In 2025, Apple is anticipated to discontinue the iPhone “Plus” gadget in its iPhone 17 lineup to make approach for an iPhone “Air” – though it might not truly be referred to as this when the gadget debuts within the fall of subsequent 12 months. Though the iPhone 16 sequence has solely simply launched, when you think about that we discovered about bigger shows on the iPhone 16 Professional fashions approach again in Might 2023, rumors a few 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 every thing we now have heard from respected sources to this point about Apple’s so-called iPhone 17 “Air.”
iPhone 17 Air: Rumors So Far
Concerning the Identify
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 line with Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman. There was uncertainty in current months in regards to the intention of the so-called iPhone 17 “Slim” and its rumored place within the lineup. YouTuber Jon Prosser was first to recommend that the gadget might be positioned as an “iPhone Air.” Now, Gurman appears to help this concept. Changing the iPhone “Plus,” which, just like the “mini” fashions earlier than it, has not bought nicely, the iPhone 17 “Air” will signify 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 gadget to the unique MacBook Air from 2008, which sat between the common MacBook and MacBook Professional within the lineup.
Thinner Design
In response to The Data, Apple’s all-new iPhone 17 mannequin subsequent 12 months could have a “significantly thinner” design with an aluminum chassis, quite than a titanium casing like Apple’s Professional fashions. The information outlet additionally claims that the gadget will characteristic a narrower Dynamic Island (probably as a result of 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 share of titanium than used for the iPhone 15 Professional fashions. Internally code-named D23, the gadget’s redesign has been described as a significant one equal to the iPhone X.
Smaller Show
The primary particulars in regards to the dimension of the gadget’s show arrived courtesy of Haitong Worldwide Securities analyst Jeff Pu, who mentioned it will be 6.6 inches. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has since corroborated Pu’s declare. Nonetheless, in line with Show Provide Chain Consultants (DSCC) analyst Ross Younger, it is going to characteristic a 6.55-inch show. For comparability, the iPhone 16 Plus has a 6.7-inch show. Apple remains to be mentioned to be testing completely different designs for the slimmer cellphone, so the show dimension may at all times change between now and the gadget’s launch.
ProMotion Help
Apple intends to increase ProMotion to all the lineup in 2025, together with the iPhone 17 “Air,” permitting all iPhone 17 fashions to ramp as much as a 120Hz refresh price for smoother scrolling and video content material when needed. Beforehand, solely “Pro” 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 price 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 gadget is locked.
Relocated Cameras
The Data claimed that the iPhone 17 “Slim” or “Air” could have cameras in places we have not seen earlier than on an iPhone. In response to a Might report, the rear cameras might be moved to the “top center” of the gadget. Some Android telephones like Google’s Pixel 8 Professional have rear cameras in a top-center place, however Apple’s iPhone digicam system has occupied the top-left nook ever for the reason that 2007 mannequin. So as to add to the intrigue, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has claimed that the gadget could have just one digicam, 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 Defend discovered on iPhone 15 fashions, in line with Chinese language Weibo leaker Prompt Digital. The outer glass on the iPhone 17 sequence is alleged to have a “super-hard anti-reflective layer” that’s “more scratch-resistant.” It isn’t 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 Expertise
In response to 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 price 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 price 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 gadget is locked.
Improved Selfie Digicam
In response to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, all the iPhone 17 lineup will characteristic a 24-megapixel front-facing digicam with a six-element lens. The iPhone 14 and 15 characteristic a 12-megapixel front-facing digicam 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 photographs 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 each one iPhone 16 fashions are fitted with 8GB of RAM – a {hardware} requirement of on-device Apple Intelligence. In response to The Data, the gadget can even be outfitted with Apple’s A19 chip, which is prone to be primarily based on an optimized model of TSMC’s 3nm course of, presumably N3P or N3X. The gadget can also be one of many first to make use of an Apple-made 5G modem.
Greater Value
The Data reported that the slimmer iPhone 17 may have the next price ticket than the Professional Max mannequin, which presently begins at $1,199, regardless of solutions that it’s going to not be as feature-rich as Apple’s top-tier Max. The cool issue of a very new thinner design is anticipated to entice clients nonetheless. Gurman believes that the design of the iPhone 17 “Air” will “just be a step toward something better” since Apple will finally need to “squeeze the power of a Pro model into this smaller design.” Nonetheless, he doesn’t count on this to happen earlier than 2027 on the earliest.