Apple's ultra-thin iPhone 17 'Air' could debut this year: What to expect

Apple's iPhone 17 Air is expected to launch with a 6.6-inch 120Hz OLED display, ultra-thin 5.5mm chassis, and smaller 2,800mAh battery

Details about Apple’s anticipated iPhone 17 Air have surfaced online, hinting at key specifications including display size, form factor, and battery capacity. The iPhone 17 Air is expected to debut in September 2025 alongside the iPhone 17 series and may replace the current Plus model in Apple’s lineup.

 

Here is what we can expect from the anticipated iPhone 17 Air model:

Apple iPhone 17 Air: What to expect

As per a report by 9to5Mac, the iPhone 17 Air is expected to sport a 6.6-inch OLED display which will fit in-between the two Pro model iPhones. For reference, the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max feature 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch displays respectively, and the next generation iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max are expected to retain this design.

The display panel on the iPhone 17 Air will likely be of 2740 x 1260 resolution and will support Apple’s ProMotion display technology for 120Hz refresh rate. It will likely get always-on support and is expected to get the Dynamic Island up top, housing the front-facing camera and FaceID sensors.

 

Apple’s iPhone 17 Air is anticipated to be the thinnest iPhone to date, with a body measuring just 5.5mm — surpassing the 6.9mm thickness of the iPhone 6, which currently holds the title. However, to achieve this form factor, Apple may have to reduce the battery capacity significantly.

According to the report, the battery capacity on the anticipated iPhone 17 Air is not expected to exceed 3,000mAh. This corresponds to previous reports that stated that the ultra-thin iPhone model could sport a 2,800mAh battery. If true, the new battery would be approximately twenty per cent smaller than that of the iPhone 16 and forty per cent smaller than the current Plus model.

 

Besides a smaller capacity battery, Apple may have to introduce some other hardware trade-offs to achieve the desired form factor, such as a more simplified camera setup. Unlike the dual- or triple-camera systems seen on other models, the iPhone 17 Air is expected to feature a single 48MP rear camera sensor, and a 24MP front-facing camera.