Is Apple Working on an ‘iPhone Air?’ Here’s Everything We Know So Far
Credit: iPhone Air concept [4RMD / YouTube]Toggle Dark Mode
If you’ve been following Apple news, you know that iPhone rumors are a dime a dozen. It seems like we’re getting new “confirmed” rumors and leaks every day about what Apple is supposedly working on.
Not only are there already plenty of rumors about the iPhone 17 — which is still almost a year away — but rumors about the iPhone 18 are starting to appear.
That said, one popular rumor making the rounds right now is about a new “iPhone Air” or “iPhone Slim.” There have been many reports about what this iPhone might look like and all the new things that are coming with it.
Of course, you should take it with a grain of salt, but if you want to know everything the upcoming “iPhone 17 Air” has to offer, keep reading.
What’s this New iPhone’s Name?
There have been a couple of possible names for this new rumored iPhone.
While initial reports referred to it as the “iPhone 17 Slim,” we’ve also seen it called the “iPhone 17 Air.” These names are purely speculative, and it’s likely that Apple hasn’t even decided on a final name yet. However, knowing Apple, the name “Air” seems more likely since it’s used in many other products.
What seems to be correct is that this iPhone is code-named D23 internally, and it’s slated to replace the iPhone Plus in next year’s lineup.
Like the iPhone mini before them, the iPhone Plus models haven’t sold as well as Apple hoped, so the company is reportedly looking to abandon that design and do something different.
iPhone 17 Air: Design
According to rumors, the “iPhone 17 Air” will feature one of the biggest design changes we’ve seen in years. This iPhone is expected to have a redesign similar to that of the iPhone X, which finally ditched the Home button and introduced Face ID.
Based on leaks, this will be the thinnest iPhone ever, which makes sense since Apple seems to be returning to creating devices that are as thin as possible, like this year’s M4 iPad Pro.
Additionally, some rumors point out that this iPhone might have an aluminum body instead of titanium. Well-known Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says that a titanium body is possible, but it might have a lower percentage of titanium than the iPhone Pro models.
It’s also possible that we’ll see a narrower Dynamic Island, but that remains to be seen.
iPhone 17 Air: Display
The display on the iPhone 17 Air will be excellent, but it might be smaller than the iPhone Plus models.
Currently, the iPhone 16 Plus has a 6.7-inch display, but the iPhone 17 Air is rumored to feature a 6.5 or 6.6-inch display.
In addition to the size, there are already rumors about the features available. The iPhone 17 Plus might support an always-on display and ProMotion.
Additionally, this iPhone might feature a new anti-reflective coating on top of the screen. This will make the display more scratch-resistant than the current models.
iPhone 17 Air: Cameras
There have been many rumors about the cameras on the iPhone 17 Air, so many that we don’t know which ones to believe.
For starters, Kuo says that this iPhone might have only one camera on the back, which is hard to believe.
Other rumors say that this iPhone’s cameras will be placed near the top, similar to the design of the Google Pixel 9 Pro. If true, this might be part of that big redesign that’s expected from this iPhone.
Another change will be to the front-facing camera. Some rumors point out that the iPhone 17 Air, as well as all the other iPhone 17 models, will feature a 24-megapixel front-facing camera, which would be a considerable upgrade from the 12 MP front-facing sensor on the iPhone 16 and other recent models.
iPhone 17 Air: Internals
This one is almost a given, but it’s expected that the new iPhone 17 Air will feature the A19 chip. Apple will still keep the A19 Pro chip exclusively for the iPhone 17 Pro lineup.
Besides the processor, there are rumors that this iPhone will have at least 8 GB of RAM, which is the minimum requirement to support Apple Intelligence.
Apple’s 5G and Wi-Fi 7 Chips
Apple has been developing its own 5G modem chip for years. Recently, we’ve heard several reports that it’s also creating an in-house Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chipset. Rumor has it that at least one of these chips will be used exclusively in the “iPhone 17 Air,” and perhaps also in the iPhone SE 4, which is expected to arrive early next year.
They appear to be two separate chips — one for 5G and another for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Since the 5G modem chip reportedly lacks support for faster mmWave 5G, Apple may limit this to the iPhone SE.
We don’t know how these chips will perform yet, but if they’re anything like the Apple silicon processors, this will be a welcome change for the future of the iPhone.
iPhone 17 Air: Price and Release Date
At the time of this writing, we aren’t entirely sure about the price, but there has been speculation that this new iPhone will cost around $1,299. This would put it in another premium category and at least $100 more expensive than the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
As for the release date, the iPhone 17 Air will probably launch alongside all other iPhone 17 models. This means that we expect Apple to release it during the fall of 2025. More specifically, we expect the iPhone 17 event to be in September, just like in previous years.
Get Ready for the Thinnest iPhone Ever
If all the rumors are true, the new iPhone 17 Air will be the thinnest and most expensive iPhone we’ve ever seen.
Of course, as we mentioned, you should take all of this with a grain of salt. It’s still too early to know which rumors are true and which ones aren’t. Not only that, but Apple might change its mind about the iPhone Air in the future.
So we’ll have to wait and see what this new iPhone offers. One thing’s for sure: those of us who want to buy it will need to start saving up some money if we want to afford it.
[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]
