iPhone 17 “Air” leak predicts a strange set of hardware advantages

Apple is once again gearing up to overhaul the iPhone portfolio next year, and it looks like a lot of exciting updates are in the works. The most notable of these is apparently the introduction of a new “iPhone 17 Slim” model, which some rumors are also referring to as the “Air” fit.

So far, the leaks have focused on the phone’s dramatic cosmetic makeover. Specifically, it could be the thinnest iPhone ever made. In addition, it will radically deviate from Apple’s current design language. And if renders floating around social media are to be believed, an all-metal build is on the horizon.

Now, Haitong International analyst Jeff Pu has shared more details (via Macrumors and 9to5Mac) about the phone’s internal hardware. To begin with, the screen size will be 6.6 inches, with a Face ID module on top.

In particular, Pu’s analyst note mentions an aluminum construction, an option that will apparently keep the weight profile low. For the past few years, Apple’s high-end Pro models have been based on stainless steel or a titanium metal composite, starting with the iPhone 15 Pro series.

The next “slim” iPhone will be powered by the next-generation A19 SoC, which will be based on the 3nm process, similar to the A18 series line that powers the iPhone 16 quartet. It will be accompanied by 8GB of RAM , but there’s no word on how much storage Apple will pack into the sleek phone.

In the imaging department, the phone will serve only a single 48-megapixel snapper, a trait that has now become mainstream across the entire iPhone lineup. On the front, however, users will be greeted by a 24-megapixel selfie snapper.

Interestingly, according to MacRumors, the analyst expects the iPhone 17 Slim to arrive as a “mid-range iPhone.” Previous reports, however, have claimed that this will be the most expensive phone Apple has ever made, and would likely cost upwards of $1,200 a pop.

Pricing strategy aside, the upcoming phone is said to replace the “Plus” model in the main iPhone series. This would mark Apple’s second change in less than half a decade, after the short term with the “mini” cut.

But keep in mind that these are all very early predictions for a phone that’s still almost a year away from hitting the market. As expected, take them with a heavy dose of skepticism and prepare for some surprising changes as Apple continues to develop its next-generation smartphones.