Since 2020, Apple has maintained a tradition of releasing four phones a year: a pair of regular iPhones and a pair of high-end iPhones. This year, that formula will change.

According to financial news agency Bloomberg , the 2025 iPhone quartet includes a regular version, two high-end versions, and a middle one called the iPhone 17 Air.

Like the MacBook Air, the new iPhone is thinner than the rest, combining both low-end and high-end features. It also uses brand new components and new design standards. If all goes well, these new features will gradually appear in the rest of the product line.

iphone 16 bloomberg
An iPhone 16 Pro ad. Photo: Bloomberg

Bloomberg said that from the front, the iPhone 17 Air is not too different from the regular iPhone. It uses a screen of about 6.6 inches, thin bezels like the iPhone 16 Pro, standard Dynamic Island notch. The side is equipped with a Camera Control button. Despite being thin, the device's battery is still not reduced.

The most interesting part, however, is inside, which represents Apple's tireless efforts. Thin phones require thinner batteries, which often result in fewer hours of battery life.

Apple did not want to compromise, so it asked engineers to stay at their desks to redesign the screen, semiconductor components, and software to make the device more battery-efficient, according to Bloomberg.

However, the company still had to make concessions to make the device 2mm thinner. The back only uses a single 48MP camera instead of 2 or 3 like other models. The device still uses the standard A19 chip instead of the A19 Pro of the Pro line. The physical SIM tray is also gone, at least in the US.

At the same time, the iPhone 17 Air uses advanced technologies. For example, the device uses the C1 chip modem developed by Apple, which is more energy-efficient than Qualcomm's but does not support 5G mmWave connectivity.

According to Bloomberg , Apple had many ambitions for the iPhone 17 Air. The company initially wanted to make a 6.9-inch screen but was worried about it being too bendable, or remove all ports but was worried about causing controversy, especially when Europe is requiring manufacturers to make USB-C ports.

Either way, the iPhone 17 Air represents a fresh start for the iPhone, pushing a new design that fits in with the iOS overhaul. An Apple official said that if the new iPhone is successful, the company will restart its efforts to make the iPhone portless and move more iPhones to thinner designs.

Not all of Apple's attempts at form factor change have been successful. The iPhone mini and iPhone Plus were failures, leading the company to look for other options. The iPhone Air could cost around $900, the same as the iPhone 16 Plus.

In addition, Apple is also preparing to bring technology from the iPhone 17 Air to future iPhone models, such as the foldable iPhone in early 2026. It will be part of a new generation of phones to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the iPhone.

With the 2026 or 2027 iPhone Pro, there could be a bigger change like moving some components from the Dynamic Island to below the screen, reducing the area of ​​this area and bringing Apple closer to the dream of an all-screen iPhone.

(According to Bloomberg)