iPhone 17 Pro may have an aluminum frame; iPhone 17 Air may ditch pSIMs
iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max – the supposed successors to Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro series – could arrive next year with major design changes, according to a report. The Cupertino company could launch its high-end smartphones with an aluminum frame instead of stainless steel or titanium, bringing it on par with the non-Pro models. The iPhone 17 Plus, which will succeed the iPhone 16 Plus model in 2025, will reportedly be thinner than previously expected.
iPhone 17 Pro models may have a back panel made of aluminum and glass
A report The Information states that Apple’s rumored iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models will not have a titanium frame like their successors. Instead, these devices will come equipped with an aluminum frame, which is usually found on the more affordable iPhone models. This would mean that all four models expected to arrive in the second half of 2025 could feature aluminum trim.
Both the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models featured a titanium frame, while recent Pro models featured a stainless steel frame. It’s also worth noting that Apple had touted the introduction of aerospace-grade titanium on the iPhone 15 Pro series when it was unveiled in 2023.
Apple will also use aluminum and glass on the back panel of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, according to the publication. The top half is said to be made of aluminum and it will also feature a rectangular camera bump, which could be larger than the iPhone 16 Pro models. To enable wireless charging support, the bottom half of the phones will be made of glass.
The iPhone 17 Air, which is said to be in development at Apple as a replacement for the iPhone 16 Plus model, could even be thinner than previously expected, according to the report. Previous reports suggested that Apple could launch the iPhone 17 Air with a thickness of 6mm, but the publication suggests that Apple could exceed these estimates.
To deliver such a sleek smartphone, the iPhone 17 Air will reportedly have to introduce some notable design and hardware changes. For example, the iPhone 17 Air will be an eSIM-only smartphone, just like its recent smartphone models sold in the US. It will feature an Apple-designed modem, which is said to be smaller than Qualcomm’s; unfortunately it won’t support mmWave 5G networks.
If the publication’s claims are true, it would mean that Apple could be planning the biggest iPhone design overhaul since the square rear camera island was introduced on the iPhone 11. The iPhone 17 Air could also make some noticeable compromises in terms of getting a slimmer build. We can expect to hear more about these handsets in the coming months.
