iPhone 17 Air lacks a physical SIM slot and only offers eSIM support, according to TF Securities International analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
iPhone 17 Air or iPhone 17 Slim is anticipated to replace the Plus version in the upcoming lineup
Photo Credit: Apple
Apple has released the iPhone series in a relatively predictable format in recent years with a smaller and larger version of both the base and Pro models. The iPhone 17 series which is expected to make its debut in the second half of 2025 is rumoured to include a new iPhone 17 Air (or iPhone Slim) model with a thin build. Now, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has revealed the thinness of this purported handset. This model is anticipated to replace the 'Plus' version in the upcoming iPhone 17 lineup. It could be the slimmest iPhone ever released by Apple.
TF Securities International analyst Ming-Chi Kuo leaked details of the rumoured iPhone 17 Air in his latest post on Medium. He claims that Apple's 'ultra-thin iPhone' will measure around 5.5mm in thickness. It is said to lack a physical SIM card slot and only supports eSIM due to its thin build. The analyst notes that this model could face shipping challenges in China as the market does not promote phones that only support eSIM.
If Kuo's claims about 5.5mm thickness come true, the iPhone 17 Air will be the thinnest iPhone ever built, surpassing the 6.9mm iPhone 6 from 2014. Previous reports indicated that the iPhone 17 Air would be 6.25mm thick. For context, the latest iPhone 16 is 7.8mm thick. Samsung's rumoured Galaxy S25 Slim is likely to be around 6mm thick.
Recent rumours have suggested that the new iPhone 17 Air will have a premium price range between $1,299 and $1,500 (roughly Rs. 1,09,00 to 1,26,000). It is said to include an A18 or A19 chip with support for 8GB RAM and Apple Intelligence features. It is likely to ship with Apple's first-ever 5G and Wi-Fi chips.
The iPhone 17 Air is tipped to come with a 6.6-inch OLED display with 120Hz ProMotion refresh rate. The display could offer improved scratch resistance and include the Dynamic Island feature. It could pack a 24-megapixel selfie camera and a 48-megapixel single rear camera.
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