Skip to main content

How thin will the iPhone 17 Air be? A new report might have the answer

The Action button on the iPhone 16.
Joe Maring / Digital Trends

Since the first whispers of the Apple iPhone 17 Air floated across our desks, we’ve been on the hunt for more information. Just how exactly does the rumored ultra-thin iPhone fit into the company’s existing lineup? Recent information suggests it might be a way to test the public reception of a slimmer phone before the launch of Apple’s folding phone, and now we have an idea of exactly how thin the iPhone 17 Air is meant to be.

The iPhone 17 Air could be as slim as 5.5mm, according to a new report from Ming-Chi Kuo. Mark Gurman corroborates this theory in his Power On! newsletter, stating that the iPhone 17 Air is a step toward making the chassis as thin as possible. Even if the iPhone 17 Air is in no way related to the rumored foldable, though, it’s still going to leave other devices in the dust. Right now, the iPhone 6 holds the record for Apple’s thinnest model at 6.9mm, so the iPhone 17 Air will be a major reduction in size.

Recommended Videos

For reference, the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S25 Slim is rumored to fall between 6 and 6.9mm in size. If accurate, then the iPhone 17 Air will be significantly thinner than the Slim — or any of the models in the lineup, actually. The S25 Ultra is rumored to be 8.2mm, while the S25 and S25 Plus are both said to be 7.2mm.

Someone holding the white iPhone 16.
Joe Maring / Digital Trends

As for the Google Pixel 9, that’s about 8.5mm thick, while the iPhone 16 comes in at 7.8mm. If it helps to imagine it a different way, the iPhone 16 is about .31 inches thick, or about the height of a standard sheet of bubble wrap. The iPhone 17 Air, at 5.5mm, is closer to the average width of a sliced tomato.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

There’s quite a bit we already know about the iPhone 17 Air, including that it might include a 120Hz display. Kuo also stated the iPhone 17 Air will lack a physical SIM tray, opting instead for eSIM across all models. China currently doesn’t support eSIM technology, Kuo says, so this design choice could mean the iPhone 17 Air won’t be sold in the Chinese market.

The open Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, showing the thin chassis.
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is roughly 5.1mm thick when unfolded. Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Considering the excitement around the 17 Air, Kuo’s sales predictions come as a surprise. The analyst suggests the new addition to the lineup isn’t likely to have much of an impact on sales because of its weaker components and the expected higher price; in fact, Kuo believes iPhone shipments will fall as much as 10% below expectations in the year ahead.

The iPhone 17 Air will mark the first major design change Apple has made in a long time, at least with regard to the main body of the phone. Its promise of being the thinnest iPhone ever created has us curious to see the handset for ourselves, but until Apple makes an official announcement, be aware that any and all details could change.

Patrick Hearn
Patrick Hearn writes about smart home technology like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, smart light bulbs, and more. If it's a…
I put Google Gemini on my iPhone. Here’s why I’ll never go back to Siri
Siri in background and Gemini widgets on Lock Screen.

The AI frenzy has gripped every smartphone maker in 2025. Unfortunately, not all of it has been as revolutionary as on-stage presentations would have you believe. A few, however, have done a fantastic job with executing practical AI features.

Google is one of those names, and it continues to do so even on iPhones — at the cost of making Siri look like an outdated relic. The latest build of Google’s Gemini app for iPhones puts the AI chatbot everywhere on Apple’s smartphones, from the lock screen to the share sheet.

Read more
Your future phone could change colors throughout the day
your future phone could change colors throughout the day where tomorrow electrifies today 1

You have an Ultramarine iPhone 16 and are tired of the color; what do you do? You most likely wait until you upgrade (perhaps to an iPhone 17) and get one in another color. But what if you grow tired of your phone's color every day? This is where Infinix's new E-Color Shift 2.0 technology comes into play. Announced at MWC 2025, this innovative technology could allow you to customize your future smartphone's aesthetics continuously.

With E-Color Shift 2.0, you can personalize your device's appearance using dynamic, interactive color transitions based on your selected preferences and external stimuli. The technology allows you to choose from six patterns and six color palettes, resulting in 30 unique combinations.

Read more
Tecno Spark Slim is what the Galaxy S25 Edge and iPhone 17 Air should be
Tecno Spark Slim

Samsung showcased its long-rumored slim phone at the Galaxy Unpacked event in January, and Apple is expected to be developing an iPhone 17 Air. But it’s Tecno that has a truly ready slim phone that doesn’t compromise on battery capacity. The Tecno Spark Slim is what I expect a company to launch when it has the word “Slim” in the moniker. It’s got a 5,000mAh+ battery, less than 6mm thickness, and more than one camera.

Tecno announced the launch of the “world’s thinnest smartphone” a couple of days before Mobile World Congress 2025. I got my hands on the working prototype, which is said to be ready for a “staggered launch.” Here’s why I think this is what the Galaxy S25 Edge and iPhone 17 Air should be.
A bigger battery than the Galaxy S25 Ultra

Read more