Highlights

• iPhone 17 Air appears in a new hands-on video revealing its strikingly slim profile at just 5.65mm thick.
• It sparks concerns about durability but impresses with its futuristic feel.
• A trusted leaker confirms that Apple is already working on the budget-friendly iPhone 17e.
• It confirms that production lines are being set up and that trial production is nearing completion.

Months away from any word becoming official, we are flooded with reports, rumours and speculations around the next iPhone series. The iPhone 17 Series has repeatedly maintained its presence in tech headlines, as recent news has been about the slimmest and entry-level iPhones. Here’s what we know.

iPhone 17 Air Hands-On Video

Caption – iPhone 17 Air appears in a recent hands-on video. (Image credit – Unbox Therapy on YouTube)

A new video gives us a closer look at the iPhone 17 Air and it’s turning heads especially when you see just how thin it is.

We’ve known the dimensions for a while, but seeing someone actually hold the iPhone 17 Air dummy model is a whole different story. In a new video from Unbox Therapy, Lew Hilsenteger gets hands-on with the full lineup of iPhone 17 dummy models and the standout is clearly the Air.

As soon as Lew picks it up, he reacts with surprise, saying, “That feels futuristic.”

Caption – iPhone 17 Air thinness measured in the hands-on video. (Image credit – Unbox Therapy on YouTube)

He also expresses concern about how thin it is and whether it might bend too easily. Using a caliper, he measures it on camera and finds that the thinnest point is just 5.65mm. That’s a big drop from the 8.75mm thickness of the iPhone 17 Pro Max model, which he also shows. “It feels like half. It’s not half, but it feels like half,” he confirms.

Although concerns about bending remain, Lew admits that once people get a feel for the iPhone 17 Air, they might not be interested in Apple’s other models anymore.

Check out the full video below –

iPhone 17e Already in the Works, Says Leaker

Caption – iPhone 16e was launched earlier this year. (Image credit – Apple)

Meanwhile, a trusted leaker has shared some updates on Apple’s more affordable model i.e. the iPhone 17e.

Apple previously used the “SE” name for its budget phones, which gave them the freedom to release updates whenever they wanted. That’s why the first SE came out in 2016, the second in 2020, and the third in 2022. But when Apple switched to the iPhone 16e name, it seemed like they were moving to a yearly update cycle.

Back in February, a leaker known as Fixed Focus Digital said that it was exactly the plan.

Now, that same leaker is back with more news that confirms that Apple is already working on the iPhone 17e. According to the source, “A source shared a little information: ‘e model’ is likely to be available in the next generation. At present, a new project code has been seen, which is suspected to be 17e.”

The source adds that Apple is currently setting up the production line for the 17e and it’s almost ready for trial production. “The setup of the 17e production line is being planned. This answers the question: There will be a 17e next year, and now it is almost in the trial production stage,” the source adds.

The term “Trial production” here is the stage when Apple’s manufacturing partner Foxconn creates a small-scale version of the full production line. It is also sometimes known as the “new product introduction. They use this phase to spot and fix any problems and to look for ways to make the process smoother before full-scale production begins.

In its recent report, 9to5Mac notes, “First, Apple has in the past kept older iPhone models on sale as more affordable options, so the company clearly isn’t afraid to have ‘outdated’ model numbers in its line-up. The launch of an iPhone 17e doesn’t necessarily imply a new model every year. Second, Apple experiments with non-core models. [….] The company may well have current plans for the e models to be an annual update, but everything will depend on how well it sells.”

FAQs

Q1. How thin is the iPhone 17 Air, and how does it compare to other models?

Answer. The iPhone 17 Air is just 5.65mm thick, significantly slimmer than the 8.75mm thickness of the iPhone 17 Pro Max. This ultra-thin design has raised concerns about durability, but its futuristic feel has impressed early reviewers.

Q2. What is the current status of the iPhone 17e?

Answer. A trusted leaker confirms that Apple is already working on the iPhone 17e, with the production line being set up and trial production almost ready to begin.

Q3. What does Apple’s shift from “SE” to “e” branding mean for budget iPhones?

Answer. The move to “e” branding suggests that Apple is shifting to a yearly update cycle for its budget models, unlike the irregular release pattern of the previous SE lineup.

Also Read: iPhone 16 Series Rumors

Also Read: iPhone 17 Series Leak: Expected Launch, Price, Design, and Specs You Should Know