iPhone 17 Air has a super thin design, promising to be very attractive

Apple is expected to "kill" the "Plus" iPhone line in the iPhone 17 series to introduce the iPhone 17 Air - a model named to emphasize its impressive ultra-thin design.

iPhone 17 Air có thiết kế siêu mỏng, hứa hẹn đầy hấp dẫn

iPhone 17 Air has an ultra-thin design compared to previous generations

The name iPhone 17 Air

Rumors are swirling about Apple’s plans to develop a thinner iPhone, with many wondering where it will fit into the company’s current lineup and what role it will play compared to other iPhone models.

YouTuber Jon Prosser was the first to suggest that Apple could call the new ultra-thin iPhone the "iPhone Air." Bloomberg's Mark Gurman later agreed, saying that Apple could use the device as a new strategy to attract users and boost future sales.

Apple could kill off the iPhone “Plus” line, similar to how it discontinued the “mini” version in the past, due to poor sales. This would create a new direction for the iPhone lineup. According to rumors, the iPhone 17 Air will have an impressively thin design and be positioned between the standard iPhone 17 and the iPhone 17 Pro.

According to Mark Gurman, the iPhone 17 Air is just the beginning of a bigger change in the future. He believes that Apple is aiming to integrate all the power and high-end features of the iPhone Pro line into a thinner and lighter design. However, Gurman predicts that this process will take time and is unlikely to happen before 2027. This shows that Apple has a long-term strategy to improve its product line, bringing new experiences to iPhone users.

iPhone 17 Air thickness

The Information said that Apple is developing a completely new iPhone 17 model with a significantly thinner design. Instead of using a titanium case like the Pro versions, this iPhone model will have an aluminum frame, helping to reduce weight and provide a lighter grip.

There have been many rumors about the thinness of the iPhone 17 Air, with some suggesting it will be around 6mm thick. However, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the iPhone model could be as thin as 5.5mm at its thinnest point. If this is accurate, the iPhone 17 Air would be the thinnest iPhone ever, thinner than the iPhone 6 (6.9mm) released in 2014.

According to rumors, the iPhone 17 Air is said to have only a single speaker because there is not enough space to place a second speaker at the bottom edge. Leaks also say that the device will have a smaller Dynamic Island than previous iPhone models. The design of the iPhone 17 Air, internally codenamed D23, is said to be similar to the iPhone X.

About the screen size of iPhone 17 Air

Analyst Jeff Pu from Haitong International Securities believes that the iPhone 17 Air will have a 6.6-inch display, and this prediction is also agreed by Ming-Chi Kuo.

However, analyst Ross Young from Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC) believes that the iPhone 17 Air will have a 6.55-inch display. For comparison, the current iPhone 16 Plus has a 6.7-inch display.

Apple is still experimenting with different designs for the thinner phone, so the screen size could change before the product is officially launched.

The screen will always be on

Apple plans to expand ProMotion technology to all iPhone 17 models, including the iPhone 17 Air, by 2025. This will increase the refresh rate to 120Hz, providing a smooth scrolling experience.

Previously, only the "Pro" models supported ProMotion. Notably, this feature also allows the iPhone 17 Air's screen to slow down to just 1Hz, saving energy when displaying the clock, widgets, notifications, and wallpapers even when the device is locked.

Camera redesign

The Information says the iPhone 17 Air will have a new camera location, completely different from previous iPhone models. Specifically, the rear camera cluster can be moved to the "top center" of the device, something that some Android phones like the Google Pixel 9 Pro have done. Meanwhile, the iPhone has always placed the camera in the upper left corner since the first model was launched in 2007.

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also believes that the iPhone 17 Air will have only one camera instead of two or three cameras like previous iPhone models.

The screen will be more durable with an anti-reflective coating. mat

According to Instant Digital on China's Weibo, all iPhone 17 models will have anti-glare screens and better scratch resistance than the Ceramic Shield on the iPhone 15. The outer glass of the iPhone 17 will be equipped with an "ultra-hard anti-glare coating" to better protect the screen. It's unclear whether Apple will use Samsung's Gorilla Glass Armor technology on the Galaxy S24 Ultra, but Corning's description of the technology is quite similar to this rumor.

Front camera has been improved

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says all iPhone 17 models will have a 24MP front camera with a 6-element lens, while the iPhone 14 and 15 will only have a 12MP front camera with a 5-element lens. The iPhone 16 series will also use similar hardware.

The higher resolution means the iPhone 17 will take clearer photos when cropping or zooming in, and the extra pixels will help capture more detail. The upgrade to a six-element lens also improves image quality.

More powerful RAM

Analyst Jeff Pu said the iPhone 17 Air will have 8GB of RAM, while the iPhone 15 Plus will only have 6GB of RAM. All iPhone 16 models are equipped with 8GB of RAM, serving the hardware requirements for Apple Intelligence, so it is possible that the iPhone 17 Air will follow this trend.

Equipped with A19 chip

Analyst Jeff Pu said the iPhone 17 Air will use Apple's A19 chip, which could be based on an optimized version of TSMC's 3nm process, such as N3P or N3X. Meanwhile, the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will be equipped with the A19 Pro chip. Compared to previous 3nm chips, the N3P chip offers higher performance and better transistor density.

Customizable 5G modem and Wi-Fi chip

The iPhone 17 Air could be one of the first iPhones to use Apple's in-house 5G modem, following the upcoming iPhone SE 4. The new modem promises improved speed and power efficiency. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also predicts that at least one iPhone 17 model will feature an Apple-designed Wi-Fi 7 chip, and believes that Apple's 5G modem will be included in the ultra-thin iPhone 17 model.

No SIM card slot

According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the iPhone 17 Air will not have a physical SIM slot, instead using digital eSIM technology. In the US, the iPhone 14, 15, and 16 models have ditched the SIM slot, but in other countries, the SIM slot is still retained. The iPhone 17 is expected to ditch the SIM slot globally, but it is unclear whether this will apply in China, where eSIM is not yet licensed.

Estimated selling price

The Information reports that the iPhone 17 Air could cost more than the Pro Max, which currently starts at $1,199, even though it doesn't have as many high-end features as the Max. However, analyst Jeff Pu believes the iPhone 17 Air will be a mid-range iPhone that replaces the Plus model. A report from China also suggests that the iPhone 17 Air will be priced similarly to the iPhone 16 Plus, which starts at $899 in the US.

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