The rumored iPhone 17 Slim will soon be called the "Air," similar to Apple's branding of the lighter and thinner versions of the MacBook and iPad devices. This device was said to be coming by 2025, a year when massive changes to Cupertino's smartphone lineup will take place, with this set to redefine its offers to the world, expanding with a new mid-tier variant.
With this, Apple will soon remove the "Plus" variant in its iPhone series, one that did not perform well in the market compared to other offers.
Apple's iPhone 17 'Air' is Coming by 2025, a.k.a. the Slim
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Bloomberg's Mark Guman shared a new Power On newsletter which unveiled an upcoming rumor of Apple planning to release a thinner smartphone, and it will be called the 'Air' meant for the iPhone 17 series. According to the renowned analyst, this is the same device that was initially regarded as the iPhone 17 Slim, the speculated new variant of the lineup.
When it arrives by 2025, it will replace the Plus variants of the iPhones that were introduced since 2021's iPhone 13, a mid-tier smartphone that would be in between the iPhone 17's base variant, before the Pro and Pro Max.
Moreover, Gurman regarded that Apple previously experimented on a smaller smartphone with 2020's iPhone 12 mini, a device that ultimately performed poorly in the market.
Gurman called the iPhone 17 Air to be the "fourth iPhone model," offering a thinner device that would be its leanest release yet. The analyst best compared it to the MacBook Air, a variant that was in between the original MacBook and MacBook Pro.
It will have the "same specifications as a regular iPhone" according to Gurman, but it would be "snazzier" compared to the base variant. That being said, it would not have the capabilities of the Pro versions.
Apple and 2025 iPhone Plans
Earlier this year, Apple was part of a massive rumor from the South Korean analyst, The Information, which shared that Cupertino is planning to debut a "thinner" version of the iPhone for future releases. However, it was not meant for the iPhone 16 series, but for 2025's iPhone 17 release, with the report claiming it is set to be the most expensive release yet.
However, it would not be the only new device coming from Cupertino next year, and part of the company's massive revamp to its smartphone lineup is the anticipated return of its budget-friendly smartphone.
The iPhone SE 4 is rumored its drop next year, finally bringing back the cost-effective device, one that would feature an A18 Bionic chipset that could run Apple Intelligence.
There are claims that users should wait for 2025 before upgrading to the next iPhone model, as 2024's upcoming release would not feature massive changes unlike what next year has to offer.
With that, Apple is rumored to have a new iPhone 17 variant coming next year called the "Air," its latest foray into a smaller form factor for the smartphone, meant to be a mid-tier release.
