This year, Apple is expected to introduce a sleeker, slimmer iPhone 17 Air. Alongside the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max, it will complete the highly anticipated lineup.
While I’m not typically a fan of the ‘thinner is better’ trend, as it often means sacrificing valuable features, I can’t help but feel intrigued by the upcoming Air model.
Why am I considering the iPhone 17 Air?
I’m still using my trusty iPhone 13 mini, and if you’ve read any of my past articles, you know I swear by it. It’s not for its battery (certainly not), or its cameras (they’re fine, but not spectacular), but for its size. The 5.4-inch iPhone 13 mini is perfect for what I need in a phone. With a laptop for work and an iPad for everything else – from binge-watching to reading – my phone is simply a small, pocketable device that I carry everywhere.
However, the iPhone 13 mini is getting old. I’m eager to explore the latest tech, especially Apple’s innovations, whether they’re gimmicky or not. And I’d rather not have iOS 26 turn my phone into a sluggish device.
This is where the iPhone 17 Air comes in. It’s rumored to have a 6.7-inch display, much larger than my mini, but it’s also expected to be thinner. That’s a major factor in my decision to lean toward it rather than the regular iPhone 17 or Pro models. A thinner phone might still slide into my pocket or bag without feeling like a heavy brick. Add in a titanium build, and I might just be able to use it without a case. After all, what’s the point of a slim phone if you’re going to bury it in a bulky case?
The rumored 5.4mm profile could be the very feature that convinces me to upgrade. It should feel sleek and comfortable in hand. And coming from the mini, any improvement in battery life is a win. The iPhone 17 Air is expected to have a 2,800mAh battery, a slight increase from the 2,406mAh in the mini. While still small compared to many phones today, it’s a decent upgrade.
What about the downsides?
Of course, a thinner phone comes with trade-offs. The major one? The camera setup. The iPhone 17 Air is rumored to have a single rear camera, similar to the iPhone 16e. However, it’s expected to cost significantly more. The rear camera will likely be a 48 MP lens, with a 24 MP selfie camera. Compared to the iPhone 13 mini’s 12 MP main and ultrawide cameras, along with its 12 MP front camera, that’s a notable improvement.
While I’d lose a lens, if the larger sensor delivers as expected (and it probably will), I’m okay with that compromise. However, the iPhone 17 Air’s camera still won’t match the capabilities of the iPhone 17 or the Pro models. The iPhone 17 Pro, despite being thicker, will feature a 6.3-inch display and triple 48MP lenses – main, ultrawide, and telephoto – with 3.5x or even 5x optical zoom. That’s next-level camera technology.
So, will the iPhone 17 Air be worth it for me?
If you’re upgrading from an iPhone 13 mini, the Air will feel like a huge step up, assuming you’re okay with the larger screen. With no mini or any phone under 6 inches on the horizon, compact phone lovers like me have little choice but to go bigger. But if the phone’s going to be larger, at least it can be thinner. It’s still different and still compact, just in a new form.
Would you consider switching to the iPhone 17 Air? Is there one feature that could convince you to make the jump?