Purported iPhone 17 Air design shows off ultra-thin sides and rear camera bar – 9to5Mac

After releasing a video on their expected iPhone 17 Pro design, Jon Prosser at FrontPageTech returns with another video depicting what they believe the upcoming ‘iPhone 17 Air’ will look like, the radically new addition to the iPhone family. The Air is expected to replace the iPhone 16 Plus in the lineup, a mid-range model with an all-new ultra-thin chassis design. Many publications have indicated that one of the compromises will be the fact that the phone features a single rear camera. However, these renders suggest that single lens will still be housed inside a full-width protruding bar shape.Of course, we don’t know for sure that what is depicted in these renders is accurate. However, it mostly aligns with what publications including The Information and Bloomberg have previously reported. The biggest point of contention is the protruding rear camera module design. Whereas these renders suggest a rectangular camera bar with the lens on the left side, a previous report from The Information described the camera being relocated to the top center of the phone.The iPhone 17 Air, or iPhone 17 Slim as some have called it, will stand out with a dramatically thin enclosure. The thickness of the phone will be between 5.5mm and 6mm, excluding the rear camera protrusion. I don’t mind this and it definitely creates a “family of bumps” compared to the alleged Pro design. I just wish they can find a way to avoid the “bump on a bump”, with the lens sticking out above the bump and not being flush with the design. Even if the main bump was a bit thicker, so we can have a smooth surface the same as we did back when the iPhone X was introduced.However, to achieve the ultra-thin design, the specs of the phone will not be top tier. For instance, the single 48-megapixel rear camera will lack the optical zoom range of current models that have two or three rear cameras. Some previous reports have also suggested that the front camera quality will be worse, as well as worse integrated speakers. Additionally, the phone is expected to be powered by the base A19 chip, not the A19 Pro.Apple has always seemed to struggle to make a successful fourth iPhone model. The smaller mini was discontinued due to lack of demand, and the Plus hasn’t set the world on fire either. The Air is the company’s latest attempt, seemingly intentionally going to make something distinctive that stands out.It remains to be seen whether customers will find the trade-offs with the iPhone 17 Air worthwhile, but it will certainly make for a striking new look when the phones go on sale in the fall. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Check out 9to5Mac on YouTube for more Apple news:Benjamin develops iOS apps professionally and covers Apple news and rumors for 9to5Mac. Listen to Benjamin, every week, on the Happy Hour podcast. Check out his personal blog. Message Benjamin over email or Twitter.
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Source: https://9to5mac.com/2025/02/18/iphone-17-air-design-photos-renders/