Apple is said to be gearing up to launch its thinnest iPhone yet, named the iPhone 17 Air. The Information reports that this upcoming model aims to set a new standard for thinness in smartphones, showcasing a notably slimmer profile than earlier versions. If these reports are accurate, the iPhone 17 Air might create a new high mark in Apple’s offerings, though it may come with design compromises necessary to achieve its sleekness.
iPhone 17 Air may come close to the iPad Pro 13's thickness
Formerly known as the iPhone 17 Slim, the iPhone 17 Air is expected to take the place of the iPhone 16 Plus in Apple's offerings. Initial reports hinted at a thin design, but new updates suggest an even more reduced profile, measuring around 5-6 mm thick. For comparison, the iPhone 16 is already seen as slim at 7.8 mm, meaning the new model would be as much as 35% thinner. This would make it Apple's slimmest iPhone ever, surpassing the iPhone 6 Plus, which has maintained its title since 2014 with a 7.1 mm thickness.
Changes in features alongside the ultra-slim profile
In addition to its thin design, the iPhone 17 Air might come with various other modifications. Reports claim it will eliminate mmWave 5G support and the traditional physical SIM card slot. The latter has been a standard feature for U.S. iPhones since the iPhone 14, while the absence of mmWave support might impact network performance in areas where it's commonly used. Apple is also anticipated to include its own 5G modem in the iPhone 17 Air, though this modem is rumored to provide slower speeds than the Qualcomm chips found in the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max. Another possible removal could be the downward-firing speaker, which might further enhance the design.
Concerns over durability with the new design
With such a slim profile, durability could be an issue for the iPhone 17 Air, especially considering that Apple’s similarly thin iPads have had structural issues previously. This raises concerns about how well this new iPhone will handle daily wear and tear. Interestingly, Samsung is also developing a version of a slim Galaxy flagship as part of the S25 series, which is also rumored to be considerably thinner than current models. More information about Samsung's version of the 'Slim' phone can be found through various sources.
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