The 2025 iPhone lineup is expected to acquire a new surprise edition. This is a new variant of the iPhone that is likely to be called the iPhone 17 Air. According to industry rumours, this new iPhone is the slimmest Apple device, offering users the same premium iPhone experience, just like what Apple offers other air variations in its iPad and MacBook lineup. However, this new edition is not the fifth iPhone, but it could replace the existing iPhone 16 Plus instead.
Apple reportedly doesn’t reach expected sales for its Plus variant even when using the iPhone 16 Plus, so hopes that in 2025 it will replace the variant with a completely new iPhone 17 Air It is done. According to analysts like Mark Garman of Bloomberg, this move to replace the iPhone 16 Plus with the new iPhone 17 Air, bringing Apple to attract more customers with more refined designs and sophisticated features. It may be helpful.
While Apple has not confirmed or implied this new variation, rumors and speculation have already fueled expectations. Let’s take a closer look at what the new iPhone 17 Air has to offer and how it offers a different experience compared to the iPhone 16 Plus.
iPhone 17 Air vs iPhone 16 Plus: Design
The most important change in the current iPhone 16 Plus and its expected alternative iPhone 17 Air is the design. The iPhone 17 Air is rumoured to be Apple’s thinnest iPhone, suggesting just 5.5mm thick at its slimmer point. If this is the case, this design marks dramatic reductions compared to the 7.8mm thick iPhone 16 Plus.
While being a Slimmer, the iPhone 17 Air is said to not compete with the Pro model as previously expected. The new iPhone 17 Air is expected to feature an aluminum chassis that discards the titanium used in Pro models. In comparison, the iPhone 16 Plus has a larger, more traditional build. This is larger than the standard iPhone 16 model.
In particular, the design is one of the selling points of the iPhone 16 Plus. This is to provide an iPhone Pro Max size but provide standard specifications for users, so it requires a larger display. However, this strategy doesn’t seem to work with Apple. Therefore, the company may move towards offering a more refined and lightweight iPhone.
iPhone 17 Air vs iPhone 16 Plus: Display
On the front, the iPhone 17 Air is slightly smaller than the iPhone 16 Plus’s 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR screen, with a 6.55-inch display. Despite the size reduction, the Air could boast Apple’s latest and upgraded display technology. In fact, with the iPhone 17 series, Apple is rumored to expand its promotional technology across its lineup, allowing for a 120Hz refresh rate for smooth scrolling and improved video playback. Additionally, the display feature, which is always on, can reach the air. Meanwhile, the iPhone 16 Plus currently only offers the standard 60Hz refresh rate.
iPhone 17 Air vs iPhone 16 Plus: Camera
The camera also gets a major update with the new iPhone 17 series, including the expected iPhone 17 Air. Unlike the iPhone 16 Plus, which houses a dual camera setup (48 megapixels + 12 megapixels), Air may have an upgraded rear camera. However, reports suggest that unlike the iPhone 16 Plus dual camera setup, the iPhone 17 Air only has a single camera to achieve a sophisticated design.
Despite only one camera, it is expected that the camera will be optimized with advanced software extensions to ensure high quality photography. Additionally, the front camera is set to be a major upgrade across the iPhone 17 lineup, with the new 24 megapixel sensor being replaced by the iPhone 16 Plus 12 megapixel shooter. With this upgrade, the user enhances the selfie and improves the quality of video calls.
iPhone 17 Air vs iPhone 16 Plus: Performance
Under the hood, the iPhone 17 Air is reportedly powered by Apple’s next-generation A19 chip built on an advanced 3nm process. This chipset offers better performance and energy efficiency compared to the current A18 chips found on the iPhone 16 Plus. The Air also features 8GB of RAM, which matches the iPhone 16 series, but the features of Apple Intelligence in particular help improve multitasking and smoother operation.
iPhone 17 Air vs iPhone 16 Plus: Connection
To achieve a slimmer profile, it is rumored that Apple will rely solely on ESIM technology around the world to completely eliminate physical SIM card slots. This is in contrast to the iPhone 16 Plus and still offers SIM card slots in many other markets other than the United States.
Additionally, Air is one of the first iPhones with Apple’s in-house 5G modem and Wi-Fi 7 support, promising faster connections and increased power efficiency. In particular, the iPhone SE 4, rumored to arrive next month, could potentially debut its first on Apple’s in-house modem.
iPhone 17 Air vs iPhone 16 Plus: Battery life
Apart from a larger design and display, the iPhone 16 Plus offers a larger battery than the standard iPhone. However, the battery can be hit on the iPhone 17 Air. Nevertheless, Apple may offset this potential battery downgrade by improving the energy efficiency from the optimization of A19 chips and displays. Regarding durability, the air may have a new reflection coating on the display, which is more scratch resistance than the current model ceramic shield.
