The ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air is expected to feature a sleek and lightweight design, but at the cost of three popular features found in current iPhone models.

No bottom speaker

Last year, The Information reported that the iPhone 17 Air would feature a single speaker integrated into the earpiece at the top of the device.

Recent 3D renders appear to confirm this rumor, showing only a few small holes on the bottom edge, likely for a microphone rather than an external speaker.

No Ultra-Wide camera

Similar to the iPhone 16e, the iPhone 17 Air is rumored to feature a single 48MP Fusion camera on the back. This standard camera will support 2x zoom, delivering optical-quality images.

However, the absence of an Ultra-Wide camera means users won't be able to capture ultra-wide-angle shots. This design choice likely allows Apple to allocate more internal space for a larger battery.

No physical SIM card slot

Apple began removing the physical SIM slot in the U.S. with the iPhone 14 lineup in 2022. It's no surprise that the iPhone 17 Air will continue this trend, offering eSIM-only support in the U.S. market.

However, The Information suggests that Apple plans to phase out the physical SIM tray in more countries this year. This means the iPhone 17 Air may only support eSIM globally, rather than offering a combination of eSIM and physical SIM options as before.

Expected launch

Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 Air in September, alongside the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max.

Hai Phong