iPhone 17 Air will sacrifice three key features to hit its slim profile
The thinnest iPhone ever will come with some concessions
👋 Apple will reportedly remove three features we’re used to for the iPhone 17 Air
😔 Expect the SIM card slot to disappear and the bottom speaker
😬 The iPhone 17 Air will also ditch the ultra wide camera
📏 Apple is aiming to make the iPhone 17 Air between 5.5mm to 6mm thick
Apple’s iPhone 17 Air is shaping up to be an exciting proposition, but its super-slim profile that’s rumored to be between 5.5 to 6mm, means some features will have to be cut.
The three features that are likely to be missing from the iPhone 17 Air include a SIM card slot internationally, an ultra wide camera, and a bottom speaker.
The first feature on the chopping block probably won’t upset too many people. Apple begun phasing out the physical SIM card slot in the US with the iPhone 14 lineup, and there are reports it wants to bring digital eSIMs to other countries in the future. Removing the SIM card slot from the iPhone 17 Air makes sense, then.
You can say the same about removing the ultra wide camera. Like the recently announced iPhone 16e, the iPhone 17 Air is expected to have a single 48-megapixel rear Fusion camera with a big camera bump. With Apple’s Pro line aimed at photography enthusiasts, it’s unlikely anyone is buying a super-slim iPhone and expecting similar camera quality.
However, one feature that could cause future buyers to think twice about the iPhone 17 Air is the single speaker. The iPhone 17 Air will include a single speaker found in the earpiece at the top of the device. Recent renders of the device seemed to confirm that rumor, as we only saw holes on the bottom of the device, which are likely for microphones.
With so many people consuming media on their phones, only having one speaker might put off potential buyers. Apple will need to ensure the iPhone 17 Air’s speaker is loud enough without distorting.
We’re expecting Apple to reveal the iPhone 17 Air and upgrades to the iPhone 16 line in September as always.
Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.