Apple’s thinnest and lightest iPhone is all set to be released next month at Apple’s biggest hardware launch of the year in Cupertino. The new device will replace the iPhone 16 Plus in the flagship lineup.
While previous leaks have more or less summed up everything we should expect from the iPhone 17 Air, including its price, display, camera, processor, and other details, a new report states that Apple is also working on bringing the bumper case back for its thinnest device.
As per Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple has tested a new case for the iPhone 17 Air, which only surrounds the edges of the device but does not cover the back panel. The new case would be similar to the bumper case that Apple brought with the iPhone 4.
The bumper case on the iPhone 4 was introduced because Apple found that users were accidentally blocking their phone’s antennas. This time around, however, Apple is reportedly thinking of bringing back the case to make the iPhone 17 Air look thinner
iPhone 17 Air: Here’s what to expect
Display:
If leaks turn out to be true, the iPhone 17 Air could pack a 6.6-inch ProMotion 120Hz LTPO AMOLED display, which would make it just an inch smaller than the iPhone 16 Plus from last year. Rumours suggest that Apple had initially planned on a 6.9-inch screen for the iPhone 17 Air but then reduced the size to avoid bending issues.
Meanwhile, the front camera on the iPhone 17 Air is expected to be placed on the left side of the Dynamic Island instead of the right, as seen on the iPhone 16 series.
Design:
The iPhone 17 Air is expected to come with a horizontal bar for the camera island, distinct from the new camera placement on the iPhone 17 Pro lineup.
There is some discrepancy over the thickness of the iPhone 17 Air, with leaks pointing to either around 5.5mm or 6mm. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has previously predicted a 2mm decrease in thickness for the iPhone 17 Air compared to the current iPhone 16 Pro model.
The newest member of the iPhone series is expected to come in four colour variants: black, white, light gold, and light blue.
It is also expected to feature the Camera Control and Action Button, like the iPhone 16 series, while including support for MagSafe charging.
Processor:
There are multiple leaks about the processor of the iPhone 17 Air. Some suggest the phone could have the A19 Pro processor, while others state it could feature the standard A19 chip.
Another possibility is that Apple could use the A19 Pro chipset on the iPhone 17 Air but with fewer GPU cores than the iPhone 17 Pro models.
The phone is expected to come with 12GB of RAM, similar to the iPhone 17 Pro series. It is also likely to include vapour chambers to spread heat evenly, reduce thermal throttling, and ensure consistent performance during heavy tasks.
Camera:
The iPhone 17 Air is expected to come with a single 48MP wide-angle sensor, following the iPhone 16 lineup. The presence of only one shooter could mean the iPhone 17 Air may not capture spatial photos or videos unless Apple introduces software-based tweaks.
