The lightest and most portable iPhone, dubbed the iPhone 17 Air, is rumoured to arrive in September when Apple launches the iPhone 17 lineup.
Over the past few months, there have been ample rumours and leaks surrounding the Air. But the biggest question mark remains over the pricing. Will Trump tariffs make the iPhone Air price inch upwards? And at such a high price tag, what compromises you'll still have to make?
iPhone 17 Air Price Can Cross $1,100
While initially speculated to cost even higher than the iPhone 17 Pro, the iPhone 17 Air was later reported to take the place of the Plus model. A Bloomberg article from March indicated the Air could be priced around $900, in line with the $929 price tag of the iPhone 16 Plus.
However, with the 25% tariff threat in the picture, and on rising design and feature costs, Apple could end up increasing the price. If Apple were to keep iPhone 16 Plus pricing as the benchmark, a 25% raise could push the price of the iPhone 17 Air to over $1,100.
This comes to around Rs 95,000 in India (in direct currency conversion) but may edge even higher. Some recent reports have even hinted at a $1,299-1,500 pricing (roughly Rs 1,11,000 to 1,28,000).
iPhone 17 Air: Five Compromises Coming With Higher Price Tag
In a bid to outshine the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, Apple is reportedly looking at a 5.5mm profile for the Air, compared to the Edge's 5.8mm. The problem is, with this lean form come quite a few compromises.
Lower Battery Capacity: The iPhone 17 Air may have a downsized 2,800mAh battery. This is lesser than the 3,900mAh cell in the Edge.
Single Rear Camera: There could be a single 48MP rear camera in the Air, which will be a disappointment considering the Edge packs a 200MP main sensor and 12MP ultrawide.
No ProMotion: The panel in the iPhone 17 Air will reportedly be a standard 120Hz LTPS screen and not ProMotion with adaptive refresh rate.
Only One Speaker: The iPhone 17 Air is rumoured to have just one speaker, with its slim form preventing the inclusion of a second one.
No SIM Card Trays: Apple will probably eliminate physical SIM card trays, as the device is too slim to accommodate one.
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