iPhone 17 Air leak shows impossibly sturdy frame, but don't put your "bendgate" fears to bed just yet
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.
Rumored to be only 5.5mm thick, the upcoming iPhone 17 Air will be Apple's slimmest phone since the infamous iPhone 6, but can its reported titanium-aluminum frame help Apple avoid another "bendgate" disaster?
Footage shared to X last week by reputable leaker "Majin Bu" claims to show a mock-up of the iPhone 17 Air being put through an impromptu bend test and passing with flying colors.
Should it prove accurate, it's a clear indicator that Apple is taking durability seriously with its return to ultra-thin smartphones.
While the iPhone 17 Air hasn't been officially announced yet, we've seen a boatload of rumors about it, including leaked images of the design. The dummy unit shown in the video certainly matches up to what we've seen so far, but can we expect the real deal to stand up to similar levels of punishment?
Maybe we shouldn't put our "bendgate" fears to bed just yet.
See also: Best Apple deals in May 2025
On Friday, Majin Bu posted a video on X showing a bend test with a dummy version of the iPhone 17 Air.
Despite repeated attempts, the mock-up barely flinches, a polar opposite outcome to Apple's previous iPhone 6 Plus, which controversially folded with ease during Unbox Therapy's famous "bendgate" video released in 2014.
Hopefully, this is an indicator that Apple has learned from its past mistakes with "bendgate," and devised a way to make the iPhone 17 Air significantly more durable than the iPhone 6 Plus.
The iPad Pro M4 gives us reason to be optimistic, at least, since its ultra-thin chassis reportedly uses a new internal ribbing design that helps prevent bending.
However, you might not want to get your hopes up just yet. Keep in mind, the "phone" in this video is not an actual iPhone 17 Air, or even a phone at all. It's a pre-production "dummy," meaning it's a model based on the actual phone, or at least appears to be.
Since this isn't coming directly from Apple, we can't confirm how accurate the design or build quality of this mock-up is, regardless of how much it resembles previously leaked images of the iPhone 17 Air.
That said, dummy units like this are sometimes solid through-and-through, designed to give third-party companies a better idea of the size, weight, or ergonomics of a device to aid with the design of accessories, like smartphone cases, well in advance of a product's release.
This lump of metal may pass the bend test with ease, but the actual iPhone 17 Air that is expected to hit store shelves later this year? That's another story entirely.
Even if this leaked video is an accurate representation of the iPhone 17 Air's resistance to bending, durability isn't the only concern surrounding this phone.
Battery life could also take a hit due to the Air's ultra-thin chassis. There's simply less space for a large battery compared to something like the iPhone 17 Pro. That may be why Apple is rumored to be introducing an AI-powered battery optimization feature, which may be able to help compensate for a physically smaller battery in the iPhone 17 Air.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge may give us an idea of what to expect in terms of battery life. It features an ultra-thin design similar to the iPhone 17 Air, including a 3,900 mAh battery, which is notably smaller than the 4,900 mAh battery in the S25 Plus. It's possible we could see a similar reduction in battery size from the iPhone 17 or 17 Pro compared to the iPhone 17 Air.
We're keeping a close eye on all of the latest rumors and updates surrounding the iPhone 17, iOS 26 (formerly iOS 19), and WWDC 2025, so stay tuned for more info.
iPhone 17 Air: Rumors are thick on the thinnest iPhone ever
WWDC 2025 preview: iOS 26, Apple's video game plans, Apple Intelligence, Mac Pro M4 Ultra
What separates a $1,000 iPhone from a $3,500 one? About 7,000 miles.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
38 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Small businesses struggle under Trump's tariff whiplash: ‘I'm so angry that my own government has done this to me'
For some small businesses, the last week brought even more twists and turns to the past two months of President Donald Trump's chaotic tariffs. The situation was already confusing, with stops and starts of tariffs at different levels. Then on Wednesday, a US court said Trump overstepped his authority in imposing most of those import levies – only for an appeals court on Thursday to pause the previous court's ruling. The confusion has made it challenging for some small companies to plan, business owners told CNN. In certain cases, they have had to consider changing their product strategy, looking into shifting their supply chains, reducing staff hours or delaying products. 'My fear is, if this continues, there's going to be like the mass extinction of small businesses,' Julie Robbins, CEO of Ohio-based guitar pedal maker EarthQuaker Devices, told CNN. Trump announced blanket tariffs across the globe on April 2, and since then, his plans have changed on a regular basis. In early April, he issued a 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs almost everywhere except China. Then, after ratcheting up total tariffs on Chinese imports to 145%, he declared smartphones and certain other electronics would be exempt from the reciprocal tariffs. The US and China agreed in May to roll back reciprocal tariffs for 90 days. And in late May, he threatened smartphone makers like Apple with 25% tariffs if they don't make their phones in the US. He also agreed to push back levies on imports from the European Union until July 9. Those are only some of his changes, which can come at any time of day via the White House, social media posts or other avenues. The whiplash has been hard for companies to keep up with. Even major brands like apparel giant Gap are feeling the impact of tariffs, but small companies with far fewer resources are in an even tougher spot. The National Federation of Independent Business Small Business Optimism Index fell by 1.6 points in April, dipping below the 51-year average for the second consecutive month. The organization's chief economist, Bill Dunkelberg, cited uncertainty as a 'major impediment' for small business owners in a press release. 'It's the sort of more smaller, kind of more niche… brands that are going to really, really get hit by this,' Jack Leathem, an analyst at market research firm Canalys, told CNN in April. Some small business owners have had to make difficult decisions as they've grappled with the impact of tariffs. EveAnna Manley, whose company Manley Labs makes high-end electronics for recording studios, has had to cut her employees' hours by 25%. The reciprocal tariffs that China imposed on the US have been particularly challenging, she says, since China has become a major market for her business. Manley says it took 'decades' for her to 'get the best Chinese importers.' Overall, Manley Labs' sales are down more than 19% compared to last year, she told CNN, which has frozen the company's product development efforts. 'It's just a freaking mess right now,' she said in late May, before this past week's court rulings on Trump's tariffs. 'And I'm so angry that my own government has done this to me.' The best thing small businesses can do right now is to be flexible and diversify their sourcing and procurement strategies, says Tala Akhavan, chief operating officer of Pietra, a platform that helps brands with sourcing, production and logistics among other services. That's what Intuition Robotics, which makes a home robot designed to be a companion for older adults, is doing, according to chief strategy officer Assaf Gad. The company also makes money off its digital subscription accounts, according to Gad, giving it the flexibility to look into a 'plan B' outside of China for producing the company's hardware. Sudden changes in tariff policies haven't really impacted the company's decisions because it's planning for the next nine to 12 months rather than the short term, he said in mid-May. Trump's tariffs have encouraged Gad to think about expanding Intuition Robotics into international markets. 'Maybe this is also a good time to say, 'Let's not put all the eggs in one basket,'' he said, 'and, you know, start looking on other kind of territories that will reduce the risk for us going forward.' But for some companies, finding a plan B isn't so easy. That's the case for Sarah O'Leary, CEO of Willow, which makes wearable breast pumps and accessories. As a medical device company, Willow can't simply just move its manufacturing, O'Leary told CNN. The company had to pause exporting one product it produces in China for postpartum recovery at one point because it became too expensive. The ruling on Wednesday aiming to block many tariffs brought some relief, O'Leary said in an emailed statement on Thursday evening. But she acknowledged that there's still 'so much uncertainty,' adding that 'the chaos will persist.' Any tariffs, even low ones, would be difficult for a small company like hers to absorb, she said in mid-May. 'We don't build our products with that much margin,' she said. 'And so, unfortunately, we are in a position where we have to evaluate what we can do to survive in those contexts.' Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
The iPhone battery upgrade you've been waiting for could arrive in iOS 19
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. A new rumor has emerged suggesting Apple won't call its next mobile operating system iOS 19. Instead, the company is reportedly taking a leaf from Samsung's book and jumping straight to iOS 26. But it won't just be a new name that comes with the update, as a new rumor suggests that a long-awaited battery charging feature will make its way to Apple devices: you'll finally be able to see how long until your device is fully charged. This is not a new feature for smartphones as a whole. Google Pixel devices have had charge time remaining on the lock screen for a long time. However, that doesn't make it any less exciting for iPhone owners to have that extra bit of information on their phone. Now, when you look at an iPhone's screen while it's charging, you see the percentage charged, which is useful, but doesn't give you any indication of how long you'll need to wait for your phone to fill up. If you're running out of time and need to know how long it will take for your phone to charge, it's helpful to know. This report, which originally appeared in Bloomberg earlier this month, didn't seem to garner much attention at the time. In the report, Mark Gurman said there "will be a lock-screen indicator showing how long it will take to charge up". It's not a game-changing feature, like the rumored visual overhaul the new version of iOS is rumored to get, but it's still a welcome addition that'll make using the iPhone a little more pleasant on a daily basis. While Apple has shifted much of its focus to AI in recent months, the massive 'Solarium' UI for iOS 26 could be the most significant change in a while, bringing the company's focus back to user experience. And if you don't like the changes coming to iOS, Apple could make it easier to transfer an eSIM to Android. Forget iOS 19 — Apple may change the name of its upcoming iPhone software update iPhone 17 Pro Max just shown off in hands-on video — and there's a big design trade-off iPhone's satellite connectivity could be in trouble — here's why
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
iPhone 17 release date: All the possibilities for this year's phone launch
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Plenty of factors around this year's iPhone 17 models remain shrouded in mystery. The iPhone 17 release date is really one of them. To be clear, Apple hasn't officially announced any launch plans for its upcoming phones or confirmed any details about devices that are in its pipeline. And that's par for the course at Apple, where questions about future product plans are typically met with a terse "no comment." But in a sense, Apple has told us when to expect new iPhones by way of its track record of releasing past models. Using that historical release data — and supplementing it with any rumors about release plans — we can make a pretty good guess about the iPhone 17 release date. In fact, with the help of a calendar, we can pretty much point to a particular day and have a good chance of being proven right in a few months' time. Apple's iPhone release schedule won't always be so easy to predict if a rumor of the company staggering its iPhone releases in future years turns out to be accurate. But for the iPhone 17 release, historical data on past iPhone launches paints a pretty detailed picture. If you want to know when to expect an iPhone release, you'll be on pretty solid footing if you turn your attention to September. Apple certainly has a penchant for announcing its latest phones in that particular month. I'm not pulling that release window out of thin air. I've been covering Apple longer than the iPhone has existed, and I was there when Steve Jobs showed off Apple's first stab at a smartphone. That was in January, by the way, with the phone itself arriving in stores by the end of June. But things have changed dramatically since then, as you can see by looking at the chart above that displays iPhone launches dating back a decade. Skim the column for the date in which Apple held its iPhone launch event, and you'll see one month appearing again and again — September. There is an exception, of course, and it's the iPhone 12 launch, where Apple announced those phones in October. That was 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, which threw a lot of things into chaos, including iPhone assembly. While there's a certain amount of turbulence in the world these days — tariffs and trade wars, anyone? — that isn't expected to impact the release schedule for phones. (Prices could be another matter.) Drilling further into that announce date data, it should become pretty clear that Apple doesn't just like September for iPhone launches, it also likes to show off its new phones in the first half of the month. Given that there's typically a lag of 10 days or so between the point in which Apple announces its phone and when they go on sale, a launch event in the first half of the month means that the phones hit retail shelves before the end of September. That gives Apple a full quarter of new iPhone sales during the holiday season, Apple's most important quarter of the year. There are a few instances of iPhones that didn't ship in September, though. The iPhone 14 Plus went on sale in October 2022, about two weeks after the rest of the iPhone 14 lineup. In 2018, the iPhone XR didn't go on sale until the end of October, while the iPhone X saw its sales pushed back until November 2017 after a September 12 launch event. Those three models have something in common — they marked the first time Apple has used those particular designs for its phone lineup. The fact that new types of iPhones sometimes see staggered release dates could prove to be relevant this year, when Apple is rumored to be adding an iPhone 17 Air to its lineup. There's no specific rumor claiming to reveal the iPhone 17 release date. That's not unexpected. We're still many months away from the iPhone launch as of this writing, and release date rumors tend to appear closer to the event itself. That said, a scan of various iPhone 17 rumor round-ups reveals a consensus date of September 2025 for Apple's iPhone event. Again that doesn't appear to be based on any specific rumor or revelation, but rather an understanding that history tends to repeat itself when it comes to iPhone launches. And all past evidence indicates a September launch. With all that in mind, only a fool would be so bold as to predict a specific date for an iPhone 17 release. And given how many years I've been covering the iPhone, that fool may as well be me. Let's assume that Apple is going to stick to a September release window in general, with an eye toward getting the phone on sale by the end of the month. That would narrow things down to the first two weeks of September 2025. I can tell you from attending my share of Apple events that Apple seems to prefer holding its launch events on Tuesdays. There are two Tuesdays in the first half of September — September 2 and September 9. That first date falls the day after Labor Day in the U.S., and I imagine Apple wouldn't want to prep for a big launch event over a holiday weekend. That leaves September 9 as the most likely date for an iPhone 17 event, with September 10 as a possibility if Apple throws us a curveball and decides to launch its phones on a Wednesday instead. Using the usual 10-day gap between the phone announcement and the start of retail sales, a September 9 launch day would mean that the iPhone 17 models would land in stores on September 19. That date would also assume that there's no staggered release for the iPhone 17 Air, something I'm not even foolish enough to guess about at this point. I should reiterate again that these are all guesses based largely on the way Apple's done things over and over again, and that past performance is no guarantee of future results. At the end of the day, Apple could surprise everyone by picking a totally different date for the iPhone 17 release that bears no resemblance to anything the company has done in the past. All the same, I'm keeping September 9 free on my calendar. We'll see how accurate that is later this year. Apple's rumored iPhone release date shake-up is good news for the iPhone 17 – here's why Trump tariffs could impact iPhone 17 prices — should you upgrade now? Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge vs. iPhone 17 Air: What we know so far
