iPhone 17 Pro to Feature Aluminium Frame, Bigger Camera Bump; iPhone 17 Air Won't Support Physical SIMs: Report

iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max — the purported successors to Apple's iPhone 16 Pro series — could arrive next year with major design changes, according to a report. The Cupertino company could launch its high-end smartphones with an aluminium frame instead of stainless steel or titanium, bringing it on par with the non-Pro models. The iPhone 17 Plus, which is tipped to succeed the iPhone 16 Plus model in 2025, will reportedly be thinner than previously anticipated.

iPhone 17 Pro Models May Feature Rear Panel Made From Aluminium and Glass

A report in The Information states that Apple's rumoured iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models will not feature a titanium frame like their successors. Instead, these handsets will be equipped with an aluminium frame, which is usually found on its more affordable iPhone models. This would mean that all four models expected to arrive in the second half of 2025 may be equipped with aluminium edges.

Both the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models were equipped with a frame made from titanium, while recent Pro models have featured a stainless steel frame. It's also worth noting that Apple had touted the introduction of aerospace grade titanium on the iPhone 15 Pro lineup when it was unveiled in 2023.

Apple will also use aluminium and glass on the rear panel of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, according to the publication. The top half is said to be made of aluminium, and it will also house a rectangular camera bump, which could be larger than the iPhone 16 Pro models. In order to enable support for wireless charging, the lower half of the phones will reportedly be made of glass.

The iPhone 17 Air, which is said to be in development at Apple as the replacement for the iPhone 16 Plus model, could be even thinner than previously anticipated, according to the report. Previous reports suggested that Apple could launch the iPhone 17 Air with a thickness of 6mm, but the publication suggests that Apple could beat these estimates.

In order to deliver such a slim smartphone, the iPhone 17 Air will reportedly need to introduce some notable changes to its design and hardware. For example, the iPhone 17 Air will be an eSIM-only smartphone, just like its recent smartphone models sold in the US. It will feature an Apple-designed modem, which is said to be smaller than the one provided by Qualcomm — it will unfortunately lack support for mmWave 5G networks.

If the claims made by the publication are accurate, it would mean that Apple could be planning its biggest iPhone design refresh since the square rear shaped camera island was introduced on the iPhone 11. The iPhone 17 Air might also make some noticeable trade-offs in order to feature a slimmer build. We can expect to hear more about these handsets in the coming months.