Apple iPhone 17 Air tipped to foreshadow future portless iPhone

Bloomberg analyst Mark Gurman has shared new insights into the development of the iPhone 17 Air, which is expected to launch this autumn alongside direct successors to the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. Based on recent leaks and rumours, Apple's first 'Air' branded iPhone will arrive somewhere between the size of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max but with a case that is a mere 5.5 mm thick. 

Specifically, Gurman reports that the iPhone 17 Air will house a 6.6-inch display. However, the Apple analyst suggests that the company had planned to use a 6.9-inch panel, presumably the same panel found in the iPhone 16 Pro Max. Gurman adds that early 'D23' prototypes lacked a physical charging port. Instead, they relied upon MagSafe, with file transfers handled exclusively via the cloud.

Unsurprisingly, that idea has been shelved for the time being, particularly given Apple's recent battles with the European Commission over using a common charging port. Gurman alleges that the long-rumoured portless iPhone could return, but only if a new ultra-thin iPhone proves popular. In the short term, future Pro iPhones could benefit from some of the Air's innovations if the latter gains traction within a generation or two.

Moreover, the analyst claims that display, battery, iOS and modem optimisations will not see the iPhone 17 Air compromising on battery life, even with a 120 Hz ProMotion panel. On top of that, Gurman expects the iPhone 17 Air to line up for about as much as the iPhone 16 Plus (curr. $729.95 - renewed on Amazon). If that does occur, it would see Apple's first 'Air' iPhone launching for circa $899.