Apple has been rumoured to bring major design changes to the iPhone 17 series this year. We have come across several design rumours surrounding the iPhone 17 Pro models; however, people are quite curious about the new iPhone 17 Air model. Now, as more details about the ultra-slim smartphone emerge, a new leak suggests that iPhone 17 Air will likely follow the iPhone 15 Pro roots with a titanium build. On the other hand, this would not be the case for iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, as they feature an aluminium frame. Therefore, iPhone 17 Air is expected to be the only flagbearer of titanium.
Also read: iPhone 17 Air likely to get 12GB RAM upgrade: Know what’s coming
iPhone 17 Air: Is Apple killing titanium entirely?
Since the iPhone 15 Pro launch, we have been seeing the titanium chassis from two generations, making it iPhone’s standout design features. However, several reports have suggested that Apple may not bring titanium for the iPhone 17 Pro models. But does it mean it is killing the use of titanium entirely? Well, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that titanium is not going anywhere, at least for this year.
It was highlighted that the new iPhone 17 Air could become the sole bearer of the titanium chassis. The ultra-slim smartphone is expected to feature a titanium-aluminium alloy metal frame, but it may have a lower percentage of titanium in comparison to the iPhone 16 Pro models. Whereas, the iPhone 17 Pro model could feature only aluminium in the casing.
Also read: iPhone 17 Air design ‘leaked’ in new hands-on video, here’s how it may look
Considering Apple introduced the titanium build as a “Pro” feature, it is quite confusing why it is bringing the Pro model component to a standard iPhone. If the rumours are true, then the iPhone 17 Air will have more premium material than the iPhone 17 Pro models. Now, we simply have to wait until launch to confirm what the new iPhone 17 series will look like.
iPhone 17 Air: What we know so far
The iPhone 17 Air is rumoured to come in four colour variants: black, silver, light gold, and light blue. The smartphone is expected to have a slimmest build that may measure around 5.5mm, making it the thinnest iPhone model ever. With a slim build, the iPhone 17 Air is expected to come with a single rear camera and a smaller battery that may raise some eyebrows, considering it's a flagship smartphone. However, we expect major performance upgrades with the A19 chip paired with 12GB of RAM.