'iPhone 17 Air' Expected to Break an 11-Year Record

The so-called "iPhone 17 Air" model could break an 11-year record held by the iPhone 6.

According to Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the rumored ultra-thin iPhone 17 model will measure just 5.5mm at its thinnest point. That would make the device the thinnest iPhone ever, topping the 6.9mm record set by the iPhone 6 in 2014.

Moreover, the "iPhone 17 Air" could become one of Apple's thinnest devices overall, behind only the latest iPad Pro models at 5.1mm to 5.3mm.

Apple already excludes the rear camera bump from its iPhone measurements, so it likely won't matter that 5.5mm only refers to the thinnest point.

The "iPhone 17 Air" should be not only significantly thinner than current iPhones, but also considerably lighter. If the 5.5mm rumor proves to be true, the device would be around 30% to 33% thinner than iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro models.

Due to its thin design, the "iPhone 17 Air" is expected to have some reduced specifications compared to the Pro models. Rumored features for the device include only a single 48-megapixel rear camera, a standard A19 chip instead of the A19 Pro chip, and only a single speaker. The slim form factor also means the device will have a smaller battery.

Apple should announce the "iPhone 17 Air" in September alongside the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. There is no iPhone 17 Plus expected, with the "iPhone 17 Air" slotting into Apple's smartphone lineup instead.