Apple is expected to phase out the “Plus” iPhone in its iPhone 17 lineup in 2025 to make way for the “Air” iPhone, but that’s not what the device might actually be called when it launches next fall. The iPhone 16 series has only just been released, but rumors about next-generation iPhones aren’t so out of the ordinary as we learned in May 2023 that the iPhone 16 Pro models will feature larger screens.

As we continue to adjust to the new iPhone 16 series, here’s a rundown of everything we’ve heard from reputable sources about Apple’s alleged iPhone 17 “Air” model.

iPhone 17 Air: rumors so far

About the name

Apple’s slim iPhone 17, previously called the iPhone 17 “Slim”, could be positioned as the iPhone “Air” to boost sales, according to Marc Gurman. Bloomberg. In recent months, there has been uncertainty about the intentions of the device, dubbed the ‌iPhone 17‌ “Slim,” and its rumored place in the lineup. YouTuber John Prosser was the first to suggest that the device could be positioned as the “iPhone Air.” Now, Gurman appears to support the idea. Replacing the iPhone “Plus,” which didn’t sell as well as previous “mini” models, the ‌iPhone 17‌ “Air” would represent a new approach to the fourth model in Apple’s iPhone lineup, offering a device with a significantly thinner design. It would sit between the ‌iPhone 17‌ and the ‌iPhone 17‌ Pro. Gurman compared the device to the original MacBook Air from 2008, which slotted between the regular MacBook and the MacBook Pro.

Slimmer design

In accordance with InformationApple’s all-new iPhone 17 next year will feature a “much thinner” design with an aluminum body instead of the titanium body of Apple’s Pro models. The publication also claims that the device will have a narrower dynamic island (perhaps due to Apple offering a smaller “metal” for its Face ID system), but that specific claim has since been disputed. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo expects the phone to have a titanium frame but a lower percentage of titanium than the iPhone 15 Pro models. The redesign of the device, internally codenamed D23, has been described as a large iPhone X equivalent.

Smaller screen

The first details about the device’s display size came courtesy of Haitong International Securities analyst Jeff Pu, who said the device will be 6.6 inches. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo later confirmed Pu’s statement. However, according to Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC) analyst Ross Young, the device will have a 6.55-inch display. For comparison, the iPhone 16 Plus has a 6.7-inch display. Apple is said to still be testing different designs for the thinner phone, so the display size could always change before the device is released.

ProMotion support

Apple plans to expand ProMotion to the entire lineup, including the iPhone 17 “Air” in 2025, allowing all iPhone 17 models to increase their refresh rates to 120Hz for smoother scrolling and video content when needed. Previously, only the “Pro” models in Apple’s iPhone lineup supported ProMotion. Notably, ProMotion will also allow the display refresh rate on the iPhone 17 Air to be reduced to a more energy-efficient frequency of 1Hz, allowing the display to run constantly, capable of showing the clock, widgets, notifications, lock screen, and wallpaper even when the device is locked.

Portable cameras

Information The iPhone 17 “Slim” or “Air” model will reportedly have cameras in places we haven’t seen on an iPhone before. A report from May suggested the rear cameras could be moved to the “top center” of the device. Some Android phones, like the Google Pixel 8 Pro, have their rear cameras in the top center, but Apple’s iPhone camera system has been in the top left corner since the 2007 model. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has stated that the device will only have a single camera, not two or three.

Anti-reflective coating

According to Chinese leakster Weibo Instant Digital, all iPhone 17 models will feature an anti-glare display that is more scratch-resistant than Apple’s Ceramic Shield on the iPhone 15 models. The outer glass of the iPhone 17 series is said to have an “ultra-hard anti-glare layer” that is “more scratch-resistant.” It’s unclear whether Apple plans to adopt the Gorilla Glass Armor that Samsung used on the Galaxy S24 Ultra, but Corning’s description of the latest technology is consistent with the rumors.

ProMotion technology

According to the data ElectricWith , all iPhone 17 models will feature OLED displays with low-power backplane technology, bringing ProMotion to Apple’s non-Pro iPhone models for the first time. ProMotion allows the display to increase its refresh rate up to 120Hz for smoother scrolling and video content when needed. ProMotion also lets you lower the display refresh rate to 1Hz to save energy, so iPhone 16 Pro displays will have an always-on feature that shows the clock, widgets, notifications, and wallpapers on the lock screen, even when the device is locked.

Improved selfie camera

According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the entire iPhone 17 series will feature a 24-megapixel front camera with a six-element lens. The iPhone 14 and 15 are equipped with a 12-megapixel front camera with five plastic lens elements, and this year’s iPhone 16 series also has the same hardware. The updated resolution on the iPhone 17 should allow photos to maintain their quality even when cropped or enlarged, while more pixels will capture finer details. The upgrade to the six-element lens should also slightly improve image quality.

Internal updates

Haitong analyst Jeff Pu claims that the iPhone 17 “Slim” or “Air” model will have 8GB of RAM, compared to the 6GB of RAM in the iPhone 15 Plus. It is worth noting that all iPhone 16 models are equipped with 8GB of RAM, which is Apple Intelligence’s hardware requirement for the device. According to InformationThe device will also feature Apple’s A19 chip, which will likely be based on an optimized version of TSMC’s 3nm process, likely N3P or N3X. The device could also be one of the first to use Apple’s 5G modem.

Higher price

Information Despite speculation that it won’t be as feature-rich as Apple’s flagship Max, the thinner iPhone 17 could reportedly cost more than the Pro Max, which currently starts at $1,199. The cool factor of the all-new, thinner design is expected to grab customers’ attention. Gurman believes that the iPhone 17 “Air” design will be “just one step toward something better,” as Apple eventually wants to “squeeze the power of the Pro model into this smaller design.” But he doesn’t expect that to happen before 2027.