According to reports from analysts at tech news site The Information, Apple could once again revamp its iPhone lineup next year with the introduction of the iPhone 17 Slim. If true, the change would be the latest design shift Apple has made to its smartphone family in the past four years, after introducing the now-defunct “Mini” and “Plus” sized iPhones in previous years.
With the iPhone 17 Slim, Apple seems to be focusing on aesthetics above all else, reports and rumors indicate. As the name suggests, the thinness of the iPhone 17 is expected to be its main draw, unlike the Pro models that rely more 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 touting as its thinnest product yet.
The iPhone Plus, which Apple launched with the iPhone 14 lineup as a larger base model, could be phased out in favor of this new iPhone 17 Slim in 2025, according to Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst at TF International Securities. That suggests Apple is looking for new ways to drum up excitement for its non-Pro iPhones after its premium Pro options outsold the regular iPhone 15 and 15 Plus, according to Consumer Intelligence Research Partners.
“The former flagship, now the base iPhone 15, is no longer the top choice as the Pro and Pro Max models take over that role,” CIRP’s Michael Levin and Josh Lowitz wrote in a May report shared with CNET.
Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the iPhone 17 Slim reports.
In the absence of a foldable phone, the iPhone 17 Slim could be a clever 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 new, thinner iPhone, it will likely do so in 2025 as part of the iPhone 17 lineup, according to reports from Jeff Pu, an analyst at Haitong International Securities, and Ross Young, co-founder and CEO of Display Supply Chain Consultants (as reported by 9to5Mac). Kuo, Bloomberg, and The Information have reported similar findings.
While Apple might drop the iPhone Plus from its lineup, don’t expect the iPhone 17 Slim to be a direct replacement, Kuo says. Instead, it’s an entirely new variant rather than another version of the base iPhone. The Information reports that it could even be more expensive than the $1,200 iPhone Pro Max.
iPhone 17 Slim will feature a slightly smaller screen
The iPhone 17 Slim could have a 6.6-inch display, making it slightly smaller than the iPhone Plus and iPhone Pro Max, according to analysts Pu and Kuo. Both analysts also predict changes to the iPhone 17 Slim’s materials, with Pu saying the iPhone 17 Slim (as well as the base model and Pro models) will be made from a “more complex” aluminum material and Kuo reporting that the iPhone 17 Slim will have a “titanium-aluminum alloy metal frame.” The Dynamic Island cutout is expected to remain the same size, both analysts say.
iPhone 17 Slim Could Have Only One Main Camera
Apple could make a bold choice with the iPhone 17 Slim’s camera. The company’s ultra-thin iPhone could have just a single wide-angle main camera, Kuo reports, meaning it wouldn’t feature the ultra-wide and telephoto lenses that have been staples of Apple’s premium iPhone lineup for years.
The only device in Apple’s current iPhone lineup to feature a single rear camera is the $429 iPhone SE. If true, the move would further underscore that Apple is truly focusing on design first with the iPhone 17 Slim, hoping to attract users who want an iPhone that feels new and different rather than a device with an improved camera.
Choosing to include a single rear camera would also help Apple maintain a compact design without increasing the price too high. After all, camera modules, with their sensors and lens elements, can take up a lot of space.
All iPhone 17 models, including the Slim, will feature an upgraded 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 from a new phone, like 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 apparently match the chip inside the regular iPhone 17.
Other internal components of 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 the majority of Intel’s smartphone modem business in 2019.
What intrigues me most is the iPhone 17 Slim’s battery. Sleek designs mean less space for internal components, so I hope battery life isn’t a consequence of a significantly thinner design.
Either way, this is just speculation until Apple announces the iPhone 17 Slim – if it ever does.
But if the reports prove true, the iPhone 17 Slim could mark a turning point for the iPhone, indicating that camera upgrades may no longer be the most exciting or significant annual change.
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