone 16 fashions are fitted with 8GB of RAM – a {hardware} requirement of on-device Apple Intelligence. In accordance with The Info, the machine can even be outfitted with Apple’s A19 chip, which is more likely to be primarily based on an optimized model of TSMC’s 3nm course of, probably N3P or N3X. The machine may additionally be one of many first to make use of an Apple-made 5G modem.
Larger Value
The Info reported that the slimmer iPhone 17 might have the next price ticket than the Professional Max mannequin, which at present begins at $1,199, regardless of strategies that it’s going to not be as feature-rich as Apple’s top-tier Max. The cool issue of a totally new thinner design is anticipated to entice prospects nonetheless. Gurman believes that the design of the iPhone 17 “Air” will “simply be a step towards one thing higher” since Apple will ultimately need to “squeeze the ability of a Professional mannequin into this smaller design.” Nevertheless, he doesn’t anticipate this to happen earlier than 2027 on the earliest.