Apple’s obsession with slim design is going next-level with the upcoming iPhone 17 Air. Leaks suggest that this could be the thinnest and lightest iPhone ever made — but it might come at a cost.
According to a report from 9to5Mac, the iPhone 17 Air is expected to pack a much smaller 2,800mAh battery, which is around 20% smaller than the standard iPhone 16 and a massive 40% smaller than the iPhone 16 Plus.
Thinner than Samsung’s S25 Edge?
If the leaks are accurate, the iPhone 17 Air will weigh just 145g and measure only 5.5mm thick. That’s even slimmer than the Galaxy S25 Edge, which already turned heads with its 5.8mm side profile and 163g weight. With these numbers, Apple could be about to reclaim the crown for the thinnest mainstream flagship phone.
But what about battery life?
Obviously, a smaller battery sparks concerns about how long the phone will actually last. But Apple might have a clever plan to fix that. Bloomberg recently reported that iOS 18 could bring in an AI-powered battery optimisation system. This feature would analyse your usage patterns in real-time and adjust settings on the fly to conserve power — basically helping the phone squeeze out more screen time even with a smaller cell.
What else can you expect?
The iPhone 17 Air is rumoured to launch alongside the rest of the iPhone 17 series later this year. It could even replace the Plus variant in the 2025 line-up. Here’s a quick look at what’s expected: a 6.6-inch display with ProMotion support (that’s up to 120Hz refresh rate), a single 48MP rear camera, and a 24MP front camera.
To keep things ultra thin, Apple is likely dropping the secondary rear lens — something we’ve already seen with the iPhone 16e. So, yes, this is going to be a pretty big shift in terms of camera hardware for a higher-end model.
Under the hood
The Air variant will reportedly run on Apple’s next-gen A19 chip, putting it in line with the rest of the iPhone 17 family in terms of processing power. It might also feature Apple’s C1 modem, first seen in the 16e, to handle connectivity.
In short, Apple might just be redefining what a ‘flagship’ looks like — thinner, lighter, smarter. But whether the trade-offs are worth it? We’ll have to wait and see when the iPhone 17 Air officially drops.
