If These Iphone 17 Air Rumors Are Confirmed On Tuesday, I'm Saying Goodbye To My Phone

The iPhone Plus exemplary (pictured) whitethorn perchance beryllium replaced by nan iPhone Air/Slim.

Kerry Wan/ZDNET

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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• iPhone 17 Air whitethorn debut arsenic Apple's thinnest telephone ever.
• Single rear camera shows Apple's thinness trade-offs.
• Expected to debut connected Sept. 9, 2025, priced astir $900.

Apple is rumored to beryllium spicing things for this Tuesday's iPhone event. It could present an ultra-thin exemplary for nan 2025 iPhone lineup called nan iPhone 17 Air. It's thought to beryllium overmuch slimmer than immoderate iPhone truthful acold -- and it will wholly switch nan Plus statement that's been astir for complete a decade.

Also: Buy nan iPhone 16 aliases hold for iPhone 17? Here's really to decide

Due this Sept. alongside nan remainder of nan iPhone 17 family, it's been many times described arsenic a super-slim caller tier, pinch a target value astir $900. But what other makes this telephone truthful different, and why should you care? 

Let's spell rumor by rumor.

1. It's called iPhone 17 Air truthful far

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has described to nan upcoming model arsenic "skinny" and repeatedly calls it "iPhone 17 Air." So, that's what everyone other is calling it. Apple itself hasn't confirmed nan name, truthful see "Air" a moving moniker until it debuts successful September.

Also: 5 Apple products you decidedly shouldn't bargain this month

With immoderate pre-release reporting, specifications tin change. But Gurman is simply a managing editor pinch a beardown grounds connected Apple scoops. AppleTrack currently rates his accuracy astir 86%. This is simply a tract that meticulously tracks, verifies, and rates nan accuracy of Apple's biggest leaks and rumors. MacRumors moreover graded Gurman's WWDC 2025 predictions pinch an A+.

2. iPhone 17 Air is really, really thin

If nan rumors are true, nan iPhone 17 Air could beryllium nan thinnest iPhone ever.

Also: Best iPhone 2025: I tested nan apical models and recovered nan champion options

Noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has a 72% accuracy according to AppleTrack, says nan telephone will measurement 5.5mm astatine its slimmest constituent -- but nan camera bump is still live and well. Bloomberg's Gurman said nan Air is slimmer than nan existent models and has suggested it could beryllium a measurement toward Apple's long-rumored port-free future. 

For comparison, nan iPhone 16 Pro is 8.25mm thick.

Renders and videos from Jon Prosser's Front Page Tech constituent to an ultra-thin chassis arsenic good arsenic a "camera bar" stretching crossed nan back. On 1 broadside of it sits a azygous rear lens, while nan different houses a mic and LED flash. Prosser is being sued by Apple for allegedly leaking iOS 26 information, but his leaks align pinch a expected iPhone 17 Air ammunition that surfaced weeks ago.

Of course, making a telephone this bladed requires immoderate engineering trade-offs. AppleTrack posted a video pinch dummy models suggesting immoderate compromises, for illustration nan USB-C larboard being nudged person to nan backmost separator alternatively of sitting neatly successful nan middle.

As for weight, MacRumors spotted South Korean leaker yeux1122 had claimed successful a blog that nan Air will travel successful astatine astir 145g. That would make it overmuch lighter than nan 199g iPhone 16 Pro and somewhat heavier than nan 141g iPhone 13 Mini.

3. It has a 6.6-inch display

Several leakers and analysts, including Ming-Chi Kuo, said nan iPhone 17 Air will person astir a 6.6-inch show pinch very slim bezels. It could person a refined beforehand layout, but it will support nan Dynamic Island largely nan aforesaid arsenic existent models. Meanwhile, Macworld precocious spotted a caller 1260×2740 wallpaper solution successful iOS 26 betas that doesn't lucifer immoderate existing iPhones.

4. Let's talk astir that camera

To support nan iPhone 17 Air arsenic bladed arsenic possible, Apple is expected to make immoderate changes successful nan camera department.

Also: How to clear your iPhone cache (and why you should)

Both Kuo and Bloomberg's Gurman reported nan iPhone 17 Air will driblet some nan ultrawide and telephoto lens. Instead, it's shipping pinch a azygous rear camera -- apt 48MP. Jon Prosser's renders backmost this up, showing conscionable 1 lens wrong nan apical camera bar. 

Up front, expert Jeff Pu said each iPhone 17 models will characteristic a 24MP selfie camera. AppleTrack has Pu's grounds astatine astir 50%.

5. It mightiness not past a afloat day

A thinner iPhone intends a smaller battery, right? Not truthful fast. Here's really Apple plans to tackle nan rumor of artillery life:

• Efficient charging and thermal management: Leaker Majin Bu has shared photos and measurements of what's claimed to beryllium nan Air's battery: an L-shaped, steel-cased module that's astir 2.49mm heavy pinch an estimated capacity of 2,900mAh. The prototype features welded edges, caller adhesives to make replacements easier, and could let for much businesslike charging acknowledgment to improved thermal management. Together, these specifications propose Apple is optimizing soul abstraction and artillery performance.
• High-density artillery pinch silicon-anode cells: Kuo has floated nan thought of a high-density artillery for nan iPhone 17 Air, while AppleInsider, citing a study from DigitTimes, claimed supplier TDK is preparing silicon-anode cells. The operation of this tech would beryllium a awesome leap, fundamentally allowing nan iPhone 17 Air to shop much power successful nan aforesaid space.
• An Apple-made artillery case: The Information's Wayne Ma reported that Apple's soul testing shows nan Air's artillery life won't rather deed nan company's accustomed targets. He said nan percent of users who tin spell a azygous time without recharging nan bladed telephone will beryllium betwixt 60% and 70%. To dress up for that, Apple has been processing its ain artillery case.
• Software tricks: Let's besides not hide that iOS 26 introduces a caller characteristic called Adaptive Power, which was wide discussed during and aft WWDC. Apple's iOS 26 overview doesn't spell into overmuch detail, but ZDNET's Adrian Kingsley-Hughes tested it and reported that nan strategy automatically adjusts capacity and inheritance tasks to agelong artillery life erstwhile needed.

6. Information connected different specs

If you're wondering astir which A-series spot nan iPhone 17 Air will get aliases really overmuch RAM it'll have, here's what's leaked truthful far:

• Processor: Bloomberg's Gurman claimed nan iPhone 17 Air will get nan standard A19, while nan iPhone 17 Pro models will get nan A19 Pro chip. A counter-rumor from Fixed Focus Digital connected Weibo (via MacRumors) claimed nan A19 Pro is coming to nan Air.
• RAM: Kuo said to expect 12GB DRAM connected astatine slightest 3 iPhone 17 models.
• Wi-Fi: Kuo besides said Apple's in-house Wi-Fi spot will beryllium utilized crossed each iPhone 17 models, meaning it's moving distant from Broadcom. This reporting echoes earlier sum from Reuters outlining Apple's in-house Wi-Fi/Bluetooth transition.

Majin Bu

7. What astir caller colors?

Leaker Majin Bu -- posting connected his own site and X -- has many times said nan iPhone 17 Air will beryllium disposable successful 4 colors: a very ray "sky" blue, silver, black, and a ray gold. You tin spot these colors, arsenic good arsenic nan different iPhone 17 models' colors, successful nan tweet below.

8. How overmuch it will cost

Bloomberg's Gurman reported that nan iPhone 17 Air will beryllium priced astir $900, successful statement pinch nan thought that it will switch nan Plus tier. 

Also: Apple's tariff costs and iPhone income are soaring

However, in May 2025, President Donald Trump publically threatened a 25% tariff connected iPhones not built successful nan US -- a move that, if enacted and applied to nan Air's proviso chain, could impact pricing.

9. When to expect nan Air

Apple traditionally holds its iPhone arena successful early to mid-September to unveil nan latest models, which past spell connected waste wrong a mates of weeks. While Apple hasn't confirmed nan iPhone 17 Air, its next arena will return spot connected Sept. 9, 2025, and aggregate reports, including Bloomberg's Gurman most recently, propose nan ultra-thin exemplary will debut during this event.