Ryan Haines / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Apple will likely retire the Plus iPhone variant this year in favor of an all-new Air edition.
- The iPhone 17 Air was initially rumored to feature a 6mm design and dethrone the 6.9mm iPhone 6 as Apple’s slimmest phone yet.
- A new leak now suggests that the upcoming iPhone Air could actually be as slim as 5.5mm at its thinnest point.
As Apple gears up to launch its first foldable phone, it has reportedly been reworking the iPhone’s exterior look. To prepare for the upcoming folding mechanism, the firm might first test the waters with a slimmed-down version of its popular smartphone. The iPhone 17 Air is expected to replace the Plus variant this year, boasting the thinnest iPhone design to date. While the device was initially rumored to be around 6mm thick, a fresh report has now revealed it may be even thinner than that.
According to reputable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the iPhone 17 Air could be just 5.5mm thick at its thinnest point. This indicates that the 5.1mm iPad Pro M4 may continue to feature Apple’s slimmest design yet, while the iPhone 17 Air will likely dethrone the 6.9mm iPhone 6 as the company’s sleekest smartphone.
Beyond the slimness, Kuo reiterates that the iPhone 17 Air won’t have a physical SIM tray in all markets — a limitation currently exclusive to existing US iPhones. Given that iPhones sold in China don’t support the eSIM technology, Apple may be unable to sell the Air model there.
The device might not gain traction internationally, either, as it could offer mediocre technical specifications for a relatively high price. Ultimately, the main selling point of the iPhone 17 Air is expected to be its sleek design, and it may not offer any unique software perks unavailable on the other models.
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