Apple is expected to release a slim model next year iPhone 17 under the name iPhone 17 Thin/Air. The phone emphasized a slim form factor over functionality. There have been many rumors about the iPhone 17 Slim/Air lately. But the latter may cast doubt on the “thin form factor” claim.

According to yeux1122’s Naver account, the rumored iPhone 17 Slim/Air may not reach the level of thinness Apple originally intended. Citing industry sources, Apple has encountered some issues that may prevent the company from reducing the thinness of the iPhone 17 Slim/Air as it had hoped. The device was expected to use a new type of battery that uses a thinner inner lining.

But Apple faces numerous challenges with the new type of battery, including component cost, manufacturing consistency, and other technical compromises. It is noteworthy that the thickness of the iPhone 17 Slim/Air is 6 mm.

By comparison, Apple’s thinnest iPhone, the iPhone 6, was 6.9mm thick; This means the iPhone 17 Slim/Air could be just 0.9mm thinner than the 2014 flagship (which emphasizes the slim form factor). However, if the rumors are true, the iPhone 17 Slim/Air may not be able to beat the 13-inch iPad Pro and M4 iPad Pro as they will still be Apple’s thinnest devices at 5.1mm and 5.4mm respectively.

Apple is expected to equip the iPhone 17 Slim/Air with a 3nm chipset and has selected Taiwanese company Novatek as the display supplier of the device. The device is also expected to be released in the fall of 2025 and may include a single rear camera, an A19 chip, and an advertising display with up to 120 Hz refresh rate.