Apple recently sent out invitations to an "awe-dropping" special event on Sept. 9, which is widely presumed to be its annual iPhone announcement extravaganza.
Rumors about the upcoming iPhone lineup have been circulating for months now, with leaks dropping as early as last year. One of the most well-circulated rumors is that, in addition to the iPhone 17 and the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, Apple will also introduce a brand-new ultra-thin model called the iPhone 17 Air.
I'm in the market for a new iPhone, but the more I hear about the Air, the less I'm excited about it.
The iPhone 17 Air is code-named for its skinny profile, much like its competitor the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge. It's rumored to be smaller than the Pro Max but larger than the baseline iPhone. The iPhone 17 Air is supposed to have a 6.6-inch display (slightly smaller than the iPhone 16 Plus but larger than the iPhone 16 Pro). It's not entirely clear whether the iPhone 17 Air will have the standard A19 chip or the A19 Pro.
Apple appears to be positioning the iPhone 17 Air as a stopgap for those who think the baseline iPhone is too basic but don't quite have the cash to upgrade to the Pro.
So why am I not enthused about the iPhone 17 Air? Here's my reasoning.
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Apple's iPhone 16E, pictured here, has one camera. It's presumed that the possible iPhone 17 Air will also only have one. James Martin/CNET
One camera is just not enough
Apple supposedly made some hardware trade-offs with the iPhone 17 Air to slim down the device. The iPhone 17 Air might only have one rear camera instead of two, which is one less than the baseline iPhone and would match the $599 iPhone 16E. According to long-time Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman, the iPhone 17 Air will only have one rear camera for wide-angle shots.
Since 2017, I've had a dual-camera iPhone, and I don't think I can go back to just a single lens now.
I understand that the iPhone 17 Air could offer an intelligent sensor cropping that would mimic the look of 2x zoom. But in everyday use, I would probably miss the ultrawide camera, especially for macro shots. I take a lot of photos of food (don't judge), and it's just something I've grown accustomed to. I'm not sure if a single-camera iPhone would get me the same level of detail, and it's a compromise I'd rather not make just for a thinner shape.
A MagSafe battery pack attached to an iPhone. CNET
Battery life concerns
The other major concern I have with the iPhone 17 Air is battery life. A potential downside of a skinnier phone is a slightly smaller battery.
According to some reports, the iPhone 17 Air could use a silicon-anode battery to help extend battery life, and its high density could increase its "actual capacity" by 15% to 20%. There is also some speculation that the Adaptive Power feature in iOS 26 could help adjust the iPhone's performance based on usage patterns, thus conserving battery life.
None of that helps reduce my overall battery anxiety with a skinnier phone. I'm the kind of person who likes keeping my phone battery topped up as much as possible (even though I know that's not always the best practice for battery longevity). And I would rather not carry around an extra power bank.
For me, a slightly chunkier phone is worth the peace of mind of additional battery life. If it turns out that the iPhone 17 Air's battery life is about the same as the baseline iPhone, then I might change my tune, but for now, color me skeptical.
I'm sure Apple could offer a MagSafe battery accessory to help alleviate the reduced battery life, but then why have a thin phone to begin with?
I'm just not a skinny phone girl
The iPhone 17 Air is rumored to be a stunningly slender 5.5mm, which would make it one of the thinnest phones in the world. I'm sorry, but that's just too thin.
A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of playing around with the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, and it was much too slight for my tastes. Skinny handsets seem too fragile to me, even if they're supposedly quite durable. I always feel like I'm about to snap it in half.
No matter how skinny a phone is, I tend to slap a case on it anyway, thus negating its slimness. I even add to my phone's heft by attaching a Pop Socket, which increases its thickness and gives me security that the phone won't fly out of my hands. To be fair, I tend to carry my phone in a bag, not in a pants pocket, so I don't feel the need for a thinner phone.
It all comes down to price
It seems likely that the iPhone 17 Air will be priced somewhere between the price of the iPhone 17 and the iPhone 17 Pro. There are signs that it might be priced around $900, though new rumors are pointing to a $1,099 price for a 256GB model.
If the iPhone 17 Air costs significantly more than the baseline iPhone, and there aren't enough additional features beyond its skinny profile, it doesn't make sense to go with the ultra-thin model. And if the iPhone 17 Pro offers more features for not much more money, then the Pro might be a better purchase.
This is all just speculation for now. I don't even know if the iPhone 17 Air is real. But if its main claim to fame is skinniness, then thin might not be in for me.