The iPhone 17 Air — which will replace the iPhone Plus line — will apparently be impressively slim and not as expensive as expected either. A new report (translated source) reveals that the iPhone 17 Air will follow the same pricing model as the soon-to-be discontinued Plus phones.
This means that the Air model should start from around $800 and go up from there. The iPhone 17 Air is expected to feature less powerful specs than its other brethren and will be marketed towards users who prioritize aesthetics.
The phone is reportedly going to be 6.25 mm in thickness. For comparison the base model iPhone 16 is 7.8 mm. That is a very impressive reduction in my opinion and I can definitely see a market for the iPhone 17 Air.
And that is why this phone will exist in the first place. The iPhone Plus models have always sold the worst and they failed to become an adequate replacement for the iPhone mini models that came before them. iPhone 17 Air is Apple’s latest attempt at a new model of iPhone that targets a specific niche.
The iPhone 16 lineup will be the last to feature a Plus model. | Video credit — Apple
Samsung — arguably Apple’s biggest rival in the smartphone industry — is also making a slimmer variant of its flagship lineup. This Galaxy S25 Slim, according to the report, was finalized when news started coming out about the iPhone 17 Air. It will also be aiming for approximately the same thickness as the Air.
Unlike the iPhone 17 Air however, the S25 Slim is said to feature an “Ultra camera” and will not be launched alongside the rest of the S25 lineup. It is expected to be unveiled this month at Galaxy Unpacked but will allegedly come out later in the year.
Interestingly the report claims that the iPhone 17 Air was initially going to be a separate product. Apple’s decision to replace the Plus model with the Air only came about after the former continued to see poor sales.
I think the iPhone 17 Air has a much better chance of gaining a following because it will provide something that many users care about: good looks. If the specs are respectable enough then it can easily become one of the best phones of 2025.
