Apple's iPhone launch this year is rumored to include an ultra-thin device, likely called the iPhone 17 Air (or, perhaps, just iPhone Air). It's a major shakeup of the company's phone lineup, with Apple launching three different models at the same time. Here's what we know.
Apple iPhone 17 Air: The name
We don't really know the name of the device at this point. Given that it's an entirely new device in Apple's phone lineup, it could have a distinct name sans a version number, such as iPhone Air – and that's what we've been seeing recently. On the other hand, it may be positioned as just another iPhone 17 variant, in which case it's more likely to be called iPhone 17 Air.
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Of course, since nothing is official at this point, Apple could still launch the device under an entirely different name. But the "Air" moniker is what Apple typically uses for super-thin, ultra-light devices, so that's what we're betting on.
Apple iPhone 17 Air: Launch time
Set your alarms for 10am PT, September 9, 2025. Credit: Apple
This year's iPhone launch is set for 10 a.m. PT (1 p.m. ET) on Tuesday, Sept. 9. It'll take place at Apple Park in Cupertino, California, and it will be streamed online. This year's event tagline is "Awe dropping."
Apple iPhone 17 Air: How thin will it really be
Rumors say it'll be about 5.5mm thick at its thinnest point. However, there will be a camera bump that will make it slightly thicker at that point. How much thicker, you ask? Well, we don't know, but consider another super-thin phone as comparison. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge measures 5.8 at its thinnest point, but the camera bump makes it 1.8mm thicker.
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As for other dimensions, the iPhone 17 Air is expected to have a 6.6-inch display, with a weight of about 145 grams.
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Apple iPhone 17 Air: How much power it'll have?
The iPhone 17 Air will likely have either Apple's A19 or A19 Pro chip - or perhaps just a slightly less powerful version of the latter.
It'll also likely come with 12GB of RAM, just like the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max variants.
Apple iPhone 17 Air: What about the battery?
This, perhaps, is the key question. A super-thin phone can look sleek and fancy, but will Apple be able to fit a battery powerful enough to make it last for a full day (or more)?
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At this point, we don't really know. Rumors suggest it'll have a significantly smaller battery than the Pro models; something on par with the iPhone 12. However, Apple will optimize battery life in several ways, including using its own C1 modem, as well as an AI-powered battery optimization mode. We're unlikely to know just how well the phone will perform when it comes to battery life until we get some hands-on time with it, and we can't wait to find out.
Apple iPhone 17 Air: Camera. Yes, that's "camera," singular.
We don't know much about the iPhone 17 Air, but rumors suggest it'll only have a single camera on the back. There's no word on its specs, but we'd expect it to perform similarly as the main camera on the iPhone 17.
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On the front, the iPhone 17 Air will likely have a 24-megapixel front-facing camera, just like its siblings.
Apple iPhone 17 Air: How much will it cost?
The iPhone 17 Air will probably be somewhere in between the regular iPhone 17 and the Pro and Pro Max models. That could mean $899 - exactly the same price as the iPhone 16 Plus, which is the model that the iPhone 17 Air will reportedly replace.