On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss the recently leaked design of the iPhone 17 "Air" and iPhone 17 Pro.
Earlier this week, a report from The Information's Wayne Ma revealed that the iPhone 17 Air will have a thickness of between 5mm and 6mm, which would make it the thinnest iPhone ever. In comparison, iPhone 16 models are 7.8mm thick and iPhone 16 Pro models are 8.25mm thick.
Due to this ultra-thin design, some compromises are said to be necessary. The device currently lacks a physical SIM card tray, a speaker on the bottom edge, an ultra-wide camera, and ultra-fast mmWave 5G support. Unsurprisingly, the device will also have a "smaller battery" than current iPhones, but it remains to be seen how battery life ultimately compares.
With just one camera, the unit is expected to be large and centered on the rear of the device for a dramatically different look compared to current models. The device should launch in September 2025 alongside the standard iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro models, with no iPhone 17 Plus expected.
Meanwhile, the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are expected to offer some of the most significant design changes in years. Both models will drop titanium and return to an aluminum frame for a more lightweight design and feature a new part-aluminum, part-glass rear to enable continued support for wireless charging. The camera bump is also purportedly larger and rectangular, cut into the aluminum top half of the rear rather than 3D glass.
We discuss the implications of these design changes and more. The MacRumors Show also has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips:
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If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up for our discussion with some of the biggest changes in our personal Apple ecosystems this month.
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