Instead, the iPhone 17 Air will have a 6.6-inch display, which places it between the Pro and Pro Max sizes of the iPhone 16. The device will be significantly thinner than previous iPhones, losing about 2 millimeters of thickness, or slightly more than a 20% decrease. Despite its pencil-thin build, Apple is committed to battery life that is on par with other iPhones, which required significant revamps in the phone’s display, silicon chips, and software.
Several premium features will be available on the iPhone 17 Air, such as a 120Hz ProMotion screen, a Dynamic Island UI, and a new Camera Control button. Nevertheless, to achieve its pencil-thin form factor, Apple has made compromises in some aspects. One 48-megapixel camera on the back, like the iPhone 16e, rather than multiple lenses like on Pro models. The normal A19 chip, not the A19 Pro chip, that will be used. No SIM card slot on the iPhone 17 Air, which is already the case for U.S. devices but a departure from the standard for international markets.
Apple also considered eliminating all ports on the iPhone 17 Air, relying solely on wireless charging and cloud-based syncing of data. This was abandoned due to concerns of customer pushback and regulatory issues, particularly in the European Union, which has mandated the inclusion of USB-C ports on all new electronic products.
The iPhone 17 Air would likely cost about $900 in the United States, putting it on par with the iPhone 16 Plus. In Canada, it would likely cost in the neighborhood of $1,300 CAD, depending on which exchange rate Apple chooses to apply. The technologies developed for the iPhone 17 Air will be seen to have their effect on Apple’s future offerings, including a foldable iPhone rumored to arrive as soon as 2026. The foldable variant is said to resemble devices like Samsung Galaxy Z Fold but with a smaller crease. Apple’s more slender design and feature innovating approach is all part of the company’s overall strategy to continue dominating the smartphone race.
