The so-called iPhone 17 Air has been in the news for months, as rumor after rumor claimed that Apple will launch its thinnest iPhone model since the iPhone 6 next year.
Some reports claimed this new ultra-thin iPhone 17 model might not be as thin as Apple might want due to several constraints the company has to deal with. At the time, I said the device doesn’t even have to be thinner than the 6.9mm iPhone 6 to meet my needs. I want a thin profile and a large screen from my next profile, despite any compromises I might have to deal with.
While the iPhone 17 Air reports we have seen so far did not mention specific sizes, we finally have that information from a well-known insider. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the iPhone 17 Air should be about 2mm thinner than the iPhone 16 Pro. If accurate, it would be thinner than the iPhone 6 and about as thick as the iPad mini 7.
The iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max have the same 8.25mm thickness. They’re not even the thinnest iPhone 16 models. The base model and the iPhone 16 Plus measure 7.80mm in thickness. After using the latter for almost two months, I can tell you that it’s not thin enough for my taste. I returned the iPhone 16 Plus primarily because it was too big. The thickness is part of that.
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Gurman said in a new report that the iPhone 17 Air will rock Apple’s first 5G modem, just like the iPhone SE 4 coming early next year.
Gurman didn’t mention the iPhone 17 Air by name but said that Apple’s switch to a custom cellular chip will help it design a thinner chassis for the “slimmed-down handset codenamed D23 that’s coming later in 2025:”
That device will be the company’s thinnest phone yet and showcase why Apple spent billions of dollars to replace Qualcomm, the industry leader in cellular chips.
By using its own modem, Apple is able to create a smartphone that’s about 2 millimeters thinner than an iPhone 16 Pro while still having room for the battery, display, and camera system. Over time, the shift could allow for other new designs. That includes foldable devices — a concept Apple continues to explore.
Subtract 2mm from the iPhone 16 Pro’s 8.25mm thickness, and you get an iPhone with a 6.25 profile. That’s not as incredibly thin as the M4 iPad Pro (5.1mm), but it’s about the same size as the iPad mini 7 (6.3mm).
2024 iPad Mini face down on a table. Image source: Christian de Looper for BGR
The M4 iPad Pro and iPad mini 7 prove that Apple can make ultra-thin devices. It would make sense to try to adapt the same chassis thicknesses for the iPhone 17 Air and see if you can make a smartphone that thin. Apple going for a profile of about 6.3mm signals that making a 5.1mm iPhone is impossible with current technology.
I’ll point out that the iPad Pro generation that preceded the M4 iPad Pro featured ultra-thin profiles: 5.9mm (11-inch model) and 6.4mm (12.9-inch model).
That said, making a slim iPhone can’t be as easy as creating an ultra-thin iPhone. At least one key reason comes to mind that might significantly impact Apple’s plans: the battery. You have a lot more space inside a thin iPad to pack extra battery cells than a thin iPhone.
The M4 iPad Pro and the iPad mini 7 offer the same battery life, which matches the battery life estimates of their predecessor. That proves that Apple only shrank the iPads once it was able to maintain battery life.
The iPhone 17 Air would not have the same luxury. Say the logic boards take as much space as an iPad; you’re left with significantly less space for the battery. Also, unlike the iPad, you need the iPhone to last for at least a day because you’d use the handset a lot more than a tablet.
With all that in mind, I’ll be a happy customer if Apple manages to manufacture an iPhone 17 Air that’s about 6.25mm thin. It’ll be even thinner than my wildest dreams. I recently said a 7.1mm iPhone 17 Air could be good enough for me.
Finally, I’ll add that with 2024 drawing to a close, we’re a few months away from seeing the first iPhone 17 dummy units leak. Once that happens, we’ll get an idea of how thin the iPhone 17 Air will be.
