iPhone 17 ‘Slim’ Rumors: Apple’s Thinnest Phone Ever May Be Coming Next Year
The iPhone 16 series has just launched, but rumors are already swirling about what Apple could have in store for the iPhone 17.
The company could shake up its iPhone lineup again next year with the introduction of the iPhone 17 Slim, according to analysts and tech business news outlet The information. If true, this shift would be the latest design change Apple has made to its smartphone family in the last four years, after introducing the now extinct “Mini” and “Plus” size iPhones in previous years.
With the rumored iPhone 17 Slim, Apple seems to be focusing mainly on aesthetics, according to reports and rumors. As the name implies, the thinness of the iPhone 17 is expected to be the main draw, unlike the Pro models that rely more heavily on camera quality and processing power to differentiate themselves from Apple’s standard iPhones. Apple took a similar approach with the 2024 iPad Pro, which the company is showing off as its own iPad thinnest product ever.
The iPhone Plus variants, which Apple launched with the iPhone 14 series as a larger base model, could be phased out in favor of this new iPhone 17 Slim in 2025, says TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. This suggests Apple is looking for new ways to get consumers excited about its non-Pro iPhones after its premium Pro options surpassed sales of the regular iPhone 15 and 15 Plus, according to Consumer Intelligence Research Partners.
“The once flagship, now iPhone 15, is no longer the leading choice as the Pro and Pro Max models take on that role,” CIRP’s Michael Levin and Josh Lowitz wrote in a report shared with CNET in May shared, ahead of the iPhone 16 launch.
Check this out: iPhone 16 Review: all about the buttons
Apple did not respond to a request for comment on reports about the iPhone 17 Slim.
In the absence of a foldable phone, the iPhone 17 Slim could be a smart way for Apple to get customers excited about the iPhone’s design again. Here’s what we know about it so far.
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iPhone 17 Slim release date and price
If Apple does release a sleeker new iPhone, it will likely do so in 2025 as part of the iPhone 17 lineup, say reports from Haitong International Securities analyst Jeff Pu and co-founder and CEO of Display Supply Chain Consultants Ross Young (as reported by 9to5Mac). Kuo, Bloomberg And The information have reported similar findings.
Even though Apple is dropping the iPhone Plus from its lineup, don’t expect the iPhone 17 Slim to be a direct replacement, Kuo says. Instead, it’s meant to be a new variant entirely and not a different flavor of the base iPhone. The Information reports that it could even be more expensive than the $1,200 iPhone Pro Max.
iPhone 17 Slim for a smaller screen with a higher refresh rate
The iPhone 17 Slim may have a 6.6-inch screen, which analysts say would make it slightly smaller than the iPhone Plus and iPhone Pro Max Pu And Kuo. But it will reportedly have Apple’s ProMotion technology to boost the refresh rate to 120Hz, making scrolling smoother. MacRumors reports thisquoting Pu.
Both analysts also foresee changes to the iPhone 17 Slim’s materials, with Pu saying the iPhone 17 Slim (along with the base and Pro models) will be made from a “more complex” aluminum material and Kuo reporting that the iPhone 17 Slim a “Titanium-aluminum alloy metal frame.” Apple introduced a new polished aluminum finish for the Apple Watch Series 10, so it wouldn’t be too hard to see a new type of aluminum for a new iPhone style.
The expectation is that the recess for the Dynamic Island will remain the same size, both analysts say.
iPhone 17 Slim may only have one main camera
Apple could make a bold choice with the iPhone 17 Slim’s camera. Company’s super-slim iPhone may have just one wide main camera, reports Kuomeaning it would lack the ultra-wide-angle and telephoto lenses that have been a staple of Apple’s premium iPhone range for years.
The only device in Apple’s current lineup of iPhones that comes with a single rear camera is the $429 iPhone SE. If true, this move would further underline that Apple is really focusing on design first and foremost with the iPhone 17 Slim, hoping to attract users who want an iPhone that feels new and different from one with a souped-up camera.
The choice to include just one rear camera would also likely help Apple maintain a sleek build without raising the price too much. After all, camera modules with their sensors and lens elements can take up quite a bit of space.
All iPhone 17 models, including the Slim, get an improved 24-megapixel selfie camera, Pu reports.
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iPhone 17 Slim processor and other specifications
The iPhone 17 Slim will likely get other upgrades you’d expect with a new phone, such as a new version of Apple’s mobile processor. Pu’s report suggests that Apple could put an A18 or A19 branded chip in the iPhone 17 Slim, which would reportedly match the chip in the regular iPhone 17.
Other internals for the iPhone 17 Slim could include 8GB of RAM and an Apple-developed 5G modem, which has been the subject of speculation since Apple acquired most of Intel’s smartphone modem business in 2019.
What I’m most curious about, however, is the iPhone 17 Slim’s battery. A slimmer design means less space for internal components, so I hope battery life doesn’t result from a significantly thinner design.
Anyway, it’s all speculation until Apple announces the iPhone 17 Slim – if it ever does.
But if the reports turn out to be true, the iPhone 17 Slim could mark a turning point for the iPhone, suggesting that camera upgrades may no longer be the most exciting or significant annual change.
