Apple’s long-awaited iPhone 17 Air model has entered the New Product Introduction (NPI) phase at Foxconn, according to a Digi Times report citing supply chain sources. The upcoming iPhone model is said to be Apple’s slimmest smartphone to date and is likely to replace the ‘Plus’ model in the Cupertino-based tech giant’s 2025 flagship lineup.
NPI phase takes a product from concept to mass production, starting with design validation and prototype testing and continuing with supplier qualification and manufacturing process development, according to a report by Macrumors.
iPhone 17 Air: What to expect?
A recent report from The Information gave us some insight into the dimensions of the iPhone 17 Air. The report suggested that the iPhone 17 Air protypes would have a thickness ranging between 5mm and 6mm. In comparison, the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro are considerably thicker at 7.8mm and 8.25mm respectively.
The significant reduction in thickness is said to have led to several compromises, including the removal of the physical SIM card tray, meaning the iPhone 17 Air could switch entirely to eSIM technology. Notably, Apple has been selling iPhones without a physical SIM card tray in the US since the iPhone 14, although models in other countries still retain one.
The iPhone 17 Air is also said to have a large, centred camera bump on the back, possibly housing a single camera sensor, which would be a downgrade from the dual camera setup found in the standard iPhone 16 models.
Another possible compromise could be in the battery department, with reports suggesting that the iPhone 17 Air could come with a smaller battery than current models, although the exact reduction remains unclear.
The iPhone 17 Air may also only have a single speaker in the earpiece, as there is reportedly no room for a second speaker in the bottom grill.