Insider explains who the iPhone 17 Air is for
Apple is widely expected to launch a slim iPhone 17 model that will replace the Plus variant in its next lineup. In the latest edition of his weekly Power On newsletter, Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman reveals why Apple is releasing a superthin iPhone.
Apple has so far not been successful in creating a fourth iPhone model with the same mass-market appeal as the standard, Pro, and Pro Max models. After being led to believe that there was demand for a compact model by a small but vocal online community, Apple released the iPhone mini but ended up replacing it with a bigger Plus model a couple of years later due to tepid demand.
The response to the Plus model was likewise lukewarm, which is seemingly why Apple is discontinuing it and launching a thin model, which rumors indicate will either be called the iPhone 17 Slim or iPhone 17 Air.
The iPhone 17 Air has been inspired by the success of the MacBook Air, according to Gurman. The MacBook Air sits in the middle of Apple's laptop lineup and is targeted at people who don't necessarily need the most impressive specs.
Gurman is skeptical about the strategy working for iPhones. He fears that the iPhone Air is doomed to fail like the mini and Plus series.
The only form factor that may sell well is a foldable iPhone, according to Gurman. A bendable iPhone model is expected in 2026 at the earliest, with a slight possibility that it will be delayed until 2027.
Though the iPhone 17 Air is rumored to feature up-to-date key specs like the alleged A19 chip and a screen with the Dynamic Island and a 120Hz refresh rate, it will be lacking in other areas, particularly the camera department. Given that the iPhones are among the best camera phones, Apple may already be setting its slim model up for failure by equipping it with a single rear camera system.
Apple has so far not been successful in creating a fourth iPhone model with the same mass-market appeal as the standard, Pro, and Pro Max models. After being led to believe that there was demand for a compact model by a small but vocal online community, Apple released the iPhone mini but ended up replacing it with a bigger Plus model a couple of years later due to tepid demand.
The iPhone 17 Air has been inspired by the success of the MacBook Air, according to Gurman. The MacBook Air sits in the middle of Apple's laptop lineup and is targeted at people who don't necessarily need the most impressive specs.
Apple follows a similar strategy with the iPad Air, which is a step below its highest-end iPad Pro tablets.
Gurman is skeptical about the strategy working for iPhones. He fears that the iPhone Air is doomed to fail like the mini and Plus series.
For its third attempt, Apple will go with a slimmed-down iPhone, aiming to replicate its success with the MacBook Air. That computer is a mid-tier offering at a great price, for people who don’t need the most impressive specifications. But I’m not sure this strategy will translate from laptops to phones. I predict the “iPhone Air” will suffer the same fate as the mini and Plus lines. In my opinion, the only alternative iPhone that will sell well is a foldable model.
Mark Gurman, Bloomberg reporter, November 2024
Though the iPhone 17 Air is rumored to feature up-to-date key specs like the alleged A19 chip and a screen with the Dynamic Island and a 120Hz refresh rate, it will be lacking in other areas, particularly the camera department. Given that the iPhones are among the best camera phones, Apple may already be setting its slim model up for failure by equipping it with a single rear camera system.
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