Next month, the iPhone lineup is getting a brand new model: the iPhone 17 Air. Per various reports, Apple plans to drop its Plus option in favor of an ultra-thin new form factor that could tempt a lot of Pro users. Here are seven features coming to the iPhone 17 Air.
Ultra-thin form factor
Source: AppleTrack
Following the trend started by Apple’s M4 iPad Pro, the iPhone 17 Air’s defining feature will be its thinness.
Per Ming-Chi Kuo and various other reports, iPhone 17 Air will be just 5.55mm thin. Presumably, this measurement does not include the camera bar.
This is a massive reduction from current iPhones. The 16 Pro models are 8.25mm thick, while the base 16 and 16 Plus are 7.8mm.
Apple’s thinnest model ever was the iPhone 6, and even that was 6.9mm.
New 6.6-inch display
Being ultra-thin won’t be the 17 Air’s only hardware advantage over the Pro line. Apple will also give its new model a unique display that could offer the perfect compromise between existing sizes.
Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max will feature 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch displays, respectively. These are the same sizes as the 16 Pro line.
iPhone 17 Air, however, will slot in exactly halfway between the two models with a 6.6-inch display. Thanks to its ultra-thin form factor, the 17 Air’s display may still feel small enough for current Pro users while offering just enough space to satisfy Pro Max fans too.
Always On and high refresh rate features
Ever since 2022, a big difference between Apple’s entry models and Pro line has involved two display features:
Pro models boast an Always On display
they also support the 120Hz ProMotion high refresh rate
These are the kind of features that, once you get used to them, are hard to go without.
Fortunately, for the first time, Always On and a version of ProMotion are expected to hit the base iPhone 17 and 17 Air.
I say ‘a version of’ because rumors have swirled about a possible 90Hz refresh rate display being in the works at Apple. No credible rumor has indicated this will hit the 17 Air, so it’s likely it will get the full 120Hz ProMotion feature.
A19 Pro chip
Apple giving a new chip to its latest iPhone is always a given. But iPhone 17 Air chip rumors are especially intriguing.
For a while, consensus was that the base iPhone 17 and 17 Air would get an A19 chip, while the 17 Pro and Pro Max alone get A19 Pro.
Recently though, a leaker suggested Apple is putting the A19 Pro in the iPhone 17 Air too—but with one GPU core disabled.
How much difference will there ultimately be between these various A19 chips? Probably not a lot for everyday tasks.
New design with single rear 48MP camera and four colors
Source: Majin Bu
As seen in the dummy models above, the iPhone 17 Air is expected to differ from its siblings substantially in the design and camera departments.
While the 17 Pro line again offers three rear cameras, and the base model two, the 17 Air will feature only one: the main 48MP ‘Fusion’ camera.
Rumors have been minimal around this camera’s features, which could indicate it will be very similar to the existing main camera on the iPhone 16 line.
As for the rest of the design, expect four color options:
Black
Silver
Light Gold
Light Blue
24MP front camera
Currently, the iPhone’s selfie camera is only 12MP—and gets clearly inferior results to the rear cameras.
Fortunately, Apple is bringing a welcome 24MP upgrade to the front camera on the iPhone 17 Air and all other iPhone 17 models.
The new front camera is still unlikely to match the quality of the rear camera, but it should at least close the gap substantially.
Apple’s in-house C1 modem
Finally, there’s a connectivity change coming to the iPhone 17 Air that could help boost battery life a bit.
Apple’s in-house C1 modem debuted earlier this year in the iPhone 16e, bringing several benefits including a battery improvement.
Out of the full iPhone 17 lineup, only the iPhone 17 Air will get the new C1 modem.
iPhone 17 Air features: wrap-up
The iPhone 17 Air will no doubt be the most exciting fourth model in Apple’s lineup to date. Where the iPhone mini and Plus had their niche groups of loyal fans, the 17 Air seems likely to set the future tone for iPhone design. It’s going to be a fun iPhone 17 launch season.
Which iPhone 17 Air features are you most excited about? Do you plan to buy the new model? Let us know in the comments.
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