iPhone 17 Air: Each New Characteristic We Know

We’re lower than two months away from lastly seeing whether or not a rumored ultra-thin iPhone lives as much as its hype. 

Whispers about Apple’s new iPhone 17 line have been floating round for some time, however the rumor mill has switched to excessive gear because the launch date approaches (though even that’s up for debate).

It could be getting lots of consideration, however the rumored iPhone 17 “Air” — if that is its identify (extra on that in a bit) — seems to be much less of a complicated Professional mannequin, as initially predicted, and extra of a substitute for the iPhone 16 Plus. However that hasn’t stopped the hypothesis about what it may provide, together with upgraded RAM, new colours and a battery enhance — thanks partially to iOS 26’s Adapative Energy characteristic. 

Apple’s ultra-thin telephone could possibly be the newest to hitch a slew of thin telephones, together with the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge. However in its effort to slim down, Apple would probably must make {hardware} trade-offs, which could embody a single rear digital camera. Plus, there’s the worth tag, which could possibly be impacted by tariffs.

The wait is nearly over, however for now, we’re rounding up all the newest rumors, leaks and hypothesis concerning the new iPhone. Let’s dig in.

Learn extra: Ought to You Purchase an iPhone 16 or Anticipate the iPhone 17?

iPhone 17 Air dimension: How skinny will or not it’s?

If the rumored iPhone 17 Air lives as much as its identify, then the largest potential benefit it may provide over the remainder of the road is its dimension and weight. A Bloomberg report from March notes that the iPhone Air may measure 5.5mm thick, in comparison with the iPhone 16 Professional at 8.25mm. The iPhone 17 Professional Max may get as thick as 8.725mm to make room for an even bigger battery, in keeping with a report by 9to5Mac. 

Matt Talks Tech posted a YouTube video on July 19 evaluating the thickness of an iPhone 17 Air mannequin with an iPhone 6, the final thinnest iPhone:

Mac Rumors reported in Might {that a} leaker on the Korean-language Naver weblog, going by yeux1122, mentioned that the rumored iPhone 17 Air weighs roughly 145 grams (5.11 ounces). Evaluate that with the iPhone 16 Professional, which weighs in at 199 grams (7.03 ounces). If this rumor proves true, the Air can be simply barely heavier than the iPhone 13 mini, which weighs 141 grams (4.97 ounces).

iPhone 17 Air digital camera: Potential downgrade?

Among the many rumored potential sacrifices Apple might make to get a skinnier telephone is limiting the digital camera options. 

The rumored iPhone 17 line could also be getting a brand new digital camera bar that extends throughout the width of the telephone. However Entrance Web page Tech shared an iPhone 17 Air video in February that confirmed a bodily mockup of the telephone primarily based on rumors. One of many extra stunning reveals was a smaller digital camera bar with one lens on the left, suggesting the Air has a single rear digital camera, just like the iPhone 16E ($599). It isn’t clear if the digital camera can be the identical because the 16E or if Apple would go the route Samsung did and embody the primary digital camera from the iPhone 17 Professional.

The only digital camera concept is backed up by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and a Bloomberg report, which mentioned that the rumored Air might not have the ultrawide and 5x telephoto lenses which have turn out to be staples of Apple’s premium iPhones. 

In a bit of excellent information, it is also rumored that the front-facing “selfie” digital camera on all iPhone 17 fashions, together with the Air, might be upgraded to 24 megapixels, in keeping with analyst Jeff Pu. 

Entrance Web page Tech additionally shared a re-created render of the iPhone 17 Air, which included a glimpse of the digital camera, on this video on YouTube:

Show: Smaller than a Plus, larger than a Professional?

Rumors are that the Air would have a 6.6-inch show, in keeping with analysts Pu and Kuo, who additionally mentioned the show decision can be 1260×2740. That is the identical decision as a wallpaper Macworld discovered within the iOS 26 beta 2. No present or earlier iPhones have this show decision, which aligns with Kuo’s prediction.

If all that is correct, that might imply the iPhone 17 Air’s show is barely smaller than the iPhone 16 Plus, with a 6.7-inch show, however bigger than the iPhone 16 Professional, which encompasses a 6.3-inch show. The iPhone 16 Professional Max leads with a 6.9-inch show. It is unclear if the iPhone 17 Air’s display screen can be a Professional Movement show just like the one discovered on iPhone Professional fashions. 

Efficiency: May an Air get the A19 Professional chip?

If rumors are correct, the iPhone 17 Air might profit from a few efficiency enhancements.

A Weibo account often called Mounted Focus Digital mentioned the iPhone 17 Air will include an A19 Professional chip, just like the Professional fashions, MacRumors reported on July 9. However the Air would have a 5-core GPU, in keeping with the rumor, whereas the iPhone 17 Professional and Professional Max would get a 6-core GPU.

Apple can be reportedly bringing extra design in-house to enhance connectivity throughout all units. In February, Kuo mentioned Apple will swap out Broadcom’s Wi-Fi chips for in-house chips throughout the iPhone 17 lineup.

iPhone 17 Air battery life expectations

Among the many challenges of slimming down an iPhone could possibly be determining find out how to scale back the battery dimension with out compromising battery life.

Initially, it was assumed {that a} skinnier iPhone would merely have a diminished battery life since there can be much less area to accommodate a big battery. However extra not too long ago, AppleInsider reported {that a} skinnier iPhone would possibly use a silicon-anode battery that would assist prolong its battery life. 

Yeux1122 mentioned the battery capability is 2,800mAh, primarily based on particulars that originate with “mass manufacturing confirmed pattern,” in keeping with MacRumors. It added {that a} high-density battery within the Air may improve its “precise capability” by 15% to twenty%.

If the rumored iPhone 17 Air does use the silicon battery know-how, it might be the primary iPhone to take action.

One characteristic that would assist keep away from battery drain is the upcoming iOS 26’s new AI-powered characteristic, Adaptive Energy. Amongst different advantages, this characteristic will help preserve your battery by mechanically adjusting your iPhone’s efficiency primarily based on the way you’re utilizing the telephone at that second, in keeping with Apple. 

And whereas the attraction of a skinnier iPhone could also be its dimension, Apple should launch an iPhone battery case as an iPhone 17 Air accent, in keeping with report from Wayne Ma with The Info in Might.

Reminiscence improve

Pu predicted that the iPhone 17 Air is predicted to step as much as 12GB of RAM, just like the Professional fashions, MacRumors reported on Might 30. Pu mentioned the iPhone 17 base mannequin would keep at 8GB. The reminiscence improve may assist with efficiency for Apple Intelligence.

Colours for the iPhone 17 Air

There’s been loads of hypothesis about colours for the iPhone 17 lineup. Present rumors give the Air 4 hues:

On July 9, Majin Bu posted a photograph of the anticipated shade lineup on X:

Dynamic Island: Entrance digital camera may transfer

Bloomberg’s report additionally notes that the iPhone 17 Air is predicted to have superslim bezels in comparison with the remainder of the road, together with a Digital camera Management button and a Dynamic Island cutout within the show. 

Pu predicted in Might that every one the iPhone 17 fashions will use a brand new metalens know-how for the proximity sensor, in keeping with 9to5Mac. That know-how may permit Apple to cut back the scale of the Face ID sensor and its Dynamic Island. Nevertheless, Pu’s report contradicts Kuo, who beforehand mentioned that the Dynamic Island would stay “largely unchanged” within the iPhone 17 lineup in comparison with the iPhone 16.

In a put up to X on June 26, Bu mentioned the entrance digital camera is likely to be positioned on the left of the Dynamic Island, primarily based on leaked display screen protector designs. Different iPhone 17 fashions seem to retain the digital camera on the best aspect:

Air or Slim? What we all know concerning the identify

The identify of a skinnier iPhone remains to be up for debate — Air, Slim and even Skinny have all been tossed about. (However apparently, dietPhone did not make the quick checklist.)

In actual fact, we do not even know for positive the brand new lineup might be referred to as the iPhone 17, and Apple’s been identified to modify up its naming conventions.

At its Worldwide Builders Convention in June, Apple introduced that its new iOS wouldn’t comply with the numerical order that it beforehand had — which might’ve made the newest launch the iOS 19. As a substitute, it switched to figuring out updates by the upcoming 12 months, so the most recent working system launching is the iOS 26.

We probably will not discover out the identify for positive till Apple declares its new iPhone lineup. However most rumors and leaks — together with this video Bu shared of a dummy mannequin on X on July 9 — seek advice from the skinnier iPhone as “Air”:

iPhone 17 Air launch date: Is the slimmer iPhone coming this 12 months?

For almost a decade, Apple has held an occasion on the primary Tuesday of September after Labor Day to announce its new telephones. We anticipate Apple to comply with an analogous schedule this 12 months for the launch of its iPhone 17 line, together with the rumored iPhone 17 Air. 

Nevertheless, the primary Tuesday is the day after Labor Day in 2025, so Apple might push the dates for its iPhone occasion to Wednesday, Sept. 3, or Tuesday, Sept. 9. That may imply a launch date of Sept. 12 or 19.

The iPhone 17 lineup could be the final to comply with this fall-release mannequin, in keeping with Kuo and a report from The Info. Beginning with the iPhone 18, Apple will reportedly cut up its telephone releases in order that lower-cost iPhones launch within the first half of the 12 months (beforehand reserved for iPhone SE fashions) and higher-end professional fashions are introduced within the latter half. That may probably imply a rumored iPhone 18 Professional, Professional Max, Air and new foldable iPhone mannequin may debut in fall 2026. Remember that an iPhone Flip or Fold has been rumored for years.

You will probably have the ability to preorder a brand new iPhone the Friday after the announcement, with the telephone transport every week later. Based mostly on the anticipated announcement on Sept. 3 or 9, the preorder date could possibly be both Sept. 5 or 12, respectively.

What is going to the iPhone 17 Air value?

Early rumors concerning the iPhone 17 Air‘s price ticket hinted it may value much more than the iPhone 17 Professional. However a Bloomberg report from March prompt the telephone may value about $900. That price ticket would align with the rumor that the Air may substitute the Plus, which at the moment prices $929. For comparability, Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Edge begins at $1,100.

Nevertheless, there’s additionally the query of how tariffs may have an effect on the worth of an iPhone. Amid President Donald Trump’s ongoing tariff drama, he is threatened Apple with a 25% tariff if the corporate does not transfer iPhone manufacturing to the US.

How a lot all of this may have an effect on iPhone costs is but to be decided, however an additional 25% may push an iPhone 17 Air to greater than $1,100. That is primarily based on the worth of an iPhone 16 Plus, which the iPhone 17 Air is rumored to be changing. Not one of the pricing rumors has been confirmed by Apple.

No matter how tariffs play out, Apple is predicted to elevate the worth of the iPhone. These worth hikes are rumored to begin with the iPhone 17 line, so put together now to pay extra for Air.

Are iPhone Air rumors and leaks to be trusted?

Rumors are simply that. The hypothesis main as much as the iPhone’s launch is commonly primarily based on insider information or leaked info from the groups engaged on the iPhone’s design, however these plans can proceed to evolve and aren’t essentially mirrored within the closing product. We’ll solely have the ability to verify these rumors with certainty when Apple formally releases the following iPhone, and we will see it for ourselves.