iPhone 17 Air price leaks in new report, along with key specs
Apple's ultra-thin iPhone is on its way, and we're now getting an idea of how much it could cost
💰 Apple’s iPhone 17 Air price might’ve just leaked
👀 The ultra-thin phone could start at $899, according to a report
📱 It’s expected to have a 6.6-inch screen, a C1 modem and thin bezels
🔌 It reportedly almost dropped the USB-C port for portless design
📅 Apple will likely announce the iPhone 17 Air this September
Apple may set the iPhone 17 Air price at $899, according to a new report this week, making the ultra-thin phone seem like the replacement for last year’s iPhone 16 Plus.
The iPhone 17 Air price estimate comes from Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, although his sources suggest “the Air may be roughly $900,” so nothing is officially confirmed. That said, the new iPhone model makes sense as a segue from the iPhone Plus series after Apple experienced lackluster sales, and from its looks, the 17 Air could also set the stage for future iPhones with some of its specs.
In the newsletter, Gurman says that the iPhone 17 Air will come with a 6.6-inch 120Hz display with slim bezels (Apple apparently almost went with a 6.9-inch screen but had fears of a huge, thin phone bending too easily). It’ll also come with an A19 processor (not an A19 Pro like in the iPhone 17 Pro), a Dynamic Island, and a single 48MP camera in a huge camera bump on the back. While that sounds vaguely like any other iPhone, the 17 Air will have no issue standing out with its 5.5mm thickness.
Gurman says that despite the thinness, the iPhone 17 Air battery will still be relatively big. While the newsletter doesn’t mention a size, the removal of extra cameras and SIM slot are reportedly enough to maintain a decently-sized cell. Apple has also made important efficiency upgrades on the 17 Air, according to Gurman, which will give the device at least as good endurance as the current iPhone 16.
Good battery life will partially be thanks to the new C1 modem, which replaces the traditional Qualcomm modems that Apple has used for years. Apple unveiled its first custom modem, as explained in our iPhone 16e review, and it’s proven to be a reliable 5G performer that also gets you better battery life. The regular iPhone 17 and 17 Pro will stick with other modems, but for the 17 Air, Apple will utilize its C1.
In addition, Gurman says Apple will include Camera Control on the iPhone 17 Air. The button allows you to easily access the Camera app and Visual Intelligence, while also acting as a slider to precisely adjust settings like exposure and zoom before taking a photo.
As a final note, the iPhone 17 Air will come with a USB-C port, but Gurman says Apple almost ditched it on this device. It’s been generally assumed for years that Apple has been prepping each new iPhone prototype to be so ultra-thin that it ends up being completely portless. The iPhone 17 Air could be an important stepping stone toward that future. For now, we still anticipate Apple will include a USB-C port for charging, but that could change in the near future. Watch this space.
The iPhone 17 Air is expected to launch this September along with the rest of the iPhone 17 series.
Max Buondonno is Editor at The Shortcut. He’s been reporting on the latest consumer technology since 2015, with his work featured on CNN Underscored, ZDNET, How-To Geek, XDA, TheStreet, and more. Follow him on X @LegendaryScoop and Instagram @LegendaryScoop.
