We are about to be able to meet, see and touch the iPhone 16. It will be at the already confirmed Apple Event on September 9. However, and without wanting to discredit this desirable new generation, I must admit that my gaze inevitably turns to the future. More precisely to what will happen in 2025.
“They haven’t introduced the new iPhones and you’re already thinking about the next ones.” Yes, I know you’ll think that. I’ve been writing about technology for almost a decade and I’m aware of how rumors and leaks can vary, but that experience also helps me know that Apple is already developing its roadmap and that what we now know about the iPhone 17 is likely to be, with varying degrees of success, what we will see in a year.
A restructuring of the range
At the beginning of the summer, when the production of the iPhone 16 was already underway, at Apple Park, it must have been thought that it was time to start designing the iPhone for the following year. They are surely working in the longer term, but this must have been the key moment because an idea of a “Slim” iPhone began to leak. That is, an iPhone that is innovative in terms of design and somewhere in between in terms of specifications. Months later, it was rumored to be called the iPhone Air.
But what is the iPhone Air? Or rather, what the iPhone Air will look like. Because no, it does not yet exist other than in Apple’s imagination and possibly in some other model that circulates in its secret laboratories. It is essentially about following a plan similar to the one they followed almost ten years ago with the “MacBook”. Yes, the MacBooks just without any other last name.
Apple has already launched a third line of MacBooks outside of the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, with an innovative design in a small size and with specifications that fall somewhere between these other lines. And even though years later they ended up “killing” this line by failing to introduce it to the market, they must now believe that maybe it works with their flagship product: the iPhone.
In this way, the range would be as follows:
- iPhone 17
- iPhone 17 Air
- iPhone 17 Pro
- iPhone 17 Pro Max
It won’t be the best, but it will be a visually perfect iPhone (for me)
Of course, I want to make it clear that what I am expressing here is my opinion and my opinion alone. That is, I have no intention of becoming the owner of the majority opinion of any Apple user, or even a small part of it. Of course, I suspect that I will not be the only one with their eyes fixed on the idea that is currently taking shape in Cupertino.
What has leaked so far is that the iPhone 17 Air will take inspiration from the 2024 iPad Pro to bring a unique design in terms of thickness. A stylized body that will weigh less than the rest of the range and specifications that, yes, I already predict, will be controversial.
iPhone 17 Air to be even more expensive than iPhone 17 Pro Max, early leaks suggest
In an early feature leak, it was revealed that the specifications They will be more similar to the iPhone 17 than the iPhone 17 Pro. There would be no problem a priori. This has already happened with the iPhone “Plus” in recent years. However, the problem is that it would be more expensive than the rest.
At first it seemed like an error in the source that leaked it and while it’s true that there’s still time for Apple to close the price, The idea that it is the most expensive is maintained and the design is the reason. If you want a better design, you will have to pay more. Even if you take modest material.
This is what the iPhone 17 Air would look like compared to the iPhone 15 Pro Max
Now, for aesthetic reasons, I recognize that This idea really catches my attention.. I’ve been using the Pro Max for years and while I appreciate the convenience of having a larger screen and battery, I don’t really feel comfortable using it for hours on end. This is something that, unfortunately, would also happen to me with an iPhone in the ‘Pro Max’ Plus’ range.
The idea with which the “Air” will be born is precisely to avoid the problems of the “Plus” and the “Pro Max” while maintaining the essence of a large phone. It will measure about 6.4 inches, which is already a sufficient size. As for the weight, it should be literally air in the sense of being lightweight compared to others, as a MacBook Air is also compared to a “Pro”.
If the price is high, at least it is justified.
For now, I insist on taking with a grain of salt the idea that the iPhone 17 Air is going to be more expensive than an iPhone 17 Pro Max. While design innovation does increase costs, I honestly doubt they’ll be this outrageously high while retaining the specs of the lowest-end model.
Therefore, and also because there are still many months to clear up doubts, I will say that I can accept resignations on some elements such as the absence of a third camera or the fact that the chip is not as powerful. However, there are three elements that seem fundamental to me: refresh rate, battery and materials.
THE 120 Hz rate I think it should debut on a non-Pro iPhone. In fact, I’ve believed this for a long time. And I won’t even use the argument of mid-range Android with up to 144 Hz panels anymore, but looking only at Apple, in 2025 it will have been four years since the premiere of this technology with the iPhone 13 Pro Max. Enough time to democratize it. Right?
As for the battery, it is true that with such a light design it is not possible to work miracles, but it is also true that new ways of charging are being studied. bring smaller batteries without sacrificing high capacity. I already say that I don’t expect miracles, but I hope at least that it doesn’t become a headache to end the day with a battery.
Finally, materials. This may seem like the least thing, but I think it is extremely practical that go for titanium like in the ‘Pro’which not only offers greater strength and durability, but also has the quality of being lighter than aluminum, steel and glass. Thinking that it will be a very light iPhone, I want to think that this will be a requirement that they will surely meet.
In any case, I insist that we still have a year to go before we see this and the rest of the new iPhones. The rumors will continue, confirming some specifications and changing others. After all, this is normal if we take into account that even Apple itself finds and rejects ideas.
In Applesfera | It’s now official: Apple confirms Apple Event iPhone 16 on September 9
In Applesfera | iPhone 16: release date, price, models and everything we think we know about them
