The iPhone 17 Slim (or possibly Air) is expected to be Apple’s major update to its phone lineup in 2025. This ultra-thin model would likely replace the Plus variant, but a new rumor suggests it may not be as slim as initially thought.
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According to Korean leaker yeux1122, who has shared accurate information in the past, Apple has reportedly faced challenges that could prevent the iPhone 17 Slim from achieving its original thinness.
The main issue seems to be the battery. Apple had planned to use a battery with a thinner internal substrate, but they encountered technical, manufacturing, and cost hurdles that make this difficult. As a result, Apple may need to use existing battery technology, which could affect the iPhone 17 Slim’s overall thickness.
Reportedly, the battery alone in the new model would be around 6 millimeters thick. This would make the iPhone 17 Slim slightly thicker than expected and not as thin as the iPad Pro M4, which is Apple’s thinnest product to date at 5.1 millimeters.
If this information is accurate, MacRumors suggests that the iPhone 17 Slim might, at best, be just a bit thinner than the iPhone 6, which remains Apple’s slimmest smartphone at 6.9 millimeters. However, it would still be noticeably slimmer than current models, which are 7.8 millimeters for the iPhone 16/iPhone 16 Plus and 8.25 millimeters for the iPhone 16 Pro/Pro Max.
In summary, the iPhone 17 Slim may not end up as thin as Apple originally planned.
It’s worth noting that there’s no information on how much thinner the iPhone 17 Slim’s battery could have been if Apple had successfully implemented the new design, nor is there any detail on how this might have affected the phone’s overall thickness.
The leaker also mentions possible issues with the supply of integrated circuits needed to develop the ultra-thin iPhone. He even suggests that Samsung is facing similar challenges in creating a smaller Galaxy S25.
As always, this information should be taken with caution. For the iPhone 17 Slim, rumors suggest it may have only a single rear camera and could be priced higher than the current Pro Max. Recently, it was leaked that Apple might include a ProMotion screen with an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120 Hz, which may also be featured on the standard iPhone 17
If Apple proceeds with the creation of an ultra-thin model, no major updates are expected until later in 2025. Following its usual strategy, Apple is likely to unveil the iPhone 17—whether it includes a Slim or Air variant or not—in September next year.
