iPhone 17 Air: everything you need to know

Apple has officially set the date for its annual fall event. On September 9, the company will host its “Awe Dropping” keynote at the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino.

The highlight of the launch will be the iPhone 17 Air, a model that promises to be the thinnest iPhone ever made.

Design and Size

The iPhone 17 Air will come in at just 5.5mm thick—more than 2mm slimmer than the iPhone 16’s 7.8mm body, and even thinner than the Galaxy S25 Edge (5.8mm). It will feature a 6.6-inch display and weigh around 145 grams, putting it in the same weight class as the iPhone 13 mini.

The frame is said to use a hybrid titanium-aluminum alloy, and unlike the rest of the iPhone 17 lineup, the Air could be the only model with a titanium build. Apple has also redesigned the camera housing, giving it a pill-shaped horizontal bump, while reducing glass content in the frame for better durability against drops.

Color options will include black, white, light gold, and blue.

Chip and Performance

The device is expected to run on either the A19 chip or a modified A19 Pro with one fewer GPU core than the Pro models. Like the iPhone 17 Pro, it will ship with 12GB of RAM and use a vapor chamber cooling system for improved thermal efficiency.

Cameras

To achieve such a thin profile, Apple opted for a single 48MP wide rear camera, the same sensor found in the iPhone 16e. On the front, the selfie camera will be upgraded to 24MP and positioned on the left side of the Dynamic Island.

Battery and Charging

Battery life is the most pressing concern. The thinner body leaves little room for capacity, with leaks suggesting a 2,800–2,900mAh cell—roughly the same as the iPhone 12. Apple is reportedly offsetting this with higher-density batteries, the new C1 modem, and chip efficiency gains, but endurance will likely trail behind other iPhone 17 models.

On the charging side, the iPhone 17 Air will support the Qi 2.2 standard, allowing 25W wireless charging, on par with MagSafe.

Connectivity and Features

The Air will be the second iPhone, after the iPhone 16e, to use Apple’s in-house C1 5G modem, though it won’t support mmWave. All iPhone 17 models will also adopt Apple’s new Wi-Fi 7 chip for faster and more efficient wireless connectivity.

Other features include:

• Camera control via AirPods
• MagSafe charging
• Action Button
• No SIM tray in more countries
• Ships with iOS 26 pre-installed

Price and Availability

The iPhone 17 Air is expected to start at $899, the same as the iPhone 16 Plus. However, analysts warn that tariff adjustments could still push the price higher.