It looks like Apple is finally ready for a design refresh after recycling the same aesthetic it introduced with the iPhone 11 series. Interestingly, it won’t be a flagship phone that kick-starts the process, but a long-awaited mid-range phone That could drive a whole new design language for Apple smartphones.
filter majinbuwhich has had a mixed history with Apple leaks, has shared what appears to be the unibody chassis for the iPhone 17 Air series. The standout element is the large pill-shaped camera bar on top, which is looks suspiciously like Pixel 9 serial phones.
Now, the iPhone 17 Air has generated more conflicting rumors than any Apple device in recent years, so treat this latest leak with the proverbial pinch of skepticism. However, this design has also appeared in alleged schematics in recent months, so it could have some substance.
The leaked image shows a single large cutout for the camera lens, matching rumors that the iPhone 17 Air will only offer a single camera on the back, due to space limitations on its chassis.
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According to leaks, the phone could be as little as 5.5 millimeters wide, making it the thinnest device Apple has attempted yet. However, Bloomberg recently reported that Apple is testing a phone that’s almost 2 millimeters thinner than its current flagships, putting the iPhone 17 Air’s cross-sectional profile in roughly the same league as the iPhone 6 and Samsung’s next Galaxy S25 Slim.
following the short-lived “mini” series. ”.
Details of the new iPhone 17 Pro, via @laininformation ‼️
👀 The most significant redesign in years
🆕 Aluminum frame in all models.
📷 Aluminum rectangular camera bump
⚡ Glass back for wireless charging pic.twitter.com/JjImhsb1zY– AppleTrack (@appltrack) November 26, 2024
The design approach is difficult to digest for several reasons. Firstly, it appears to have been shamelessly borrowed from the Pixel 9 series, which finally gave Google’s smartphones their own unique identity without compromising on build quality.
I love my Pixel 9 and would choose it any day over any member of the iPhone 16 series. iPhones are also a solid piece of hardware, but I can’t imagine Apple’s design flying so close to an archrival.
Apple has been known to innovate (wait for innovation from others, only to offer the same stuff with a refined approach years later) in a rather calculated way. But when it comes to design, the company usually goes one step ahead and stands out from the crowd.
That historical focus on aesthetic supremacy is what makes the latest iPhone 17 Air leak seem rather incomplete. It doesn’t look bad, far from it really, but I’d wait until the fall season this year to find out rather than hold my breath or get into a shouting match on social media about Apple losing its edge.
