I’ve Heard the iPhone 17 Air Rumors, and I Don’t Get the Hype

Apple just lately despatched out invites to an “awe-dropping” particular occasion on Sept. 9, which is broadly presumed to be its annual iPhone announcement extravaganza. 

Rumors concerning the upcoming iPhone lineup have been circulating for months now, with leaks dropping as early as final 12 months. One of probably the most well-circulated rumors is that, along with the iPhone 17 and the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, Apple may also introduce a brand-new ultra-thin mannequin known as the iPhone 17 Air. 

I’m available in the market for a brand new iPhone, however the extra I hear concerning the Air, the much less I’m enthusiastic about it. 

The iPhone 17 Air is code-named for its skinny profile, very like its competitor the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge. It’s rumored to be smaller than the Pro Max however bigger than the baseline iPhone. The iPhone 17 Air is meant to have a 6.6-inch show (barely smaller than the iPhone 16 Plus however bigger than the iPhone 16 Pro). It’s not solely clear whether or not the iPhone 17 Air could have the usual A19 chip or the A19 Pro. 

Apple seems to be positioning the iPhone 17 Air as a stopgap for individuals who suppose the baseline iPhone is simply too primary however do not fairly have the money to improve to the Pro. 

So why am I not enthused concerning the iPhone 17 Air? Here’s my reasoning.

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One digital camera is simply not sufficient

Apple supposedly made some {hardware} trade-offs with the iPhone 17 Air to slim down the system. The iPhone 17 Air may solely have one rear digital camera as a substitute of two, which is one lower than the baseline iPhone and would match the $599 iPhone 16E. According to long-time Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman, the iPhone 17 Air will solely have one rear digital camera for wide-angle pictures. 

Since 2017, I’ve had a dual-camera iPhone, and I do not suppose I can return to only a single lens now. 

I perceive that the iPhone 17 Air might supply an clever sensor cropping that will mimic the look of 2x zoom. But in on a regular basis use, I might most likely miss the ultrawide digital camera, particularly for macro pictures. I take a whole lot of images of meals (do not decide), and it is simply one thing I’ve grown accustomed to. I’m unsure if a single-camera iPhone would get me the identical stage of element, and it is a compromise I’d relatively not make only for a thinner form.

Battery life issues

The different main concern I’ve with the iPhone 17 Air is battery life. A possible draw back of a skinnier telephone is a barely smaller battery. 

According to some experiences, the iPhone 17 Air might use a silicon-anode battery to assist prolong battery life, and its excessive density might improve its “actual capacity” by 15% to twenty%. There can also be some hypothesis that the Adaptive Power function in iOS 26 might assist modify the iPhone’s efficiency primarily based on utilization patterns, thus conserving battery life. 

None of that helps cut back my total battery anxiousness with a skinnier telephone. I’m the sort of one who likes conserving my telephone battery topped up as a lot as potential (although I do know that is not all the time one of the best follow for battery longevity). And I might relatively not carry round an additional energy financial institution. 

For me, a barely chunkier telephone is definitely worth the peace of thoughts of extra battery life. If it seems that the iPhone 17 Air’s battery life is about the identical because the baseline iPhone, then I would change my tune, however for now, shade me skeptical. 

I’m certain Apple might supply a MagSafe battery accent to assist alleviate the diminished battery life, however then why have a skinny telephone to start with?

I’m simply not a thin telephone lady

The iPhone 17 Air is rumored to be a stunningly slender 5.5mm, which might make it one of many thinnest telephones on the planet. I’m sorry, however that is simply too skinny. 

A couple of weeks in the past, I had the privilege of enjoying round with the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, and it was a lot too slight for my tastes. Skinny handsets appear too fragile to me, even when they’re supposedly fairly sturdy. I all the time really feel like I’m about to snap it in half. 

No matter how skinny a telephone is, I are inclined to slap a case on it anyway, thus negating its slimness. I even add to my telephone’s heft by attaching a Pop Socket, which will increase its thickness and offers me safety that the telephone will not fly out of my arms. To be truthful, I have a tendency to hold my telephone in a bag, not in a pants pocket, so I do not really feel the necessity for a thinner telephone. 

It all comes down to cost

It appears seemingly that the iPhone 17 Air will probably be priced someplace between the worth of the iPhone 17 and the iPhone 17 Pro. There are indicators that it is likely to be priced round $900, although new rumors are pointing to a $1,099 value for a 256GB mannequin. 

If the iPhone 17 Air prices considerably greater than the baseline iPhone, and there aren’t sufficient extra options past its skinny profile, it does not make sense to go along with the ultra-thin mannequin. And if the iPhone 17 Pro affords extra options for not far more cash, then the Pro is likely to be a greater buy. 

This is all simply hypothesis for now. I do not even know if the iPhone 17 Air is actual. But if its major declare to fame is skinniness, then skinny may not be in for me.