We’re expecting a weird iPhone 17 lineup in 2025 because of the iPhone 17 Air, which won’t be perfect but will be futuristic. Here’s what you need to know.
iPhone 17 Air won’t be perfect, but it will be futuristic
The iPhone 16 will be released in a few weeks, but there are already many rumors about the iPhone 17 models of 2025. And especially about the iPhone 17 Air, which will in any case be futuristic.
iPhone Slim/Ultra/Air Rumors
Early rumors of a unique new iPhone model in 2025 quickly pointed to an iPhone Ultra. It would be more expensive than the 17 Pro Max, have an ultra-thin design, a redesigned camera system and more.
Apple has had a lot of success with the Apple Watch Ultra, so an iPhone 17 Ultra makes sense. However, that name quickly fell out of favor. This was mainly because, according to a new rumor, it would have a worse chip than in the Pro models.
The iPhone 17 Air
This confusion only ended when Mark Gurman introduced the name iPhone 17 Air. The name ‘Air’ may not be what it used to be, but Apple still uses the term for MacBook and iPad models. For example, the MacBook Air is Apple’s thinnest and lightest notebook. The iPad Air, on the other hand, is not. That is more of a mid-range model that essentially sits between the iPad and the iPad Pro.
For the iPhone 17 Air, both meanings of the name ‘Air’ seem to fit. Like the MacBook Air, this will be Apple’s thinnest and lightest iPhone. And like the iPad Air, it will be above the base model of the iPhone 17, but below the 17 Pro (Max). The name iPhone 17 Air is therefore appropriate in that respect.
The iPhone 17 Air will be futuristic but not perfect
The iPhone 17 Air not only takes its name from the MacBook Air, it follows in its tradition. The MacBook Air originally launched in 2008 as a remarkably thin and light laptop. It received a lot of praise, but also some criticism. Why? Because it was clearly not the “best” MacBook.
To build such a thin MacBook, Apple had to make some concessions. For example, there was no optical drive, fewer connections and the battery life was much lower. In terms of design, the Air was futuristic, but it was certainly not the best MacBook.
Something similar seems to apply to the iPhone 17 Air, which will also get a futuristic design. Concessions that we expect there are a worse camera than the Pro models, a shorter battery life and the A19 chip that performs less well than the A19 Pro chip in the Pro models. How futuristic the design of the iPhone 17 Air will be exactly and to what extent the performance will be less than that of the Pro models remains to be seen.
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