The iPhone 17 Air has been making rounds lately in the form of a dummy model. Now we have another batch of leaked images, showing Apple's idea of an ultra-thin phone next to the latest model of the company—the iPhone 16e.
The model is all but confirmed by now with all the leaks and rumors populating the interweb space of late, and one of the key features of the new addition to Apple's portfolio is its thickness. The iPhone 17 Air is expected to land at just 5.4 mm thickness, setting a new standard for bar phones.
Of course, these are just numbers until we see the phone next to a regular model, and that's just what we have here. The images are courtesy of the leaker Majin Bu, who posted on X the dummy of the iPhone 17 Air stacked on top of an iPhone 16e.
There's only one camera on the back of those two phones | Image by Majin Bu
For reference, the iPhone 16e is not the thickest phone out there, coming in at 7.8 mm, but even compared to this slim device, the iPhone 17 Air looks amazingly thin.
Further down the rumored specs sheet, we find a 6.6-inch display and an interesting, some might even call it controversial, camera bar design on the back. There's only one camera housed inside this bar, probably similar to the one used on the iPhone 16e.
Renders of the iPhone 17 Aid and the iPhone 17 Pro with the new camera design
Rumors suggest that the iPhone 17 Air will have a smallish battery and no bottom-firing loudspeaker. The phone is expected alongside the other members of the iPhone 17 family sometime in September, and the rumored price is $899.
However, in light of the recent tariff situation, this price tag might be revised when the official announcement comes.
The Galaxy S25 Edge is another upcoming model from the thin herd
This one is a clear chicken-and-egg situation, as we're not sure which one came first, but what's clear is that the two companies are going to launch super-thin models that will compete with each other.
The Galaxy S25 Edge is expected to have a very similar 6.6-inch screen and a thickness of 6.4 mm. The price tag that's going around places the Edge as a tad more expensive than the Air at $1099.
At this stage it looks like the Galaxy S25 Edge will have a camera advantage, as it's expected to have two snappers, as opposed to the one on the iPhone 17 Air, as well as probably a bigger battery, but we have to really make a thorough comparison to see which one got the thin phone equation right.
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Do we need super thin phones?
The Tecno Spark Slim was features in our Best of MWC article with its 5.75mm thickness | Image by PhoneArena
Which brings us to our two cents here. We've tested a lot of phones over the years, some of which were extremely thin, albeit not smartphones, and others being foldables. We also got to try the Tecno Spark Slim, an amazing working concept that's just 5.75 mm thick.
While it's absolutely amazing to experience such thin devices for the first time, we don't think it's the most practical thing to use on a daily basis. When you go below a certain thickness, phones start to feel uncomfortable in the hand, and there are some concerns with the phone's rigidity.
It remains to be seen whether people will be willing to pay extra and get less (in terms of these two models, there have to be some hardware sacrifices to reach the target thickness) just to have a super thin phone.
What do you think? Are you excited about the upcoming iPhone 17 Air and the Galaxy S25 Edge, or do you prefer more conventional "thicker" phones? Let us know in the comments below.
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Mariyan, a tech enthusiast with a background in Nuclear Physics and Journalism, brings a unique perspective to PhoneArena. His childhood curiosity for gadgets evolved into a professional passion for technology, leading him to the role of Editor-in-Chief at PCWorld Bulgaria before joining PhoneArena. Mariyan's interests range from mainstream Android and iPhone debates to fringe technologies like graphene batteries and nanotechnology. Off-duty, he enjoys playing his electric guitar, practicing Japanese, and revisiting his love for video games and Haruki Murakami's works.
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