Key takeaways The iPhone "Air" reportedly will come in the buzzed-about sky blue hue, along with three other color options.
Apple's new iOS 26's AI-powered feature, Adaptive Power, could help lessen the battery drain for a skinnier iPhone.
The price of a skinnier iPhone is still up in the air and could be subject to tariffs.
We're less than two months away from finally seeing whether a rumored ultra-thin iPhone lives up to its hype.
Whispers about Apple's new iPhone 17 line have been floating around for a while, but the rumor mill has switched to high gear as the release date approaches (although even that is up for debate).
It may be getting a lot of attention, but the rumored iPhone 17 "Air" -- if that's its name (more on that in a bit) -- appears to be less of an advanced Pro model, as originally predicted, and more of a replacement for the iPhone 16 Plus. But that hasn't stopped the speculation about what it could offer, including upgraded RAM, new colors and a battery boost -- thanks in part to iOS 26's Adapative Power feature.
Apple's ultra-thin phone could be the latest to join a slew of skinny phones, including the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge. But in its effort to slim down, Apple would likely need to make hardware trade-offs, which might include a single rear camera. Plus, there's the price tag, which could be impacted by tariffs.
The wait is almost over, but for now, we're rounding up all the latest rumors, leaks and speculation about the new iPhone. Let's dig in.
Read more: Should You Buy an iPhone 16 or Wait for the iPhone 17?
iPhone 17 Air size: How thin will it be?
If the rumored iPhone 17 Air lives up to its name, then the biggest potential advantage it could offer over the rest of the line is its size and weight. A Bloomberg report from March notes that the iPhone Air could measure 5.5mm thick, compared to the iPhone 16 Pro at 8.25mm. The iPhone 17 Pro Max could get as thick as 8.725mm to make room for a bigger battery, according to a report by 9to5Mac.
Matt Talks Tech posted a YouTube video on July 19 comparing the thickness of an iPhone 17 Air model with an iPhone 6, the last thinnest iPhone:
Mac Rumors reported in May that a leaker on the Korean-language Naver blog, going by yeux1122, said that the rumored iPhone 17 Air weighs approximately 145 grams (5.11 ounces). Compare that with the iPhone 16 Pro, which weighs in at 199 grams (7.03 ounces). If this rumor proves true, the Air would be just slightly heavier than the iPhone 13 mini, which weighs 141 grams (4.97 ounces).
iPhone 17 Air camera: Potential downgrade?
Among the rumored potential sacrifices Apple may make to get a skinnier phone is limiting the camera features.
The rumored iPhone 17 line may be getting a new camera bar that extends across the width of the phone. But Front Page Tech shared an iPhone 17 Air video in February that showed a physical mockup of the phone based on rumors. One of the more surprising reveals was a smaller camera bar with one lens on the left, suggesting the Air has a single rear camera, similar to the iPhone 16E ($599). It's not clear if the camera would be the same as the 16E or if Apple would go the route Samsung did and include the main camera from the iPhone 17 Pro.
The single camera theory is backed up by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and a Bloomberg report, which said that the rumored Air may not have the ultrawide and 5x telephoto lenses that have become staples of Apple's premium iPhones.
In a bit of good news, it's also rumored that the front-facing "selfie" camera on all iPhone 17 models, including the Air, will be upgraded to 24 megapixels, according to analyst Jeff Pu.
Front Page Tech also shared a re-created render of the iPhone 17 Air, which included a glimpse of the camera, in this video on YouTube:
Display: Smaller than a Plus, bigger than a Pro?
Rumors are that the Air would have a 6.6-inch display, according to analysts Pu and Kuo, who also said the display resolution would be 1260x2740. That's the same resolution as a wallpaper Macworld found in the iOS 26 beta 2. No current or previous iPhones have this display resolution, which aligns with Kuo's prediction.
If all this is accurate, that would mean the iPhone 17 Air's display is slightly smaller than the iPhone 16 Plus, with a 6.7-inch display, but larger than the iPhone 16 Pro, which features a 6.3-inch display. The iPhone 16 Pro Max leads with a 6.9-inch display. It's unclear if the iPhone 17 Air's screen would be a Pro Motion display like the one found on iPhone Pro models.
Performance: Could an Air get the A19 Pro chip?
If rumors are accurate, the iPhone 17 Air may benefit from a couple of performance enhancements.
A Weibo account known as Fixed Focus Digital said the iPhone 17 Air will come with an A19 Pro chip, like the Pro models, MacRumors reported on July 9. But the Air would have a 5-core GPU, according to the rumor, whereas the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max would get a 6-core GPU.
Apple is also reportedly bringing more design in-house to improve connectivity across all devices. In February, Kuo said Apple will swap out Broadcom's Wi-Fi chips for in-house chips across the iPhone 17 lineup.
iPhone 17 Air battery life expectations
Among the challenges of slimming down an iPhone could be figuring out how to reduce the battery size without compromising battery life.
Initially, it was assumed that a skinnier iPhone would simply have a reduced battery life since there would be less space to house a large battery. But more recently, AppleInsider reported that a skinnier iPhone might use a silicon-anode battery that could help extend its battery life.
Yeux1122 said the battery capacity is 2,800mAh, based on details that originate with "mass production confirmed sample," according to MacRumors. It added that a high-density battery in the Air could increase its "actual capacity" by 15% to 20%.
If the rumored iPhone 17 Air does use the silicon battery technology, it would be the first iPhone to do so.
One feature that could help avoid battery drain is the upcoming iOS 26's new AI-powered feature, Adaptive Power. Among other benefits, this feature can help conserve your battery by automatically adjusting your iPhone's performance based on how you're using the phone at that moment, according to Apple.
And while the appeal of a skinnier iPhone may be its size, Apple may still release an iPhone battery case as an iPhone 17 Air accessory, according to report from Wayne Ma with The Information in May.
Memory upgrade
Pu predicted that the iPhone 17 Air is expected to step up to 12GB of RAM, similar to the Pro models, MacRumors reported on May 30. Pu said the iPhone 17 base model would stay at 8GB. The memory upgrade could help with performance for Apple Intelligence.
Colors for the iPhone 17 Air
There's been plenty of speculation about colors for the iPhone 17 lineup. Current rumors give the Air four hues:
Sky blue
Light gold
Black
Silver
On July 9, Majin Bu posted a photo of the predicted color lineup on X:
Dynamic Island: Front camera could move
Bloomberg's report also notes that the iPhone 17 Air is expected to have superslim bezels compared to the rest of the line, along with a Camera Control button and a Dynamic Island cutout in the display.
Pu predicted in May that all the iPhone 17 models will use a new metalens technology for the proximity sensor, according to 9to5Mac. That technology could allow Apple to reduce the size of the Face ID sensor and its Dynamic Island. However, Pu's report contradicts Kuo, who previously said that the Dynamic Island would remain "largely unchanged" in the iPhone 17 lineup compared to the iPhone 16.
In a post to X on June 26, Bu said the front camera might be placed on the left of the Dynamic Island, based on leaked screen protector designs. Other iPhone 17 models appear to retain the camera on the right side:
Air or Slim? What we know about the name
The name of a skinnier iPhone is still up for debate -- Air, Slim and even Skinny have all been tossed about. (But apparently, dietPhone didn't make the short list.)
In fact, we don't even know for sure the new lineup will be called the iPhone 17, and Apple's been known to switch up its naming conventions.
At its Worldwide Developers Conference in June, Apple announced that its new iOS would not follow the numerical order that it previously had -- which would've made the latest release the iOS 19. Instead, it switched to identifying updates by the upcoming year, so the newest operating system launching is the iOS 26.
We likely won't find out the name for sure until Apple announces its new iPhone lineup. But most rumors and leaks -- including this video Bu shared of a dummy model on X on July 9 -- refer to the skinnier iPhone as "Air":
iPhone 17 Air release date: Is the slimmer iPhone coming this year?
For nearly a decade, Apple has held an event on the first Tuesday of September after Labor Day to announce its new phones. We expect Apple to follow a similar schedule this year for the release of its iPhone 17 line, including the rumored iPhone 17 Air.
However, the first Tuesday is the day after Labor Day in 2025, so Apple may push the dates for its iPhone event to Wednesday, Sept. 3, or Tuesday, Sept. 9. That would mean a release date of Sept. 12 or 19.
The iPhone 17 lineup may be the last to follow this fall-release model, according to Kuo and a report from The Information. Starting with the iPhone 18, Apple will reportedly split its phone releases so that lower-cost iPhones launch in the first half of the year (previously reserved for iPhone SE models) and higher-end pro models are announced in the latter half. That would likely mean a rumored iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max, Air and new foldable iPhone model could debut in fall 2026. Keep in mind that an iPhone Flip or Fold has been rumored for years.
You'll likely be able to preorder a new iPhone the Friday after the announcement, with the phone shipping a week later. Based on the expected announcement on Sept. 3 or 9, the preorder date could be either Sept. 5 or 12, respectively.
What will the iPhone 17 Air cost?
Early rumors about the iPhone 17 Air's price tag hinted it could cost even more than the iPhone 17 Pro. But a Bloomberg report from March suggested the phone could cost about $900. That price tag would align with the rumor that the Air could replace the Plus, which currently costs $929. For comparison, Samsung's Galaxy S25 Edge starts at $1,100.
However, there's also the question of how tariffs could affect the price of an iPhone. Amid President Donald Trump's ongoing tariff drama, he's threatened Apple with a 25% tariff if the company doesn't move iPhone manufacturing to the US.
How much all of this could affect iPhone prices is yet to be determined, but an extra 25% could push an iPhone 17 Air to more than $1,100. That's based on the price of an iPhone 16 Plus, which the iPhone 17 Air is rumored to be replacing. None of the pricing rumors has been confirmed by Apple.
Regardless of how tariffs play out, Apple is expected to raise the price of the iPhone. These price hikes are rumored to start with the iPhone 17 line, so prepare now to pay more for Air.
Are iPhone Air rumors and leaks to be trusted?
Rumors are just that. The speculation leading up to the iPhone's release is often based on insider knowledge or leaked information from the teams working on the iPhone's design, but those plans can continue to evolve and are not necessarily reflected in the final product. We'll only be able to confirm these rumors with certainty when Apple officially releases the next iPhone, and we can see it for ourselves.