Apple’s iPhone 17 Air Adopts Thinner Design, Shifts USB-C Port Placement

Apple is set to introduce the iPhone 17 Air this September, marking a significant shift in iPhone design. The new model will be just 5.5mm thick, making it the slimmest iPhone to date, compared to the 8.25mm thickness of the iPhone 16 Pro. This dramatic reduction in thickness has led Apple to make several notable design changes. Most prominently, the USB-C port on the bottom edge is no longer centered but has been shifted closer to the rear of the device, likely to accommodate internal display components. Additionally, the speaker grilles have been reduced to just two holes on each side of the port, down from the usual five, reflecting further space-saving measures. Other changes include the adoption of a single rear camera and the global removal of the physical SIM card slot in favor of eSIM-only support. Internally, the iPhone 17 Air will feature Apple’s new C1 modem, first seen in the iPhone 16e, which is designed to optimize battery efficiency in the slimmer frame. Despite the reduced size, the device is expected to offer battery performance comparable to current models. The iPhone 17 series, including the Air model, will be announced at Apple’s fall event, which may also unveil the third-generation AirPods Pro.