Highlights

• The iPhone 17 Air leaked image shows a slimness comparison with the iPhone 16 Plus.
• The device will reportedly be just 5.5mm thin and weigh 145g, making it one of Apple’s slimmest phones.
• It reportedly will have a small 2,800mAh battery and only one rear camera as trade-offs for the slim design.

The iPhone 17 Air is undoubtedly the most talked-about upcoming iPhone of the entire iPhone 17 Series. It is expected to launch this September alongside the three other models, which are iPhone 17, 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max. We already have a lot of updates giving us a somewhat clear picture of what to expect from 17 Air.

Some reports have claimed the iPhone 17 Air is sort of an indirect replacement for the iPhone 16 Plus model. And now, popular tipster Majin Bu on X (formerly Twitter) has shared some images and wrote, “Is iPhone 17 Air a good upgrade?”

Is iPhone 17 Air a good upgrade? pic.twitter.com/AfbYZfKCmv

— Majin Bu (@MajinBuOfficial) May 18, 2025

The images give us a side-by-side look at the upcoming iPhone 17 Air and iPhone 16 Plus.

Caption – A side-by-side comparison between the upcoming iPhone 17 Air and iPhone 16 Plus. (Image credit – @MajinBuOfficial on X)

The Plus models have consistently been the least popular among the four main iPhones each year, which is likely why Apple is switching things up. The company is reportedly hoping that a slimmer design will make the iPhone 17 Air more appealing to buyers.

Based on the latest rumours, the iPhone 17 Air could be just 5.5mm thin (some reports say 5.65mm), making it one of Apple’s slimmest devices yet. But that thinness comes at a cost, a tiny 2,800 mAh battery. For context, even the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, known for being slim itself and packs a 3,900 mAh battery.

Apple’s possible solution is a battery case, which would completely cancel out the benefit of having such a thin phone in the first place.

The iPhone 17 Air will reportedly weigh just 145g, which is lighter than the S25 Edge at 163g. However, it’s also said to come with just one rear camera, while Samsung’s slim flagship still manages to include two.

So while the iPhone 17 Air might be sleek and light, it seems Apple has made some big trade-offs to get there.

FAQs

Q1. How does the iPhone 17 Air compare to the iPhone 16 Plus in terms of design?

Answer. The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be slimmer, measuring 5.5mm to 5.65mm thick, compared to the iPhone 16 Plus. Apple hopes the sleek design will appeal to buyers.

Q2. What are the trade-offs of the iPhone 17 Air’s thin design?

Answer. The phone reportedly has a tiny 2,800mAh battery, much smaller than competitors like the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge (3,900mAh). Apple might offer a battery case solution.

Q3. Will the iPhone 17 Air include multiple rear cameras?

Answer. No, the iPhone 17 Air is rumoured to come with just one rear camera, while competing slim smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge include two rear sensors.