iPhone 17 Air Leak Shows Sleek Design—and a Giant Camera Bump: Game-Changer or Gimmick?

The iPhone 17 Air rumours have said it all — it would be Apple’s thinnest phone with discernible hardware compromises, replacing the Plus model for good. Leaks have even claimed that the Air would be under 6mm thin, but how that would look in the real world was anyone’s guess. A new leak shows exactly how thin the iPhone 17 Air could be when placed next to the iPhone 16 Plus.

While the alleged Air dummy looks remarkably thinner than the Plus model, the giant camera bump shows the reductions Apple may have made to achieve the sleek design. Tipster Majin Bu — who has a good track record for Apple-related leaks — shared two photos on X, showing an iPhone 17 Air dummy next to the iPhone 16 Plus. With both units shown handheld, the visual comparison leaves little room for guesswork.

The ultra-slim iPhone 17 Air dummy appears almost half the size of the iPhone 16 Plus. Multiple leaks and rumours have suggested a thickness of less than 6mm. If that holds any water and if the Air looks anything like the dummy in the photos, Apple appears to have achieved a milestone in reducing the width of the iPhone to a level where it seems almost halved.

However, achieving this width reduction might not have been easy. Proof: the camera bump. It is giant and seems odd sitting at the Air’s back with a reasonable protrusion. That unusual look is not because Apple may have extended the camera module, but because the rest of the body of a conventional iPhone has shrunk significantly. The camera bump on the Air dummy shown in the photos is more or less the same width as the one found on the iPhone 16 Plus, except it has just one sensor, which makes it stand out from the rest of the body.

A sleek body also means less weight, which could allow Apple to pitch the iPhone 17 Air to customers who have long waited for less bulky phones. The Air would not be compact: rumours suggest it could use a display of the same size as the Plus model. However, a lighter profile could make it handier. Sure, Apple appears to have let go of a few features to achieve that. To achieve such sleekness, Apple may have sacrificed features—at least two camera modules and a bigger battery, but whether the iPhone 17 Air becomes a hit is yet to be seen.

Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 17 Air in September, alongside the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max.

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