Apple is reportedly preparing to launch its thinnest future-proof iPhone ever iPhone 17 Air. According to The Information, this model will redefine smartphone thinness with a significantly reduced profile compared to previous models. If the claims are true, the iPhone 17 Air could become a new reference in the Apple series by sacrificing design to achieve these dimensions.

iPhone 17 Air can compete with iPad Pro 13 in terms of thickness

According to rumors, iPhone 17 Airit used to be called iPhone 17 ThinIt will replace the iPhone 16 Plus in the Apple series. Initial reports suggested a slim design, but recent details point to an even thinner profile, measuring just 5-6mm thick.

For context, the iPhone 16 is already considered thin at 7.8mm, and the iPhone 17 Air will be 35% thinner. This will make it Apple’s thinnest iPhone to date, eclipsing the iPhone 6 Plus, which has held the record since 2014 with a 7.1mm body. In terms of design, the iPhone 17 Air can compete with the 5.1 mm thick iPad Pro 13. But achieving this sleek profile requires compromises, like a single rear camera.

Ultra-thin form factor means a few more changes

In addition to the slim design iPhone 17 Air It may also undergo other changes. Reports suggest that mmWave 5G network support and physical SIM card slot will be dropped. While the latter is standard on US iPhones starting with the iPhone 14, the lack of mmWave support may impact network performance in regions where mmWave is common.

Apple is also expected to equip the iPhone 17 Air with its own 5G modem. However, it is said that this modem will offer slower transfer speeds compared to the Qualcomm chips used in the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max models. Another drawback would be a downward-facing speaker, which could further streamline the design.

Durability remains an issue for such a thin device, especially since Apple’s similarly thin iPads have faced structural issues in the past. This raises the question of how long the iPhone 17 Air will withstand daily use. It is also noteworthy that Samsung is also working on a version of the slim Galaxy flagship within the S25 series, which is said to be significantly thinner than the current models.