Apple is reportedly working on its next generation of iPhones, which are slated to be significantly thinner than the current iPhone 16 models. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman recently shared Apple's ambitions to launch its custom 5G modems for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, and the transition is expected to begin early next year with the release of the SE 4. However, the analyst also shared that the forthcoming iPhone 17 'Air' will be 2mm thinner than the current iPhone 16 Pro models.
iPhone 17 'Air' will be 2mm thinner than the iPhone 16 Pro, making it thinner than any iPhone launched before it
If you are wondering, the iPhone 16 Pro is 8.25mm thick, which means that the iPhone 17 'Air' will be as thin as 6.25mm. Note that this is not the thinnest the company has achieved, as the new 13-inch iPad Pro is more than 1mm thinner than the rumored iPhone 17 'Air,' and there is a technical reason for it. It was reported previously that Apple was having technical issues developing the battery substrate, which could push the company to stick to a slightly heftier design than the iPad Pro.
However, with these numbers at hand, the iPhone 17 Air will still be the thinnest iPhone Apple will make, as the iPhone 6 was 6.9mm thin. In comparison, the iPhone 17 Air will mark a milestone for the company. Apple gradually shifted to heftier designs after the release of the iPhone 6, but it appears that the company is planning to shift back to its form factor.
The iPhone 17 Air will be a pretty strange device in the entire lineup, as the rest of the models will bring forward the same design as the current iPhone 16 series. Apple is also aiming to charge more for the iPhone 17 Air, solely based on its design, as the internals will be on par with the base iPhone 17. Besides this, the 'Air' model is also expected to feature Apple's first 5G modem, which will not be on par with the performance of Qualcomm's modems. This is one reason the company is bringing it to its iPhone SE 4 and the iPhone 17 Air.
This is not the first time that we have heard details on the iPhone 17 Air's ultra-thin design, as prior reports have suggested that the device will be somewhere between 5mm and 6mm. If the company manages to make the 'Air' as thin as the iPad Pro models, it would be a game changer for the company, and the entire industry would follow. We are unsure if the company plans to bring the same design to the rest of the iPhone 17 lineup. However, the iPhone 17 Pro is rumored to boast a part-aluminum-part-glass design while ditching titanium as the premium finish it has been offering with the 'Pro' models. Do you think the iPhone 17 Pro will ditch the titanium finish for aluminum?
About the author: Ali Salman is a technology reporter for Wccftech mobile section with a specialized focus on Apple and the intellectual property that drives mobile innovation. He has cultivated a unique expertise in analyzing and deconstructing complex technology patents, translating dense legal and technical documents into clear, insightful reports on future products.
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