Apple may introduce the iPhone 17 Air as early as September, but the company itself isn’t fully confident in its success.
According to The Information, Apple has allocated only 10% of its production capacity for this model—the main focus remains on the Pro versions, especially the iPhone 17 Pro Max, which will account for up to 40% of production.
The iPhone 17 Air will replace the Plus version and become Apple’s thinnest and lightest smartphone. However, for the sake of compactness, some crucial features might be sacrificed: a smaller battery, which may not last until the evening for active users, a single camera, and one speaker. To compensate for battery life, Apple is rumored to be releasing a case with an external battery.
The market is generally shifting toward ultra-thin flagships—Samsung, for example, is preparing the Galaxy S25 Edge with a similar concept. But unlike the Pro lineup, Apple isn’t certain that users will trade convenience for millimeters. Thus, the iPhone 17 Air remains an experiment with limited availability for now.
