iPhone 16 Pro Max? No, thanks, here's why I'm waiting for the iPhone 17 Air

So I've been trying hard to transition from iPhone to Android, as I really like folding phones like the Galaxy Z Fold 6, and Apple isn't going to deliver its own book-like foldable anytime soon, if ever, according to reliable insiders.

And this year's upcoming iPhone 16 series is anything but exciting for me, with their biggest selling point arguably being Apple Intelligence, that won't even be available in my region at launch, so what's my incentive to "upgrade" then?

Still, the billion dollar company with great, safe products and a pretty tight hold on the US smartphone market appears to finally be doing something right – fixing the iPhone.

What do I mean by that? Well, I mean releasing an iPhone that actually fits with Apple's other products, such as MacBooks and iPads, making everything more consistent.

And an iPhone I believe I might actually want to buy next year, when it's rumored to come out – the likely-to-be-called iPhone 17 Air.

Here's why that phone's actually a long-overdue good thing for Apple and its customers; me being one for quite a long time…

I don't want an expensive, heavy iPhone 16 Pro Max, I want a perfect middle-ground iPhone that's light, has long battery life, and doesn't skimp on too many features

For many, many years now I've only been buying Apple's "Air" brand of products. iPad Air, MacBook Air, iPhone Air… oh wait, that third one never existed, so I've been forced to buy either the iPhone mini, when that was around, or the iPhone Plus.

There was no other option for people like me, who don't want the cheapest, base iPhone, but definitely also don't need the most expensive, and in my opinion – heavy – iPhone Pro model.

The iPhone mini evidently didn't sell as well as Apple had hoped, so it bit the dust after two generations. I bought it, actually, but never saw anyone else using it…

Then Apple went the other extreme, and its follow-up middle-of-the-road iPhone model became the iPhone Plus. I bought that too, but once again, I don't see many people using it.

Which is odd to me, because unlike the iPhone mini, the iPhone Plus has a practical screen and good battery life. Regardless, most people seem to stick with either the base iPhone or the Pro Max, from what I'm seeing.

So what's Apple's next attempt at a good middle-ground iPhone? Well, what if Apple stops confusing its users with minis and Plus models, and just settles on an iPhone called the iPhone Air, that will actually make sense, and sound familiar to everyone?

Now that's something people like me might actually find worthwhile! Especially if it's actually impressively thin and light; not like the current iPad Air, which is confusingly less thin than the iPad Pro.

Let's just say Apple has a consistency problem, but an iPhone Air would fix some of that, and I'm all for it.

So what else is there about next year's iPhone 17 Air; what makes it worthwhile for me – someone who just switched to Android? Well…

Evidently we're to expect it to be thin, light, with Apple's upcoming Action Button, and hopefully by then – Apple Intelligence in more regions than just the US.

Its internals, including processor and cameras, will likely be the same as on the base iPhone 17; likely a bigger screen, though, but most importantly – an attractive overall design.

Take that with a grain of salt, but according to rumors from insiders, Apple truly expects this particular new iPhone model to boost its iPhone sales next year, and will likely bank hard on the design, making it as appealing (yet – as always – safe) as possible.

And I'm all for that – good specs and a great design is exactly why I gravitate towards foldables. Not that a thin iPhone can compare with, say, the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, but for Apple, you're kind of forced to appreciate even the small design changes. Apple users don't get much more than that.

So by the time the iPhone 17 Air comes out, likely September 2025, I expect myself to be thoroughly tired of carrying a chunky Android folding phone around, ready to jump ship back to iPhone, if the Air really turns out to be as appealing as Apple and its investors are hoping.

I'd finally have an iPhone Air, to fit with my MacBook Air and iPad Air; not that the devices' names matter that much, but like I said, I value a reasonable price, thinnes, lightness, and good battery life – so that's what all three of these should have in common.

To be fair, we're yet to see how good of a battery life a tinner iPhone 17 Air could really deliver. Apple may drop the ball in its quest to make this phone as thin and visually striking as possible, but judging by this year's shockingly ultrathin iPad Pro models, there wasn't really a sacrifice in battery life. So hopefully, the same will apply to the iPhone Air.

What do you think about the iPhone 17 Air so far? Yay or nay?

So that's my plan for the next two years – stick with a foldable Android phone, then switch to the iPhone 17 Air, as I continue hoping (likely in vain) for a book-like foldable iPhone, just to see more competition in the folding phone market.

What about you – your thoughts on the iPhone 17 Air? Will it sell as well as Apple's hoping? Will Apple manage to make it that visually appealing, enough to actually boost iPhone sales next year? Share your predictions in the comments section below!