All our smartphones come with at least a USB-C port. This port works for data transfers, charging, even connecting wired headphones, and using peripherals. Some phones might come with a dedicated 3.5mm headphone jack, but those are a rarity in 2025. That said, it seems that Apple considered a portless design for the iPhone 17 Air but ditched the idea.
The port-free design that won’t make it to the iPhone 17 Air
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, apparently Apple considered going with a portless design for the iPhone 17 Air. If the company had done that, it would make it the first iPhone to be completely port-free. However, the company apparently had a change of heart due to several reasons.
One of those reasons is scrutiny from EU regulators. Recent EU legislation basically forced Apple’s hand and made the company switch from Lightning to USB-C. However, if Apple ditched the USB-C port, regulators would have a field day with this. Plus, it will upset customers who will have to find another way of charging their devices.
This isn’t the first time we’ve heard rumors of a portless iPhone. Back in 2020, there were rumors that Apple could launch a port-free iPhone. Obviously, those plans didn’t pan out.
The great iPhone experiment
Gurman’s newsletter also suggests that the iPhone 17 Air will be a testbed of sorts. If the handset is successful, we could see its super-thin design in future iPhone models. The iPhone 17 Air is now an experiment to see if the company can fit its hardware into a thinner body and if customers are receptive to those changes, despite the compromises.
Despite being thinner, Apple is rumored to fit the iPhone 17 Air with high-density battery tech. This battery tech could be used for Apple’s future foldable iPhone, which is rumored to be pretty thin as well.
That said, Apple is taking a risk with the iPhone 17 Air. The company had to compromise on certain key features, namely the cameras, where leaked renders indicate it could only feature one lens. That alone could be a hard sell, especially with budget Android devices already sporting camera modules with multiple lenses. In any case, we’ll have to wait and see. The iPhone 17 Air will debut alongside the iPhone 17 lineup later this year, according to reports.
