Apple is reportedly planning another overhaul of its smartphone lineup later this year, replacing the current Plus model with a new “Air” trim. So far, we have only seen concept renders and 3D-printed dummy units purportedly depicting the iPhone 17 Air, but a fresh leak offers the best glimpse at what the real thing could look like.
Leakster MajinBu has shared an image titled “iPhone 17 Air” in which a person is depicted holding the upcoming phone’s realistic representation. It almost feels like a finished dummy unit, the kind you can easily find in retail stores.
We get a clear look at the metallic frame and what looks like two-toned glass on the rear shell. Apple has been following this glossy-frosted pattern for a while now, and it seems the company is going to serve just that for its heavily anticipated ultra-slim phone.
Is that you, Pixel?
I am not sure if I am a fan of what I see in the latest leaked photo. So far, the 3D-printed blocks and concept images have shown a horizontal camera island that meets seamlessly with the rear glass shell, instead of prominently standing out with a pasted-on look.
On one hand, it would make sense that Apple is not straying too far from its home turf, but at this point, the aesthetic language is starting to feel a little overused. Moreover, the overall approach for the iPhone 17 Air looks eerily similar to the Google Pixel 9 series smartphones and their signature pill-shaped camera bump at the back.
Were it not for the stretched camera island, the device would look almost identical to the iPhone 16e. It’s hard to discern just how thick the camera island is going to be, since the image depicts it in a glass-like transparent look against a white backdrop.
What’s inside, or could be?
So far, leaks have predicted a single 48-megapixel rear camera on the iPhone 17 Air, and a next-gen 24-megapixel selfie camera that will appear on its siblings, as well. It will likely draw power from the A19 processor based on the 3-nanometer node, ticking alongside 12GB of RAM.
With a sleek side profile of just 5.1mm across, the phone is said to offer a 6.7-inch OLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. Notably, this one could ditch the physical SIM slot in favor of an eSIM for all markets.
On the connectivity side, Apple is reportedly equipping it with an in-house modem. It’s unclear whether it is going to be a next-gen chip or if it will use the C1 modem that has already appeared inside the iPhone 16e, but misses out on the faster 5G mmWave capability.
Nadeem is a tech and science journalist who started reading about cool smartphone tech out of curiosity and soon started…
iPhone 17e surfaces in new leak, and it might be closer than you think
Apple’s iPhone 16e is still fresh, but it still made a good impression and earned its place among some of the best smartphones for budget-oriented users. This led many Apple fans to wonder whether the 16e was a one-off or not. According to a reliable leaker, it seems that Apple is set on making the iPhone 17e, and it’s already working on the new phone.
Anyone who wonders about the future of the iPhone 16e is most likely not alone. After all, the 16e replaced the iPhone SE, and that left it in a peculiar position in Apple’s smartphone range. As it was made clear that the 16e belongs to Apple’s iPhone 16 lineup, many expected it to receive a yearly release schedule, much like what the higher-end models follow. On the other hand, the SE had its own update schedule and wasn’t refreshed at the same time as the other iPhones. It’s hard not to wonder where that leaves the iPhone 16e, which both belongs to a generation and is a replacement for the SE.
The iPhone 17 could face a supply shortage that makes it hard to buy
The expected date of the iPhone 17 launch is less than five months away, but Apple’s initial inventory buildup has run into a few hiccups. Before launching a new device — especially one that will likely sell out quickly — companies tend to make sure there is sufficient supply to meet the demand. However, a shortage of a vital component means Apple isn’t able to produce iPhone 17 devices as fast as they need to.
The component in question is low thermal expansion coefficient, or low-CTE, fiberglass cloth. Low-CTE fiberglass cloth is a key part of managing heat. In a closed, tightly-packed environment like an iPhone chassis, heat isn’t able to dissipate as easily. Without a way to handle it correctly, the increased temperatures can cause other components to expand. While this usually isn’t enough to outright break a phone, it can reduce its longevity, result in performance problems, and have a serious impact on battery life.
iPhone 17 Pro may get a wild, must-have accessory that beats a case
The Apple iPhone 17 Pro may get an unusual customization option, if an image showing a wild new accessory type is accurate. Instead of just wrapping your phone in a case or a skin, the iPhone 17 Pro’s distinctive camera module may support colorful panels to spice up the look of the phone, and make good use of all that blank space we expect to see around the cameras.
Anyone who has seen early renders of the iPhone 17 Pro’s possible design will have been struck by the large camera module on the back, which appears flat and houses three main cameras on the left, with a flash unit and another sensor on the right. The space between them is entirely unused, and that’s where the rumored panels come into play.
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