iPhone 17 Air next to the 16 Plus leak makes it look like Apple deflated the phone
Apple is reportedly getting ready to ditch the Plus model from its iPhone lineup later this year – and in its place, bring in something totally new: the ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air. And thanks to new images popping up online, we now have a side-by-side look at what's coming.
Fresh photos shared on social media show a dummy unit of the iPhone 17 Air placed next to the current iPhone 16 Plus and the size difference is no joke. The 17 Air is rumored to be just 5.4mm thick, compared to the 7.8mm thickness of the 16 Plus. That might not sound like much on paper, but the visual difference is pretty striking when you see them together. But of course, going this thin doesn't come without trade-offs.
To achieve that sleek profile, Apple is reportedly making some cuts. The iPhone 17 Air is said to feature only a single rear camera – probably a 48 MP sensor like the one found on the $599 iPhone 16e.
It might also lose a second speaker and pack a much smaller battery. We are talking about a 2,800 mAh cell, which is way below even the Galaxy S25 Edge's already tiny 3,900 mAh battery. So yeah, while it will be super slim and lightweight, you are definitely giving up some functionality. That said, it's not all compromise. The iPhone 17 Air is expected to come with a 6.7-inch OLED display and – unlike the current Plus – it might finally bring ProMotion (aka Apple's 120Hz refresh rate) into the mix.
The Plus model has struggled with sales ever since it was introduced alongside the iPhone 14, so it is not surprising Apple is trying something different. The company did the same thing with the iPhone mini when it didn't sell well either. But given how many compromises the 17 Air is rumored to have, it is hard not to wonder if it'll end up with the same fate. Still, we won't have to wait too long to find out.
The full iPhone 17 lineup is expected to be announced this September. Pricing for the iPhone 17 Air is rumored to start around $899 – the same ballpark as the iPhone 16 Plus – but there is also talk that Apple might charge more just because, well…it's new and ultra-thin.
Samsung did the same thing with its Galaxy S25 Edge, which is 5.8mm thick and priced $100 higher than the Galaxy S25 Plus, despite similar sacrifices in battery and camera. So yeah, if Apple follows that logic, don't be surprised if the iPhone 17 Air comes with a steeper price tag just for being the sleekest iPhone yet.
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