Apple 'iPhone 17 Air' May Feature Ultra-Thin 5.5mm Design and eSIM-Only Support [Kuo]

Apple's rumored new 'iPhone 17 Air' may feature an ultra-thin 5.5mm design and drop support for physical SIM cards, according to a new report from TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

In a post today, Kuo stated that both the slim iPhone 17 and an upcoming foldable iPhone will likely support eSIM only.

The 2H25 ultra-thin iPhone (with the thinnest part around 5.5mm) and the foldable iPhone, which is in the planning stage, will likely only support eSIM due to their ultra-thin design. Given that Chinese market currently does not promote phones that only support eSIM, these two models could face shipping momentum challenges unless their design is modified.


Notably, 5.5mm is just slightly thicker than the new iPad Pro which measures 5.1mm, making it Apple's thinnest product ever.

It is widely rumored that Apple will discontinue the iPhone Plus this year, replacing it with the slimmer model. Despite the excitement surrounding the new design, Kuo suggests it won't significantly boost sales.

Although the ultra-thin iPhone 17 may ship in higher volumes than the iPhone Plus, it likely won't significantly boost iPhone sales overall, partly due to downgraded components paired with a high price and a user experience similar to current models.

The iPhone 17 Air is also rumored to feature a 6.6-inch display and Apple's in-house 5G modem, setting it apart from other devices in Apple's lineup.


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