Rumors about the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 “Air”: thin like the iPad Pro M4 and a camera like the Pixel 86
According to media reports, the launch of the iPhone 17 at the end of 2025 could bring many upheavals: not only Apple plans for the first time an “Air” model which should be as thin as the iPad Pro and an aluminum unibody for all the models, but also a new design for the camera which corresponds to that of the Pixel smartphones.
The iPhone 17 “Air” will be very thin
As always, these are just early rumors. Only in the coming months will the picture of the iPhone 17 “Air” become clearer.
But according to The Information, the thinnest iPhone, at five millimeters thick, will be about as thin as a current iPad Pro with an M4 chip (test), which was able to compress its technology to 5, 1 millimeter. In doing so, The Information also indirectly contradicts various previous reports, because even though the development of a thinner iPhone is considered fairly certain, the exact dimensions continue to spark new debates.
How fine will the air be?
According to several rumors, the first iPhone “Air” would be at least as thin as an iPhone 6 (test) from 2014; at 6.9 millimeters, it was the thinnest iPhone to date. Depending on the source, it is said to be even thinner, at 6 millimeters. The current iPhone 16 Pro is around 8.3 millimeters thick, the iPhone 16 is 7.8 millimeters.
iPhone 6 thickness comparison (Image: Apple)
A visible reduction would therefore occur in all cases. The high variability of information suggests that a decision simply has not yet been made – because ultimately, thinness must be paid for either with compressed and expensive technology, or simply with fewer functions.
Tiefe Model iPhone (1. Gen) 11.6 mm iPhone 6 6.9 mm iPhone X 7.7 mm iPhone 15 7.8 mm iPhone 17 “Air” 5.0 mm?
New camera design like the Pixel
Another rumor first spread by The Information is that Apple is planning a major design update with the iPhone 17. Not only will the Plus model be replaced by the “Air,” but the series will also get a new camera design.
The report describes the new design as a “rectangular aluminum camera bump rather than traditional 3D glass,” which is the description according to the camera design of current Pixel smartphones. It is therefore not surprising that the first community designs here combine a current Pixel 9 Pro (test) with the future iPhone 17 Pro.
Ob Apple can certainly be doubted about taking the plunge and abandoning its previous and well-known camera design in order to implement a competition-based design. However, such an approach would not be completely ruled out. As MacRumors points out, The Information generally has a high level of reliability when it comes to rumors.
Switch to aluminum for the pros
Surprisingly, The Information also wants to know that all iPhone 17 models (Standard, Plus, Pro and Air) will have an aluminum body. Installed so far Apple only in the base models in aluminum and in the Pro for two generations in titanium and aluminum alloy. Until the iPhone 14 Pro had Apple here still placed on stainless steel. At least for professionals, aluminum would represent a degradation in the quality of the material, which makes this step difficult to imagine.
The aluminum monocoque would be back
However, according to The Information, the context is as follows: Apple The back no longer wants to be made of glass, but rather of frame material. Titanium alloy would probably be too expensive here, and stainless steel would be too heavy, which means that an aluminum unibody, as was recently the case with the iPhone 7 (test), is being discussed again. Wireless charging should still be possible, as at least the MagSafe cover should still be glass.
Topics: Apple
iPhone Smartphones
Sarah tracks innovations in smartphones, evaluating their performance, design, and key features.
