In 2025, Apple is expected to unleash an entirely new iPhone model. That would be the iPhone 17 Air, which may or may not be the final name when it is unveiled in September. However, we have seen a boatload of rumors and leaks about this device, which pretty much confirms that it is coming. So, here’s everything we know about the iPhone 17 Air so far.
Obviously, with the name “air” we expect this to be a thin and light iPhone, following in the footsteps of the MacBook Air and iPad Air before it. It will also sit between the Pro and Pro Max models this year, with a 6.6-inch display and ProMotion.
iPhone 17 Air Specs
According to the leaks that we’ve seen so far, the iPhone 17 Air will sport a 6.6-inch display with ProMotion (aka 120Hz). It will also sport the A19 chipset, instead of the A19 Pro chip that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have. It’s rumored to measure in at about 5.5mm thick. Which would make it thinner than the Galaxy S25 Edge, which is rumored to be around 5.8mm.
Interestingly, the iPhone 17 Air is set to sport a single 48-megapixel camera. Similar to the recently announced iPhone 16e. With a 24-megapixel front-facing camera. It will also sport 8GB of RAM, which is not a surprise, as all iPhones now come with at least 8GB for Apple Intelligence. It will also start at 128GB of storage, we don’t yet know how many storage variants there will be.
The specs have the iPhone 17 Air on the same level as the Pro’s in some instances, but then below the base model in other instances. Making this a really interesting device.
iPhone 17 Air Price
Apple is rumored to price the iPhone 17 Air at $899. That would put it right in between the iPhone 17 Plus and the iPhone 17 Pro. It’s an interesting price point, especially seeing the specs that it will be sporting.
However, with this pricing, and if Apple doesn’t change any other models, this would give them an iPhone at $599, $699, $799, $899, $999 and $1,199. Hitting just about every price point.
iPhone 17 Air Design
The iPhone 17 Air is going to change up Apple’s design a bit. Instead of using the corner for all the cameras, Apple is reportedly going to use a camera bar like the Google Pixel, for the camera on the Air. This can work on the Air, because it’s a single camera. The reason why Apple keeps the cameras in the corner, is because of how much space is needed for Face ID. And in a much thinner body (almost 3mm thinner), that space is definitely going to be premium.
This would be the thinnest iPhone that Apple has ever made. Currently, the thinnest is the iPhone 6 at 6.9mm. Apple had to stop chasing the thinness with the launch of iPhone X and Face ID. Because of how much room the Face ID module needs. And now the iPhone 16 Pro Max is 8.25mm thick. Which is still thinner than many Android phones, but by no means is it “thin”.
Now, you may remember the issue with the iPhone 6 and, more specifically, the iPhone 6 Plus. It was the first time that Apple made a phone that large and thin, and the frame couldn’t handle it. So, it bent pretty easily. Since then, Apple has gotten very good at making the iPhone pass bend tests with ease. With the iPhone 17 Air, this could be an issue again, but we expect Apple will use some titanium which should help with the structure.
iPhone 17 Air Connectivity
With the iPhone 16e this Spring, Apple introduced their first modem. Previously, Apple used Qualcomm modems in their iPhones, and they bought Intel’s mobile business back in 2020. It took them nearly five years to get their own modem out the door, which is called C1.
We do expect this to have the C1 modem, which in early tests have shown to be an improvement over Qualcomm’s latest modems. However, the other iPhone 17 models are rumored to be sticking with Qualcomm. So Apple might use C1 on the Air because it won’t be as popular as the other iPhone models.
iPhone 17 Air should also add WiFi 7, as the iPhone 16 series already has it. However, it is expected to sport a new WiFi 7 chip. Apple is also expected to remove the SIM card try from even more countries with the 17 series.
iPhone 17 Air Launch Date
We expect that Apple will announce the iPhone 17 Air and the rest of the iPhone 17 lineup at their September event. As has been the case for many years now. Typically, when Apple introduces a new model, it doesn’t launch right away, but a few weeks to a month later on. That was the case with the “Mini” and “Plus” iPhones, as well as when Apple changed the telephoto on the Pro Max model to a 5x periscope telephoto lens.
