We don’t but know if Apple’s iPhone 17 Air will likely be a business success when it launches this fall, however the unreleased slimline handset already has one fan. The YouTube channel Unbox Remedy received maintain of an early prototype and confirmed it off in a video this week, describing the cellphone’s design as “loopy” and “insane” and predicting that, assuming the chassis energy is nice sufficient to keep away from one other Bendgate controversy, Apple will “promote a boatload of these items.”
The preliminary response of the YouTuber, Lewis Hilsenteger, is overwhelmingly optimistic. “That is loopy. Oh my god!” he says when the gadget emerges from its container. Struck by the distinction in thickness between the 17 Air and a 17 Professional Max prototype despatched in by the identical provider, he checks the listed dimensions: the slimline mannequin is 5.65mm on the thinnest level, in comparison with 8.75mm for the 17 Professional Max and seven.96mm for the 17 Professional.
(For comparability with present requirements, the iPhone 16 Professional and 16 Professional Max are each listed on Apple’s web site as being 8.25mm thick, whereas the 16, 16 Plus, and 16e are 7.8mm, so the Air is a big discount whereas another fashions are getting thicker, probably to accommodate bigger batteries and probably to magnify the Air’s thinness.)
However there are vital caveats: particularly the reference to Bendgate. The unanticipated flexibility of the super-thin iPhone 6 Plus (7.1 mm) again in September 2014 broken Apple’s fame for {hardware} perfectionism for some years after. However Apple will certainly be laser-focused on sturdiness this time, and it appears unlikely the corporate would threat the dreadful PR of a repeat incident. A second caveat added later within the video could also be extra pertinent: Hilsenteger frets that “this factor’s going to have horrible battery life.” That’s in all probability going to be true.
Extra urgent, the iPhone 17 Air is prone to be an train in compromise. Apart from battery life and the attainable threat of bending, the cellphone is anticipated to have only one rear digicam lens, just like the iPhone 16e, and the processor and RAM allocation of a regular iPhone mannequin, not a Professional one. If clients are prepared to make these compromises for the sake of a slim physique, whereas paying a comparatively excessive value, we are able to count on Apple to lean tougher in that path. If not, the Air experiment will die after one or two fashions just like the mini and (presumably) the Plus.
It’s vital to say, earlier than we get too excited, that Apple gained’t formally announce the iPhone 17 Air and its sibling merchandise for an additional 5 months, so calling the video a “hands-on” is perhaps thought of a bit of tenuous. This isn’t an precise 17 Air as it will likely be revealed, however a prototype or dummy equipped by a third-party producer. (The id of that producer isn’t revealed for apparent causes, but it surely’s prone to be an adjunct maker with contacts in Apple’s provide chain.)
Corroboration with different prototypes evokes some confidence that this one is authentic, however plans can change and it’s attainable the ultimate product will likely be totally different. However it’s onerous to not watch that video and get excited for the launch.
For all the most recent leaks and rumors as we lead as much as the massive day, bookmark our frequently up to date iPhone 17 megaguide. Or decide up a cut price on a present mannequin with our roundup of the greatest iPhone offers.
