Apple iPhone 17 Air only 5.5 mm thick, iPhone 17 Pro with few updates
The Apple iPhone 17 Air will replace the iPhone 16 Plus this year, as the Plus model has been the worst-selling model since its launch. At least in terms of design, it’s something new for the masses: According to a new report from famous Apple rumor purveyor Ming-Chi Kuo, the iPhone 17 Air will be just 5.5mm thick at its thinnest point.
It wouldn’t be the first time Apple has managed something like this. The latest iPad Pro 13 is just 5.1mm thick. The Apple iPhone 17 Air won’t quite manage that, but it’s still a pretty spectacular figure. Last we heard, the iPhone 17 Air will be 6.25mm thick, while a rumor from November that said “between 5 and 6mm” is confirmed by today’s leak.
Kuo also mentions that the Apple iPhone 17 Air will likely no longer have a physical SIM card slot at all. Because of the ultra-thin design, the Apple smartphone is said to rely exclusively on eSIMs. This could cause problems in China, where the market “is not currently promoting phones that only support eSIM,” Kuo said.
He also expects the Apple iPhone 17 Air to have a high price and some inferior components due to its thinness. We’ve already heard that the device could be equipped with a single main camera, just like the iPhone SE. But it’s guaranteed to be more expensive than the next SE.
Details of the iPhone 17 Pro camera leaked
There’s also a new tip about the Apple iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max – the two models will supposedly share all four cameras. According to the leak from the equally well-known Chinese Digital Chat Station, the selfie camera will be upgraded to a 24 MP sensor. On the back there is a 48 MP main camera with a 1/1.3 inch sensor, a 48 MP ultra-wide-angle camera and a 48 MP periscope telephoto camera with five times optical zoom.
Compared to the Apple iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, the main camera sensor is said to be slightly smaller, while the periscope telephoto camera will have a higher resolution. All of this makes it seem like the Apple iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max will have little camera improvements compared to their predecessors. On the other hand, the launch is only eight months away and so far it’s just rumors.
DCS also points out that current Pro prototypes have a horizontal camera island on the back, as can be seen in the image above left. However, according to another Weibo user, the final design is reportedly not set until March.
