A render of what the iPhone 17 Air could look like – Image Credit: AppleInsider
A wallpaper in iOS 26 has seemingly teased the resolution of the iPhone 17 Air display, as well as indicating the new size is definitely on the way.
The iPhone 17 Air has been long-rumored to be the slimline iPhone model arriving this fall. While its thinness is a key part of its existence, rumors have also discussed how big its screen will be.
In Monday’s second developer beta of iOS 26, a dive into the code by MacWorld has revealed a small detail that may relate to the iPhone 17 Air. Specifically, an updated wallpaper.
A version of the clownfish wallpaper has been spotted in the beta, with a resolution of “420×912@3x.” Translated to plain numbers, that would equate a display resolution of 2,736 by 1,260 pixels.
As there is no mention of a model as part of the discovery, and since no current-gen iPhone uses that resolution, it is believed to represent the upcoming iPhone 17 Air.
A seeming correlation
While the mention of a resolution in an operating system isn’t a guarantee that it will be for a new model of smartphone, it does work in the rumor mill’s favor.
Back in July 2024, TF Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo released a lot of information that he knew about the iPhone 17 Air, known tentatively as the “iPhone 17 Slim” at the time.
This included a claim that the resolution would be 2,740 by 1,260 pixels. That is just four pixels in one dimension off the resolution of the wallpaper.
At the time, Kuo added that the screen will measure 6.6 inches diagonally. Since then, the rumor mill has seemingly agreed on the size of the OLED panel.
Other rumors about the display include questionable claims of it having ProMotion support, and the use of M14 panels that will be 30% brighter than the iPhone 16 range.
This is not the only resolution-based claim to come out of the iOS developer betas. The first iOS 18.6 developer beta was found on June 17 to include a reference to an Apple logo resolution, which is suspected to be intended for the fabled Home Hub.
