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iPhone 17 Air is widely expected to take over from the Plus version this year but will a sleek and ultrathin phone do the trick?
iPhone 17 Air could actually feature premium materials
The iPhone 17 launch event is confirmed, some of the leaks are close to the real deal and there are strong rumours about the new iPhone 17 Air model coming this year. But amidst all these changes, the company could end one more variant and that is the iPhone 17 Plus.
Yes, just like the Mini a few years back, Apple could replace the Plus moniker with the 17 Air from this year onwards. These mid-segment bets have clearly not worked for the brand, yet it is willing to try out more options, and the latest one is expected to be the sleek and ultra thin iPhone 17 Air or Slim version.
Another Dud
Apple brought the iPhone Mini variant because the company felt people wanted small and compact phones. That plan didn’t go beyond two generations, which was then followed up by a Plus moniker that offered a bigger screen than the regular iPhone model.
To be fair, many expected people to buy the Plus variant and make it a success, but industry reports have clearly shown us that the regular model is still the one to beat. The Plus variant had the same features and the main difference was the bigger screen and a slightly bigger battery. The cameras and even the design were the same.
Having said that, Apple was charging Rs 10,000 more for the base iPhone 16 Plus variant, which seems to have worked against the company.
iPhone 17 Air To Click?
Apple has a very easy to gauge the interest around sleek phones. Samsung launched the Galaxy S25 Edge a few months back which had many concerned about its durability and longevity.
The first concern has been dispelled with strong results but the value of a thin device with a small battery clearly hasn’t warmed up with people just yet. So what does Apple aspire to get from its sleek device? Unlike Samsung, we could see the company showing us glimpses of a portless or even button-less iPhones that will carry the iOS 26 and later versions with its Liquid glass design and an all-screen approach.
The company would ideally like people to buy the new iPhone Air variant but even if that does not happen, Apple would happily build on its first-gen model rather than have any regrets about ending the Plus variant so quickly.
S Aadeetya, Special Correspondent at News18 Tech, accidentally got into journalism 10 years ago, and since then, has been part of established media houses covering the latest trends in technology and helping fr…Read More
S Aadeetya, Special Correspondent at News18 Tech, accidentally got into journalism 10 years ago, and since then, has been part of established media houses covering the latest trends in technology and helping fr… Read More
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