Apple’s rumored ultra slim design iPhone 17 Air set to launch late 2025 has been generating lots of buzz. According to recent reports, the iPhone 17 Air is facing technical challenges and cost problems which might have resulted in the device not being as thin as Apple had thought.
For example, the Naver Blog says Apple was developing a new battery technology with a thinner substrate to bring the iPhone 17 Air down in thickness. But there have reportedly been technical and cost issues so the company has gone back to existing battery technology. This elimination ensures that Apple can never reach the coveted slimness goal of the iPhone 17 Air.
iPhone 17 Air: Still Slimmer Than Ever
But those setbacks do mean that the iPhone 17 Air will slip a little, being a little thinner than Apple’s slimmest smartphone to date, the iPhone 6, which debuted in 2014 and quickly became infamous for bendgate. This also means that the iPhone 17 Air will be a lot thinner than the iPhone 16 series, considering the device is rumored to sport a thickness of 6mm.
Though the iPhone 17 Air won’t be as thin as first hoped, it’ll still be slimmer than anything else ever made. While Apple’s pursuit of an ultra thin design is often criticized for hindering user experience, it more clearly signifies Apple’s sacred commitment to beautifully subverting the laws of smartphone engineering and aesthetics.
Next-Gen Features and Specifications
Aside from its slim profile, the rumored iPhone 17 Air has automatically been announced the first non Pro iPhone with a 120Hz display for a smoother and more responsive user experience. Apple’s next generation A19 is said to power the device too, promising top notch performance and efficiency.
Others iPhone 17 Air features include Action Button, Camera Control and Apple Intelligence. These features of the phone coupled with the ultra slim design of the iPhone 17 Air are making it one highly esteemed release in the smartphone market.
Samsung’s Response: Galaxy S25 Slim
Apple is busy preparing to launch the iPhone 17 Air when its main competitor, Samsung, reportedly is developing an ultra thin smartphone on its own — the Galaxy S25 Slim. The Galaxy S25 Slim is set to be the thinnest flagship smartphone by Samsung, launching Q2 of 2025.
The ongoing war between Apple and Samsung in the race to innovate and capture the attention of consumers in the ultra-thin smartphone category is clearly evident in the ongoing race to innovate and capture the attention of consumers in the ultra thin smartphone category. Both companies continue to push the envelope of what smartphones can be, products produced are getting increasingly sleeker and more advanced as each year passes.
The Future of Ultra-Slim Smartphones
And as technology advances, if phone manufacturers keep trying to offer more and more ultra slim products, then that becomes a very positive factor. Despite the technical challenges and cost involved, Apple and Samsung are expected to keep pouring research and development dollars into the project to eventually bring ever slimmer devices to consumers.
While everything has not quite gone to plan with the ultra-slim design of the iPhone 17 Air, it belongs firmly in a proud line of smartphone engineering and aesthetics. With Apple and its competitors pushing the limits of what’s possible in smartphone design, consumers can expect that trend to continue and all the smartphone manufacturers to continue offering what will inevitably be sleeker, more powerful and more innovative devices.
