- Reports suggest Apple will include an iPhone Air model in its upcoming series of devices later this year.
- The iPhone 17 Air would be the thinnest iPhone to date.
- The device would also feature an in-house modem, which Apple is said to be debuting in an iPhone SE model in the coming months.
It is the start of a new year, which means we have a whole calendar’s worth of rumours and reports around Apple hardware to look forward to. For January, there is talk of an iPhone Air model being added to the mix for the iPhone 17 series.
While such a rumour would not garner much attention, the report comes via Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman (paywall), whose track record and accuracy on the Cupertino’s company’s plans is quite solid.
As such, we could indeed see an iPhone 17 Air feature in September this year, when Apple hosts its usual unveiling.
Details on the device are slim (excuse the pun) for now, but it is suggested that the iPhone Air would be the thinnest model made to date. To that end, reports suggest the body could be as thin as 6mm, although it remains to be seen how much the camera housing of the device would jut out compared to such a thin body.
This would be thinner than the iPhone 6, released a little over a decade ago, at just 6.9mm. As TechCrunch hints at, developing thinner and thinner devices could be part of a larger plan to finally get involved in the foldable phone space, which Apple is said to be doing for 2026.
Other details regarding the device include some of its internal components, with the modem in particular being highlighted. This is significant as it would be an in-house iteration, which is something Apple has not brought to market yet, but it is rumoured that an upcoming iPhone SE refresh will be the first iPhone to run an Apple-made 5G modem.
The iPhone 17 Air is also said to be running an A19 processor, as well as featuring a 6.6″ display. Whether the other components and specifications will be on par with the rest of the iPhone 17 series remains to be seen.
Either way, after giving the iPhone mini a chance for a couple of years, now the company is readying an Air model.
