Apple iPhone 17 launch is just hours away, and the buzz is all about size. The new Air model is tipped to be the slimmest iPhone ever, while the Pro versions may bulk up for bigger batteries.
The spotlight is on the iPhone 17 Air, rumored at just 5.5 mm, making it Apple thinnest iPhone ever, even slimmer than the iPhone 6. That razor-thin frame could make it one of the lightest phones on the market. Battery size is a concern, though, with leaks pointing to around 3,036 mAh in China (with SIM tray) and 3,149 mAh in the U.S. (eSIM-only). That means the U.S. model gets a 3.7% larger battery, while the Chinese variant comes in slightly smaller. Even so, it is still an improvement compared to older slim iPhones.
At the other end, the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max are tipped to grow to 8.7 mm, thicker than last year models, to house bigger batteries and a wide horizontal camera bar. The regular iPhone 17 should remain closer to 7.8 mm, sitting between the two extremes.
What the leaked image shows
A side-profile render credited to @ApplesClubs compares all four models:
- iPhone 17 (7.8 mm, black) – flat sides, dual-step camera bump.
- iPhone 17 Air (5.5 mm, blue) – ultra-thin, camera bump more pronounced.
- iPhone 17 Pro (8.7 mm, silver) – thicker frame, multi-lens camera.
- iPhone 17 Pro Max (8.7 mm, copper) – same thickness, largest camera housing.
The spread from 5.5 mm to 8.7 mm highlights Apple dual strategy: chasing extreme thinness with the Air while bulking up the Pros for power and endurance.
