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Rumor has it, we may soon see an ultra thin iPhone. The rumored iPhone 17 Air -- or it might be called the iPhone Slim -- could potentially replace the current iPhone Plus amid Apple's next iPhone release in the coming months.
The buzzed-about "Air" is getting a lot of attention in the iPhone 17 rumor mill, but the prospect also has people asking if Apple may have to sacrifice features to get a super thin phone.
Here's the skinny on what we could expect with the newest iPhone.
iPhone 17 Air release date: Is the slimmer iPhone coming this year?
For nearly a decade, Apple has held an event in September to announce its new phones. This year we expect Apple to reveal the iPhone 17 series, including the rumored iPhone 17 Air.
If the iPhone 17 Air rumors are true, Apple would be the latest to join the ultra-thin phone trend this year. Last week, I got to try out Samsung's new lightweight Galaxy S25 Edge after previewing it and a slew of shockingly thin phones at the Mobile World Congress in March.
The iPhone 17 lineup may be the last to follow this fall-release model, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and a report from The Information. Starting with the iPhone 18, Apple will reportedly split its phone releases so that lower-cost iPhones launch in the first half of the year (previously reserved for iPhone SE models) and higher-end pro models are announced in the latter half. That would likely mean a rumored iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max, Air and new foldable iPhone model could debut in fall 2026. Keep in mind that an iPhone Flip or Fold has been rumored for years.
You'll likely be able to preorder a new iPhone the Friday after the announcement, with the phone shipping a week later.
What will the iPhone 17 Air cost?
Early rumors about an iPhone 17 Air hinted that it could cost even more than the iPhone 17 Pro, but a March Bloomberg report suggested the phone could cost around $900. That price tag would align with the rumor that the "Air" could replace the Plus, which currently costs $899. For comparison, Samsung's Galaxy S25 Edge starts at $1,100.
However, there's also the question of how tariffs could affect the price of an iPhone. Amid President Donald Trump's ongoing tariff drama, Apple has mostly escaped additional taxes by stockpiling inventory and getting most of its products on a tariff exemption list.
Apple has moved some production of US iPhones to India to avoid the steeper tariffs imposed on China. However, Trump recently said he pushed Apple CEO Tim Cook to move US iPhone production from India to the US. How much all of this could affect iPhone prices is yet to be determined.
Regardless of how tariffs play out, Apple is expected to raise the price of the iPhone. These price hikes are rumored to start with the iPhone 17 line, so prepare now to pay more for "Air."
iPhone 17 Air camera: potential downgrade?
Among the rumored potential sacrifices Apple may have to make to get a skinnier phone is limiting the camera features.
The rumored iPhone 17 line is getting a new camera bar that extends across the width of the phone. But Front Page Tech shared an iPhone 17 Air video in February that showed a physical mockup of the phone based on rumors. One of the more surprising reveals was a smaller camera bar with one lens on the left, suggesting the "Air" phone has a single rear camera, similar to the iPhone 16E ($599). It's not clear if the camera would be the same as the 16E or if Apple would go the route Samsung did and include the main camera from the iPhone 17 Pro.
The single camera theory is backed up by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and a Bloomberg report, which said that the rumored Air may not have the ultrawide and 5x telephoto lenses that have become staples of Apple's premium iPhones.
In a bit of good news, it's also rumored that the front-facing "selfie" camera on all iPhone 17 models, including the Air, will be upgraded to 24 megapixels, according to analyst Jeff Pu.
iPhone 17 Air vs iPhone 17 Pro
It may be getting a lot of attention, but the rumored Air appears to be less an advanced Pro model and more a replacement for the Plus.
However, rumors are that the Air would have a 6.6-inch display, according to analysts Jeff Pu and Ming-Chi Kuo. If accurate, that would mean the Air's display is slightly smaller than the iPhone 16 Plus, with a 6.7-inch display, but larger than the iPhone 16 Pro, which features a 6.3-inch display. The iPhone 16 Pro Max leads with a 6.9-inch display. It's unclear if the 17 Air's screen would be a Pro Motion display like the one found on iPhone Pro models.
If the rumored Air lives up to its name, then the biggest potential advantage it could offer over a Pro is its size and weight. A Bloomberg report from March notes that the iPhone Air could measure 5.5mm thick, compared to the iPhone 16 Pro at 8.25mm.
Mac Rumors reported that a leaker on the Korean-langauge Naver blog, going by "yeux1122," said that the rumored iPhone 17 Air weighs approximately 145 grams (5.11 ounces). Compare that to the iPhone 16 Pro, which weighs in at 199 grams (7.03 ounces). If this rumor proves true, the Air would be just slightly heavier than the iPhone 13 mini, which weighs 141 grams (4.97 ounces).
Bloomberg's report also notes that the iPhone 17 Air is expected to have super slim bezels compared to the rest of the line, along with a Camera Control button and a Dynamic Island cutout in the display.
iPhone 17 Air battery life expectations
Among the challenges of slimming down an iPhone could be figuring out how to reduce the battery size without compromising battery life.
Initially, it was assumed that a skinnier iPhone would simply have a reduced battery life since there would be less space to house a large battery. But more recently, AppleInsider reported that a skinnier iPhone might use a silicon-anode battery that could help extend its battery life.
Yeux1122 said the battery capacity is 2,800mAh, based on details that originate with "mass production confirmed sample," according to MacRumors. It added that a high density battery in the Air could increase its "actual capacity" by 15 to 20%.
If the rumored iPhone 17 Air does use the silicon battery technology, it would be the first iPhone to do so.
Are iPhone Air rumors and leaks to be trusted?
Rumors are just that. The speculation leading up to the iPhone's release is often based on insider knowledge or leaked information from the teams working on the iPhone's design, but those plans can continue to evolve and are not necessarily reflected in the final product. We'll only be able to confirm these rumors with certainty when Apple officially releases the next iPhone and we can see it for ourselves.
