A new report from today once again highlights Apple’s work on an ultra-thin “iPhone 17 Air” set to launch next year.According to the report, iPhone 17 Air prototypes are between 5 and 6 millimeters thick, a dramatic reduction compared to the iPhone 16 at 7.8 mm.This focus on making the device as thin as possible has reportedly put Apple engineers in several predicaments… First, cites multiple sources who say that Apple engineers are “finding it hard to fit the battery and thermal materials into the device.” An earlier supply chain report also detailed Apple’s struggles with battery technology for the iPhone 17 Air.
The iPhone 6 currently holds the title as Apple’s thinnest iPhone ever.It measured in at 6.9mm, while the iPhone 6 Plus measured 7.1mm thin.The 11-inch M4 iPad Pro measures just 5.4mm thick, while the 13-inch iPad Pro model measures 5.1mm.
iPhone 16: 7.80mm iPhone 16 Plus: 7.80mm iPhone 16 Pro: 8.25mm iPhone 16 Pro Max: 8.25mm Additionally, the report says that the iPhone 17 Air will only have a single earpiece speaker because of its ultra-thin design.Current iPhone models have a second speaker at the bottom.also reiterates that the iPhone 17 Air will have a single camera on the back housed in a “large, centered camera bump.” The iPhone 17 Air will be “among the first iPhones” to use Apple’s in-house 5G modem, according to the report.
As it stands right now, however, Apple’s modem still can’t match Qualcomm’s 5G chips in terms of performance, although it is more efficient.It also lacks support for mmWave 5G: Finally, says that Apple engineers haven’t yet found a way to fit a physical SIM card tray in the iPhone 17 Air.While Apple has gradually phased out physical SIM cards in the United States and other countries, a SIM card slot is still required for phones sold in China.
The iPhone 17 Air is reportedly in early production trials at Foxconn and recently graduated from proto-1 to proto-2 status. You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day.Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop.
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