When is the iPhone 17 Slim (Air) coming out, and how much will it cost Recently, Apple has often been criticized for releasing identical smartphones year after year. For example, the main innovations in the basic iPhone 16 were the “pill” camera block and the additional Camera Control button. At the same time, the flagship Pro versions were left almost without external changes.
However, they will present a fundamentally new gadget in Cupertino next year, which will differ significantly from other line representatives. Tech Facts has collected all the most important information about the release date, prices, design, and characteristics of the super-thin iPhone 17, currently known under the Slim and Air designations.
iPhone 17 Slim (Air) Release Date
Presumably, the iPhone 17 Slim (Air) will debut along with the other Apple 17-series gadgets. For the last ten years, the American tech giant has been presenting new smartphones in September, if you do not consider the COVID 2020, when, due to the lockout and problems with the supply of semiconductors, the traditional display of devices was postponed to October and November.
Thus, the iPhone 17 Slim (Air) premiere should be expected in the first month of 2025, and global smartphone sales will begin one or two weeks after the presentation. For example, the iPhone 16 debuted on September 9, 2024, and appeared on the shelves of branded stores 11 days later, on September 20.
iPhone 17 Slim (Air) Specifications
Insiders agree that the iPhone 17 Slim (Air) will feature a radically thin case, about 5 mm thick. For comparison, depending on the modification, the corresponding dimensions of the current model vary from 7.8 to 8.3 mm.
For the super-thin version, Apple plans to use the latest development of the Taiwanese company Novatek called OLED TDDI (Touch and Driver Display Integration), where the control and touch panel of the display are combined in one layer. This technology will produce very thin gadgets without compromising image quality, with improved touch sensitivity and reduced energy consumption. Subsequently, Americans will use OLED TDDI technology on new iPad tablets, Apple Watch smartwatches, and, possibly, on the first foldable iPhone, rumors about the development of which have been circulating for several years
The diagonal of the screen, framed by titanium-aluminum frames, will be 6.5 or 6.6 inches. Thus, the iPhone 17 Slim (Air) display will be larger than that of the standard model but smaller than that of the Pro Max version. ProMotion technology is also expected, varying the frame rate from 1 to 120 Hz and a new super-strong protective coating, surpassing the current Ceramic Shield glass’s characteristics.
At the center of the hardware is the new generation A19 Bionic chip, which will operate together with RAM increased to 8 GB. The increase in RAM will expand the gadget’s capabilities, including when working with resource-intensive applications, and will increase the overall performance of the system. As expected, the initial version of the iPhone 17 Slim (Air) will receive 128 GB of internal memory, but options with more capacious blocks will be available—up to 1 TB.
In addition to the very thin body, another distinctive design feature will be the single lens of the main camera. The only smartphone with such a solution in the current Apple lineup is the third-generation iPhone SE. The resolution of the main sensor will be 48 MP. At the same time, Apple will improve the front camera – the current 12-megapixel sensor with five plastic lenses will be replaced by a 24-MP selfie camera with six optical elements.
The design features will require the use of a very thin battery, the capacity of which, according to preliminary data, will be 3000 mAh. This is less than that of other iPhones, but the battery life will be at the proper level due to the optimized system and energy-saving OLED TDDI technology. The expected main characteristics of the iPhone 17 Slim (Air) are as follows:
- Processor and RAM : A19 Bionic and 8 GB RAM;
- built-in memory: from 128 GB to 1 TB;
- display: OLED TDDI 6.6 inches with a resolution of 2740 x 1260, ProMotion 120 Hz;
- main camera: single 48 MP;
- Front camera : 24 MP;
- battery: 3000 mAh;
- charging: no data;
- premiere date: September 2025.
iPhone 17 Slim (Air) Price
According to preliminary data, the new Apple smartphone with an ultra-thin body will replace the Plus version in the line, which is especially popular. However, you should not expect the same relatively affordable price (the current iPhone 16 Plus costs $ 899). Analysts agree that Apple is going to position Slim (Air) as a top premium model with a revolutionary design and an innovative display. Presumably, the iPhone 17 Slim (Air) cost will be $ 1299, which is $ 100 more expensive than the initial version of the flagship iPhone 17 Pro Max.
