iPhone 17 “Slim” leak tips a focus on sharp looks but modest specs

Apple is once again prepping to overhaul the iPhone portfolio next year, and it seems a lot of interesting upgrades are on their way. The most notable among those is apparently the introduction of a new “iPhone 17 Slim” model, which some rumors are also referring to as the “Air” trim.

So far, leaks have focused on the phone’s dramatic aesthetic makeover. Specifically, it could be the slimmest iPhone ever made. Moreover, it will make a stark departure from the current design language at Apple. And if the renders floating around social media are to be believed, an all-metal build is on the horizon.

Recommended Videos

Now, Haitong International Analyst, Jeff Pu, has shared more details (via Macrumors & 9to5Mac) about the phone’s internal hardware. To start, the display size will be 6.6-inches, with a Face ID module at the top.

Related

  • The iPhone 16 is having battery life problems. Here’s what we know

  • Samsung is catching up to the iPhone in an unexpected way

  • The next iPhone SE may be missing a key iPhone 16 feature

Notably, Pu’s analyst note mentions an aluminum build, a choice that will apparently keep the weight profile low. Over the past few years, Apple’s high-end Pro models have relied on stainless steel or a titanium metal composite, starting with the iPhone 15 Pro series.

Introducing iPhone Air

The upcoming “slim” iPhone will draw power from the next-gen A19 SoC, that will be based on the 3nm process, akin to the A18 series lineup powering the iPhone 16 quartet. It will be accompanied by 8GB RAM, but there’s no word on how much storage Apple will cram into the sleek phone.

In the imaging department, the phone will only serve a single 48-megapixel snapper, a trait that has now become mainstream across the iPhone lineup. On the front, however, users will be greeted by a 24-megapixel selfie snapper.

iPhone Air render Front Page Tech

Interestingly, according to MacRumors, the analyst envisions the iPhone 17 Slim to arrive as a “mid-tier iPhone.” Previous reports, however, have claimed that this one will be the most expensive phone Apple has ever made and would likely cost more than $1,200 a pop.

Pricing strategy aside, the upcoming phone is said to replace the “Plus” model in the mainline iPhone series. This would mark the second shift for Apple in less then half a decade, following the short run with the “mini” trim.

But do keep in mind that these are all very early predictions related to a phone that is still nearly a year away from its market arrival. As expected, take them with a hefty dose of skepticism and brace for some surprising changes as Apple proceeds with the development of its next-gen smartphones.

Editors’ Recommendations

  • Need a better way to carry your phone? I found a great accessory

  • Photographic Styles is the best iPhone feature I’ve used in years

  • A microscopic change may give the iPhone 18 huge performance gains

  • It’s almost 2025, and it’s time to end the Android vs. iPhone debate

  • iOS 18.1 brings two sorely needed email features to the iPhone




Related posts

Latest posts

Apple’s Vision Pro is getting the M5 chip, but that’s not what it really needs

Apple’s M5 chip is coming to the Vision Pro, but that’s not the change the headset really needs. Instead, Apple should be prioritizing a more affordable model.

This music app is doing something different in the Apple App Store

A new music app called Practice Pro has decided against the popular freemium model, and gone in a different direction to attract downloads.

The U.K. wants unchecked access to all iPhones worldwide

Using an infamous legal provision, the UK government has reportedly ordered Apple to let it access encrypted cloud data of all iPhone users across the globe.

This One UI 7 update just made my Galaxy S25 Ultra way more fun

Good Lock's updated Home Up module brings new ways to experiement with your home screen on the Galaxy S25 series, and I'm hooked.

Your smartwatch will soon be able to detect signs of heart failure

Fresh research details a method than can detect congestive heart failure (CHF) using smartwatch ECG data with an impressive 90% accuracy in patients.

This Acer Predator gaming PC with RTX 4070 Ti Super is $350 off

The Acer Predator Orion 5000 gaming PC, featuring the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super graphics card and 32GB of RAM, is on sale from Best Buy at $350 off.

New iPad Air incoming? There’s a low stock warning

The next iPad Air could be revealed in just a few weeks.

Samsung might return to all-Exynos for its Galaxy S26 lineup

Samsung has seen successful early yields with the Exynos 2600, its in-house chip slated for use with the Galaxy S26.

Google Messages might let you unsend awkward messages in RCS chats

Google Messages could receive a "delete for everyone" feature, allowing you to recall messages, but only in RCS enabled chats.

Grab this Lenovo Legion gaming PC while it’s under $1,000

The Lenovo Legion Tower 5 Gen 8 gaming PC with the AMD Ryzen 5 7600 processor, AMD Radeon RX 7600 graphics card, and 16GB of RAM is a steal for under $1,000,