New iPhone 17 Air leak shows off what may be the thinnest iPhone ever

AppleInsider

If a sketchy leaker is correct, the iPhone 17 Air will be practically half the thickness of the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

Renders of what the iPhone 17 Air could look like - Image Credit: AppleInsider

We are firmly in the phase of the iPhone leak cycle where models and CAD drawings offer glimpses of what the upcoming releases will look like. In the latest image leak, the discussion is all about thickness.

Apple is expected to be introducing the iPhone 17 Air as one of its fall updates for 2025. As the name implies, it is expected to be a very thin version of the iPhone, much thinner than other models on the roster.

iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Air in comparison pic.twitter.com/Xtgz1j1nMN

-- Majin Bu (@MajinBuOfficial)

March 25, 2025

In an image shared by serial leaker Majin Bu on X on Tuesday, the end of two white iPhone bodies are visible. Based on the white construction and the empty USB-C ports, these are probably 3D-printed models based on CAD images.

The way that the image is laid out, along with the basic message of "iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Air in comparison," indicates it is all about thickness. In the photograph, one phone is practically half the thickness of the other, with that one presumably the iPhone 17 Air.

A question of thickness

Depending on the rumor, the thickness of the iPhone 17 Air or iPhone 17 Slim can vary wildly. In one Weibo Ice Universe claim from March 12, the iPhone 17 Air could have a total thickness of 9.5millimeters including the camera bump, with the bump alone accounting for 4mm, equating to a 5.5mm body thickness.

This lines up with one report from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who says the slimline iPhone will have a 5.5mm thickness.

Previous rumors have offered that an iPhone with a thickness of 6mm would be possible, but going further would be hard due to battery design issues.

For comparison, the iPhone 16 Pro Max is the thickest current-gen model at 8.25mm. Apple does not include the camera bump as part of its thickness measurement.

If the rumored thickness of the Air model is true, and if the thickness of the iPhone 17 Pro Max is about the same as the current-gen equivalent, that would make the Air approximately half as thick as its Pro Max counterpart.

Despite the numerous rumor and leak sources about the measurements of the Air, it is worth remembering that no-one outside of Apple officially knows the dimensions or other specifications of the upcoming release. While details will crystalize closer to launch, we won't truly know until Apple launches the smartphone in the fall.

Rumor Score: Possible

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charlesn

Gosh, I'd be happy to do a remedial math course with the AI staff to help with future articles. At 5.5mm, the Air/Slim would be one-third slimmer than the 8.25mm iPhone Pro Max. I know half as thick sounds way more awesome but it just doesn't happen to be true. Half as thick would be 4.13mm. Also: the Pro Max, with its pro camera system is a poor phone for comparison. Compared to the iPhone Plus, a phone much closer in its feature set, the Slim would be just 29% thinner -- and you'll have to give up one camera lens, battery life and fast 5G while paying a higher price to get 2mm worth of additional thinness. Makes sense, though--just look at all the non-stop comments you read from people who want to trade battery life for a thinner, more expensive phone. /s

edited March 25

oberpongo

I hope the bring the Air in 2 sizes. The smaller one actually in mini format would be awesome. 

oberpongo

charlesn said:

Gosh, I'd be happy to do a remedial math course with the AI staff to help with future articles. At 5.5mm, the Air/Slim would be one-third slimmer than the 8.25mm iPhone Pro Max. I know half as thick sounds way more awesome but it just doesn't happen to be true. Half as thick would be 4.13mm. Also: the Pro Max, with its pro camera system is a poor phone for comparison. Compared to the iPhone Plus, a phone much closer in its feature set, the Slim would be just 29% thinner -- and you'll have to give up one camera lens, battery life and fast 5G while paying a higher price to get 2mm worth of additional thinness. Makes sense, though--just look at all the non-stop comments you read from people who want to trade battery life for a thinner, more expensive phone. /s

Or maybe the AI staff meant that the iPhone 17 pro is 50% thicker than the iPhone Air. That’s a common problem for math students. 

eriamjh

At least it’s not 2x smaller.