iPhone 17 Air Expected at September 9 Event: How Will It Be Different from iPhone 16 Plus

Apple’s next iPhone release is set to take place on September 9’s ‘Awe Dropping’ Event. Four new iPhone models are expected this time, too, but Apple could introduce a major change this time. There will be an iPhone 17 Air instead of an iPhone 17 Plus, marking a significant leap in Apple’s iPhone strategy. The Air model would be the company’s thinnest yet, measuring well under 6mm. Here is how it will be different from a Plus model, which will sunset this year.

Battery life

The iPhone 17 Air will be the slimmest phone of the lot, much thinner than a potential Plus successor. That means a significant change in the internals, including the battery. The Air model could pack a smaller battery to adjust to the new dimensions. That also means less battery life than other models in the series. When pitted against the upcoming Pro models, the gap in runtimes could be huge because Apple is expected to include larger batteries in the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max.

Rear cameras

Shrinking the size of the iPhone requires even more compromises, including a downgraded camera system on the back. Multiple leaks and renders have revealed that the iPhone 17 Air will use just a single camera on the back. It would be a 48MP unit, the same as the one on the iPhone 17. But that is just it. It will not have an ultrawide camera for obvious reasons, which the iPhone 16 Plus had.

Processor

Last year’s iPhone 16 was a major revamp for Apple’s processor choice. While the Pro models were equipped with the A18 Pro chip, the standard models use an A18 chip. This year, the Air model, which could be counted as a standard model, would switch to a Pro chip like the Pro models. Rumours suggest the iPhone 17 Air will be powered by an A19 Pro chip instead of A19, making the iPhone 17 the only device in the lineup with slightly less performance.

MagSafe

Rumours are rife that the sleek design could cost the iPhone 17 Air its ability to charge using MagSafe technology. The Air variant could just use regular wireless charging, while the Plus model last year supported magnetic wireless charging.

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