The iPhone 17 Air could be Apple’s thinnest smartphone yet
By ForGeeks Authoritative industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has shared some encouraging news for Apple fans, saying that the expected ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air will be even thinner than previously thought.
Authoritative industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has shared some encouraging news for Apple fans, saying that the expected ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air will be even thinner than previously thought.
A new word in smartphone design
iPhone 17 Air is one of the most talked about new products in an industry that has struggled to innovate in recent years. The ultra-thin phone is expected to replace the iPhone Plus model in the 2025 flagship lineup. Rumors and leaks about the new device have already started appearing online.
The rumors and leaks about the new device have already started appearing online.
It was previously claimed that the iPhone 17 Air will be just 6.25mm thick. However, Ming-Chi Kuo revealed in a post on the Medium platform that the “thinnest part” of the device will be around 5.5mm thick. For comparison, this almost reaches the level of the ultra-thin 13-inch iPad Pro M4, which is 5.1mm thick. If these findings are confirmed, the iPhone 17 Air will become the thinnest iPhone ever, surpassing the iPhone 6 with its 6.9mm.
The iPhone 17 Air will be the thinnest iPhone ever, surpassing the iPhone 6 with its 6.9mm thickness.
Design: where did the thinness come from?”
At the moment, Apple’s thinnest device remains the iPad Pro at 5.1mm thick. However, it’s worth bearing in mind Kuo’s clarification: the claimed 5.5mm refers specifically to the “thinnest part” of the smartphone. Given Apple’s traditional minimalist design, that thickness probably refers to the body of the device, with the exception of the protruding camera.
Of course, such leaks should be taken with a degree of skepticism. Apple could go down the path of using a tapered design like the classic MacBook Air, but such an approach would look odd for a phone.
Another way to look at it would be to use a tapered design like the classic MacBook Air.
New standard: eSIM instead of physical SIM
Another feature that Kuo pointed out is that the iPhone 17 Air will likely only support eSIM due to its ultra-thin design. This information has been discussed in rumors before, so it won’t come as a surprise to many people.
And it’s not a surprise.
Expectations and Competition
The iPhone 17 Air is expected to go on sale in the fall of 2025 with a starting price of about $800. The new product will replace the Plus model, which is already seeing low sales. At the same time, the iPhone 17 Air is likely to face a competitor – Galaxy S25 Slim from Samsung, which is also rumored. However, the exact specs of its slimness have not yet been revealed.
The exact specifications of its slimness have not yet been revealed.
New trend: elegant thinness
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The smartphone market has become less exciting in recent years, but a new trend – «thin and stylish» – seems to be regaining user interest. If leading manufacturers such as Apple and Samsung really start pushing the idea of ultra-thin devices, we can expect other brands to pick up on the trend.
And if the leading manufacturers such as Apple and Samsung really start pushing the idea of ultra-thin devices, we can expect other brands to pick up on the trend as well.
Nevertheless, the question arises: how comfortable will these phones be to use? Ultra-thin devices may seem stylish, but many users may find themselves uncomfortable with the lack of «feel» of a smartphone in their hand.
At the same time, it’s not easy to use an ultra-thin device.
