iPhone 17 Design Details Emerge: Not Everyone Will Be Pleased

A Major Overhaul for the iPhone 17 Pro and the Introduction of the Air Model

Indeed, these mockups were reportedly developed in collaboration with various leakers, including the famous Majin Bu, who had already shared similar renders last month that were largely corroborated by other sources close to Apple’s Chinese supply chain.

Despite the reservations of some (myself included), Apple is moving towards a complete redesign of the camera block on the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max. Gone is the iconic square camera setup introduced with the iPhone 11! In its place, there would be a horizontal aluminum bar housing the camera that stretches across the entire back of the device.

But that’s not the only change: the lineup is expanding with a brand new model, the iPhone 17 Air. This model would replace the current iPhone Plus and feature a 6.6-inch screen size, larger than the standard iPhone 17 but slightly smaller than the Pro Max. According to the video, the buttons would remain in the same positions as on the iPhone 16.

What to Expect from the iPhone 17?

Among the latest buzz, much is expected from the ultra-thin design of the iPhone 17 Air (as well as its battery life and performance level). Ming-Chi Kuo mentions a thickness of just 5.5 mm for the iPhone 17 Air, making it the thinnest model ever designed by the Cupertino firm, along with a high-density battery. To accommodate this extreme slimness, Apple might switch from aluminum to titanium—a material already introduced in the iPhone 15 Pro—to ensure both strength and lightness. According to Jeff Pu, this choice would not apply to the Pro models this time, as they would revert to aluminum for environmental reasons.

There’s also talk of wireless reverse charging on the iPhone 17 Pro models, allowing users to charge their AirPods or an Apple Watch directly from the back of the smartphone. One question still remains for the iPhone 17 Air: how will Apple manage to incorporate MagSafe magnets into such a thin chassis? iDeviceHelp raises this issue in their video, suggesting that Apple might revise the system or reduce the strength of the magnets. Those disappointed with the iPhone 16 might suggest that the company should just remove them…

Of course, these mockups should be taken with a grain of salt. Apple won’t reveal anything before the keynote scheduled for next September. However, the alignment of multiple leaks and the advanced technical details lend credibility to the notion of a significant redesign for the iPhone 17, with the Air model potentially becoming the unexpected star of the lineup.