'iPhone 17 Air' With Rear Camera Bar Allegedly Shown in Leaked Photo

A leaker known as "Majin Bu" today shared an alleged image of a component for the rumored, ultra-thin "iPhone 17 Air" model.

iPhone 17 Air Size Feature
The blurry, pixelated image shows a pair of rear iPhone shells with a pill-shaped, raised camera bar along the top. On the left side of the bar, there is a circular cutout that appears to be for a single rear camera. On the right side of the bar, there appears to be an LED camera flash and a tiny microphone hole. The ultra-thin "iPhone 17 Air" is the only iPhone 17 model that is expected to have a single rear camera, so the shell could be for that device.

The fourth-generation iPhone SE is also expected to have a single rear camera, but an elongated camera ridge has not been rumored for that device.

In the world of AI-generated photos, and counterfeit iPhones, we do not know if this image shows the actual "iPhone 17 Air." Sometimes leaks like these end up being real, but in many cases they end up being fake. Skepticism is warranted.


Majin Bu accurately revealed the "Desert Titanium" color name for iPhone 16 Pro models seven months before the devices launched, but some of his information has been wrong, including a rumor about an iPad 11 being imminent in 2023.

An elongated camera bump has been rumored for both the "iPhone 17 Air" and iPhone 17 Pro models, so perhaps this alleged design change will be coming to the entire iPhone 17 lineup. Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 17, the "iPhone 17 Air," the iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max in September.

There are already some Android phones with a camera bar, such as Google's Pixel 9.

According to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the "iPhone 17 Air" will measure just 5.5mm at its thinnest point, which would make it the thinnest iPhone ever. Apple does not include the rear camera bump in its iPhone dimensions.

Due to its ultra-thin design, the "iPhone 17 Air" is expected to have limited specs, including only a single rear camera, a single speaker, no SIM card slot worldwide, and an A19 chip instead of the more powerful A19 Pro chip. Of course, the device will also be equipped with a smaller battery than other iPhone 17 models due to size constraints.

Other rumored features include a 6.6-inch OLED display with a Dynamic Island, Face ID, 8GB of RAM for Apple Intelligence support, and more.

Bookmark our iPhone 17 roundup to stay up to date with more rumors over the coming months.

Related Roundup: iPhone 17
Buyer's Guide: iPhone 17 (Buy Now)
Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

Apple Wallet ID Illinois

Apple Plans to Expand iPhone Driver's Licenses to These 7 U.S. States

Wednesday December 24, 2025 8:40 am PST by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, and then use it to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. The feature is currently available in 13 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, and it is expected to launch in at least seven more in the future. To set up the...
iPhone Top Left Hole Punch Face ID Feature Purple

iPhone 18 Pro Launching Next Year With These 12 New Features

Tuesday December 23, 2025 8:36 am PST by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not expected to launch for another nine months, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we have recapped 12 features rumored for the iPhone 18 Pro models. The same overall design is expected, with 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display sizes, and a "plateau" housing three rear cameras Under-screen Face ID Front camera in...
maxresdefault

Where's the New Apple TV?

Monday December 22, 2025 11:30 am PST by
Apple hasn't updated the Apple TV 4K since 2022, and 2025 was supposed to be the year that we got a refresh. There were rumors suggesting Apple would release the new Apple TV before the end of 2025, but it looks like that's not going to happen now. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said several times across 2024 and 2025 that Apple would...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Adds These 8 New Features to Your iPhone

Monday December 22, 2025 8:47 am PST by
Earlier this month, Apple released iOS 26.2, following more than a month of beta testing. It is a big update, with many new features and changes for iPhones. iOS 26.2 adds a Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics in Apple Music, and more. Below, we have highlighted a total of eight new features. Liquid Glass Slider on Lock Screen A new slider in the Lock...
iOS 26

iOS 26.3 Brings AirPods-Like Pairing to Third-Party Devices in EU Under DMA

Monday December 22, 2025 3:20 pm PST by
The European Commission today praised the interoperability changes that Apple is introducing in iOS 26.3, once again crediting the Digital Markets Act (DMA) with bringing "new opportunities" to European users and developers. The Digital Markets Act requires Apple to provide third-party accessories with the same capabilities and access to device features that Apple's own products get. In iOS...
maxresdefault

10 Mac Apps Worth Trying in 2026

Wednesday December 24, 2025 9:27 am PST by
2026 is almost upon us, and a new year is a good time to try out some new apps. We've rounded up 10 excellent Mac apps that are worth checking out. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Alt-Tab (Free) - Alt-Tab brings a Windows-style alt + tab thumbnail preview option to the Mac. You can see a full window preview of open apps and app windows. One Thing (Free) -...
iPhone Fold Vertical Feature

Why Apple's Foldable iPhone May Be Smaller Than Expected

Tuesday December 23, 2025 5:21 am PST by
Apple's first foldable iPhone, rumored for release next year, may turn out to be smaller than most people imagine, if a recent report is anything to go by. According to The Information, the outer display on the book-style device will measure just 5.3 inches – that's smaller than the 5.4-inch screen on the ‌iPhone‌ mini, a line Apple discontinued in 2022 due to poor sales. The report has led ...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Iridescent Search

Samsung Developing 'Wide Fold' With iPhone Fold-Like Design Ahead of Apple's 2026 Launch

Tuesday December 23, 2025 11:55 am PST by
Samsung is working on a new foldable smartphone that's wider and shorter than the models that it's released before, according to Korean news site ETNews. The "Wide Fold" will compete with Apple's iPhone Fold that's set to launch in September 2026. Samsung's existing Galaxy Z Fold7 display is 6.5 inches when closed, and 8 inches when open, with a 21:9 aspect ratio when folded and a 20:18...
iphone fold 3d print

Have a 3D Printer? You Can Make Your Own iPhone Fold Dummy

Tuesday December 23, 2025 1:31 pm PST by
Apple is working on a foldable iPhone that's set to come out in September 2026, and rumors suggest that it will have a display that's around 5.4 inches when closed and 7.6 inches when open. Exact measurements vary based on rumors, but one 3D designer has created a mockup based on what we've heard so far. On MakerWorld, a user named Subsy has uploaded a 1:1 iPhone Fold replica (via Macworld), ...

Top Rated Comments

levitynyc Avatar
12 months ago
Is anyone asking for thinner phones?
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
EugW Avatar
12 months ago


Attachment Image
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
hoodafoo Avatar
12 months ago
Is the source Japanese? I see all the fun bits pixelized
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ApplesAreSweet&Sour Avatar
12 months ago

They need space for the FaceID components if it's really that thin, so housing them in there as well makes sense. Looks like a Pixel clone tho lol.
I hate how much that makes sense:

They'll promote it as "thinnest iPhone ever" because that's what the middle and lower parts of the chassis/body will actually be.

But then to get all the front-facing cameras and Face ID components and rear-facing cameras to fit this "thinnest ever iPhone", the measurements on the top part be just as thick or thicker than on any previous iPhone.

"Thinnest iPhone ever. Thickest iPhone camera bump ever. iPhone 17 Air."

Oh, I hate this idea. Hate it, hate it, hate it. ?
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Misterioso Avatar
12 months ago
I was really hoping the iPhone 17 Air/Slim/Thin would be the thinnest they could make it..... without a camera bump.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
usersince86 Avatar
12 months ago
I personally like the bar design; if nothing else, it would make it easier to read your phone when it's on a table by elevating the top part a bit. :)
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)