An ‘iPhone Air’ makes more sense than an ultra high-end iPhone Slim

We’ve been hearing multiple rumors about a potential new iPhone 17 model that will have a new, slimmer design. The first rumors about this “iPhone Slim” suggested that this version would be positioned as an ultra high-end model and could cost more than an iPhone Pro Max. However, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has now pointed out that iPhone Slim will be more like an “iPhone Air” – and that puts all the rumors in a whole new direction.

Rumors about an iPhone Slim

DSCC analyst Ross Young was one of the first to report that Apple wants to replace the mid-range iPhone Plus with a new model that would have a 6.5-inch display, instead of the current 6.7 inches. The Information later reported that Apple has been working on a completely redesigned “iPhone Slim.”

The rumors were a bit confusing. The Information report revealed that the device would be significantly thinner and cost more than an iPhone Pro Max, which currently starts at $1,199. However, it would not have a display as large as that of an iPhone Pro Max. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo then reported that the iPhone Slim will only have a single 48-megapixel rear camera, rather than two or three lenses.

While Apple selling a more expensive device with inferior hardware just because of its design wouldn’t be a surprise (the 12-inch MacBook was exactly that), I don’t see why it should repeat this strategy with the iPhone.

An iPhone Air makes more sense to me

But then Mark Gurman reported on Sunday that what Apple wants with this slimmer iPhone is to have a model that sits between the entry-level iPhone 17 and the iPhone 17 Pro.

The idea is to create an “Air” version of the iPhone of sorts, something that sits in between the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro. The most apt comparison is probably to the original MacBook Air from over a decade ago, which was somewhere between the regular MacBook and MacBook Pro.

The sales pitch will probably go like this: If you want something snazzier than a standard iPhone — but don’t really need the performance, screen size or cameras of a Pro model — you can get something that looks much cooler while still having the specifications of a regular iPhone.

And that makes a lot of sense. As noted by Gurman, Apple has been trying to have an mid-tier version of the iPhone since the iPhone 12. However, the mini versions were a flop, and the Plus versions aren’t doing well either. After all, an iPhone 15 Plus costs only $100 less than an iPhone 15 Pro, and it lacks a more advanced display and the latest chip.

But with an iPhone Air that has a more appealing design than the base model, Apple has a chance of convincing more people to spend more money, even if they don’t want or need a Pro model. Especially if the Pro models become even more expensive in the future.

Also according to Gurman, Apple wants to “squeeze the power of a Pro model into this smaller design.” Although this may not happen in the first version, having more similarities with the Pro models would certainly make the iPhone Air more appealing. Just as the iPad Air is very similar to the iPad Pro in many ways.

So the iPhone lineup would be like this:

• iPhone 17: base model with a more conventional design
• iPhone 17 Air: larger display and a new, more appealing design
• iPhone 17 Pro & Pro Max: better hardware and more robust design

Personally, this iPhone Air seems to make a lot more sense than the current iPhone Plus, or even an ultra-premium iPhone Slim. But what do you think about this idea? Let me know in the comments section below.