The iPhone 17 Air Could Hint at Apple's Foldable Future

CNET

06-08-2025

Anticipation is high for the launch of the next iPhone, and so are expectations.
Rumors have been swirling for months about the upcoming lineup, which most notably may include a thinner model dubbed the iPhone 17 Air. But speculation isn't stopping there; what Apple reveals this fall could hint at what it has in store for next year, too.
Thin phones are undoubtedly having a moment, with companies like Samsung, Huawei, Honor and Oppo debuting slimmer devices in the name of novelty -- and slapping on higher price tags. The iPhone 17 Air, which could make its debut in September alongside the rest of the iPhone 17 series, is rumored to have a 5.5mm-thick profile and a 6.6-inch screen. It would allow Apple to capitalize on the skinny phone hype while also diverting attention from its fledgling AI efforts.
It might also help to silence critics who say the iPhone's design has become too predictable in recent years – though consumers don't seem to be demanding skinny phones as much as other attributes like better cameras and longer battery life.
"The trend towards thinner smartphones is not necessarily driven by consumer demand," notes Anisha Bhatia, senior analyst at GlobalData. "Slimness is a factor that can be clearly marketed, unlike uncertain use cases for AI."
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Releasing the iPhone 17 Air is also a chance for Apple to mark up the price of its thinner handset, Bhatia notes. Charging more for an innovative design could be a more straightforward pitch than trying to monetize a phone's AI features, especially since platforms like Gemini and ChatGPT have free tiers -- and the smarter, Apple Intelligence-powered Siri that Apple promised in 2024 has yet to arrive.
But there might be more to Apple's long-term plan than simply releasing a slimmer iPhone 17. In fact, Samsung's mobile strategy this year, namely the release of the Galaxy S25 Edge in May followed by the Galaxy Z Fold 7 in July, could paint a picture of what might be in Apple's blueprint, too.
The Galaxy S25 Edge is refreshingly thin and light -- and the rumored iPhone 17 Air could be as well.
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A page out of Samsung's book(-style foldable)
Samsung's debut of the $1,100 Galaxy S25 Edge earlier this year was met with general skepticism -- even, admittedly, by me. What exactly is the point of a thinner phone? But once I held and tested the device, I began to understand the thinking behind it: A slim, lightweight phone actually does feel drastically more comfortable to use and carry around. And the impressive 200-megapixel main camera to match the top-of-the line S25 Ultra certainly helps.
But it wasn't until the $2,000 Galaxy Z Fold 7 was unveiled a couple months later that it all really began to click. That phone takes the S25 Edge's slim design and repackages it into a foldable that feels remarkably like a normal slate phone when folded shut.
Similarly, Apple could release the iPhone 17 Air to not only demonstrate its hardware advancements, but to also lay the groundwork for its long-rumored foldable, which reports suggest could come out in September 2026 and cost around $2,000.
"We won't be surprised if Apple follows a similar path where it first launches a thin iPhone and then, using that, launches a potentially thin foldable," said Nabila Popal, senior research director at IDC.
If Apple does follow Samsung's template, it should also ensure a slim foldable iPhone doesn't compromise on essential features consumers expect like battery life, Popal says. She adds that minimizing the screen's crease (which Apple is reportedly doing in partnership with Samsung Display) can help it stand out.
If Apple debuts a foldable next year, it could also be thin to compete with phones like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7.
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Samsung, Google and several Chinese companies may have beaten Apple to the foldables punch, but that's not all that matters. Apple has a history of rolling out products well after its competitors. For instance, the iPhone debuted years after the launch of smartphones from companies like BlackBerry and Palm, and MP3 players, tablets and smartwatches existed well before the iPod, iPad and Apple Watch. Still, Apple quickly dominated those spaces -- and it's possible the rollout of a foldable iPhone could follow suit.
"When Apple does come out [with a new device], they tend to come out louder and do it better," Popal said. "It's like making an entrance to the party late, but then stealing the show. They tend to do that, and that's why no one ever minds them showing up late."
Still, the clock is ticking for Apple to join its competitors and prove that it's still serious about innovation. For years, rumors swirled about an iPhone Flip, similar to the clamshell devices from Samsung and Motorola. But it appears that's no longer on the immediate roster, as Apple potentially eyes that larger -- and likely more expensive -- book-style foldable. It also faces mounting pressure due to its slower rollout of Apple Intelligence, which is still leagues behind what competitors like Samsung and Google have loaded onto their devices.
But it's not too late for Apple to make a statement. Foldables remain a niche category, and Apple's entry could give the form factor a significant boost, thanks to the company's scores of loyal fans and its tendency to usher innovation into well-established categories. It also has the advantage of learning secondhand the hard lessons that Android manufacturers had to absorb as they pushed to make their foldables thinner, more powerful and more durable. Apple can take those findings and any accompanying consumer feedback and make a bigger impact.
"It's OK if you come late to the party," Popal said, "but then you better make a grand entrance."