Apple is set to make a major change in the iPhone 17, a new leak suggests.
Apple insiders say that Apple is very likely to release a new slimmed-down iPhone model to go alongside the Pro and Pro Max variations.
Veteran Apple analyst Mark Gurman says the ‘iPhone 17 Air’ or ‘iPhone 17 Slim’ is expected to be a lighter, thinner option with less powerful hardware.
Mr Gurman says next year’s flagship phone will be ‘a mid-tier offering at a great price, for people who don’t need the most impressive specifications.’
According to earlier leaks, the iPhone 17 Air will feature a 6.6-inch display and measure a little over 6 mm thick.
That would make it more than 25 per cent slimmer than the current iPhone 16, 16 Pro, and 16 Pro Max.
However, there is a trade-off – as rumours suggest the iPhone 17 Air will only feature a 24-megapixel camera on the front and a single 48-megapixel camera on the back.
This would be a significant technical downgrade from the three rear cameras of the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
For years, Apple has struggled to find a fourth model which fits alongside the more expensive Pro and Pro Max variations of its smartphones.
In previous years the company has experimented with various alternative-sized options such as the shortlived iPhone Mini and the larger iPhone Plus.
However, the iPhone Mini generated meagre sales and the reception to the iPhone Plus has been unenthusiastic at best.
With the next generation of iPhones, Apple is widely expected to discontinue the iPhone Plus in favour of the yet-to-be-announced iPhone Air or iPhone Slim.
In doing so, Mr Gurman says Apple is trying to replicate the success of the extremely popular MacBook Air.
The MacBook Air was first released in 2008 and provided a perfect option for Mac users who favoured portability over power.
However, there are doubts as to whether a formula that worked so well for laptops will lead to smartphone success.
Mr Gurman, in his Bloomberg newsletter (via PhoneArena), writes: ‘I predict the “iPhone Air” will suffer the same fate as the mini and Plus lines.’
Although Mr Gurman doesn’t provide his reasons for this belief, there are a couple of obvious issues.
Firstly, while it makes sense to slim down a heavy and bulky laptop, the latest generation of iPhones are already fairly slender.
At just 7.80mm thick, the iPhone 16 is less than 2mm thicker than Apple’s apparent target for the iPhone 17 Air.
With such fine margins, it isn’t clear how much difference that would make for most consumers.
Additionally, some leakers suggest that the iPhone 17 Air might not be as thin as Apple had previously hoped.
According to leaker @Jukanlosreve, both Apple and Samsung have failed in their attempts to produce denser, thinner batteries for their next-generation smartphones.
That suggests the iPhone 17 Air will use the same battery technology as existing phones, putting a limit on how slim the device can become.
If this rumour is true, it will mean that the iPhone Air will be somewhat thicker than the 6mm Apple is reportedly aiming for.
Coupled with a step down to a single rear camera, these small weight and size reductions might not be enough for customers to stomach the loss of hardware.
In Mr Gurman’s view, the only viable alternative to the current Pro and Pro Max variations would be for Apple to go in an entirely new direction.
Mr Gurman writes: ‘In my opinion, the only alternative iPhone that will sell well is a foldable model.’
While nothing has been confirmed some leaks suggest that Apple might be working on a foldable iPhone to be released as soon as 2025.
However, with little to go on, Apple fans will have to wait and see what will be next for the maker of the iPhone.
MailOnline has contacted Apple for comment.
