The iPhone 17 Air that’s coming in just under two weeks will feature the biggest design update we’ve seen to the iPhone since the iPhone X back in 2017. It’s the most exciting iPhone release in years, and it’ll be the highlight of Apple’s “Awe Dropping” event.
Here’s everything we know about the iPhone 17 Air.
Size and Design
The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be 5.5mm thick at its thinnest point, with a thicker pill-shaped horizontal bump for the camera. It will be the thinnest iPhone to date, and over 2mm thinner than the 7.80mm iPhone 16.
The iPhone 17 Air will measure in at 6.6 inches, so it’ll have a slightly smaller display than the iPhone 16 Plus that it is replacing. Since it’s so thin, the iPhone 17 Air will also be much lighter to hold than standard iPhones.
Apple is supposedly using a hybrid titanium-aluminum frame, and the weight could come in at around 145 grams. At 145 grams, the iPhone 17 Air would be just a little heavier than the iPhone 13 mini.
Like the iPhone 17 Pro models, the iPhone 17 Air will supposedly have a frame that uses less glass than current models, so it could be able to better withstand damage from drops.
There are a few design compromises that Apple made for such a thin iPhone. The USB-C port isn’t centered front to back at the bottom, and the speaker grilles have been simplified with fewer cutouts.
As for colors, the iPhone 17 Air will be available in black, white, light gold, and a light blue shade that’s similar to the blue that Apple used for the MacBook Air.
Display
The 6.6-inch iPhone 17 Air display will use the same Samsung LTPO OLED panels as the iPhone 16 Pro models, offering 30 percent better brightness compared to the iPhone 16 display.
The updated panel supports 120Hz ProMotion refresh rates, so that could be a feature coming to the iPhone 17 Air models. ProMotion refresh rates have always been a Pro iPhone feature in the past, but rumors suggest the entire iPhone 17 lineup will feature the technology. LTPO also enables always-on display because it supports refresh rates as low as 1Hz in the iPhone 16 Pro models, but it’s not yet clear if the iPhone 17 Air will offer an always-on display.
One rumor says that the LTPO displays for the iPhone 17 Air will support 120Hz, but not 1Hz, which would not allow for an always-on display.
There have been some mixed rumors about a slimmer Dynamic Island, so it’s not known if there will be changes there.
A-Series Chip
The iPhone 17 Air will feature either an A19 chip or an A19 Pro with one fewer GPU core than the A19 Pro chip used in the iPhone 17 Pro. Apple is planning to use vapor chamber heatsinks for the iPhone 17 lineup to improve thermal performance by spreading heat more evenly across a large area.
The iPhone 17 Air will have 12GB RAM like the iPhone 17 Pro models.
Battery
Since the iPhone 17 Air is only expected to be 5.5mm thick, it’s going to have less room for a battery. Apple is optimizing battery life with the C1 modem, processor improvements, and high-density battery technology, but the iPhone 17 Air could have notably worse battery life than the other iPhone 17 models.
Rumors suggest it will feature a 2,800mAh battery, which would be around the same size as the battery that Apple used in the iPhone 12. A leaked battery suggests that it’s half as thick as the battery in the iPhone 17 Pro.
Wireless Charging
The iPhone 17 Air will support the Qi 2.2 wireless charging standard, so it will be able to charge at up to 25W with compatible Qi 2.2 chargers. 25W matches MagSafe charging speeds.
Camera
There is limited internal space in the iPhone 17 Air, so it will have a single-lens rear camera like the iPhone 16e. Apple plans to use the 48-megapixel Wide camera, and with just a single camera, the iPhone 17 Air may not support spatial videos or spatial photos.
All of the iPhone 17 models will have an upgraded 24-megapixel front-facing camera with better image quality than the 12-megapixel camera in the current iPhone 16 models.
Connectivity
The iPhone 17 Air will use the same C1 modem chip that Apple debuted in the iPhone 16e, which means it won’t support faster mmWave 5G speeds. All iPhone 17 models will use a new Apple-designed Wi-Fi chip with Wi-Fi 7 support, and Apple’s own hardware could bring efficiency and connectivity improvements.
Other iPhone 17 Air Features
- Camera Control
- MagSafe Charging
- Action Button
- No SIM tray in more countries
- Launches with iOS 26
Pricing
The iPhone 17 Air could be priced at $899, which is the same price as the current iPhone 16 Plus. There have been rumors of tariff-related price hikes, so it is possible that the price will be higher.
Read More
We have additional information on the iPhone 17 Air in our dedicated iPhone 17 Air roundup.
