Apple may shake up its iPhone lineup once again next year with the introduction of the iPhone 17 Slim, according to analyst reports from tech business news outlet The Information. If true, the change would be the latest design change Apple has made to its smartphone family in the past four years, after introducing the now-defunct “Mini” and “Plus” sized iPhones in previous years.
With the rumored iPhone 17 Slim, Apple seems to be focusing on aesthetics above all else, reports and rumors suggest. As the name suggests, the thinness of the iPhone 17 is expected to be its main feature, unlike the Pro models, which rely more on camera quality and processing power to differentiate themselves from Apple’s standard iPhones. Apple took a similar approach with the iPad Pro 2024, which the company touts as the thinnest product ever.
The iPhone Plus, which Apple launched with the iPhone 14 range as an option for a larger base model, could be phased out in favor of this new iPhone 17 Slim in 2025, says TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. That suggests Apple is looking for new ways to get buyers excited about its non-pro iPhones, coming after its premium Pro options outsold the regular iPhone 15 and 15 Plus, according to Consumer Intelligence Research Partners.
“The perennial flagship, now the base iPhone 15, is no longer the flagship choice as the Pro and Pro Max models take over that role,” CIRP’s Michael Levine and Josh Lovitz wrote in a May report shared with CNET.
Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the iPhone 17 Slim reports.
With the lack of a foldable phone, the iPhone 17 Slim could be a smart way for Apple to get customers excited about iPhone design again. Here’s what we know about him so far.
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iPhone 17 Slim release date and price
If Apple does release a thinner new iPhone, it will likely do so in 2025 as part of the iPhone 17 lineup, according to reports by Haitong International Securities analyst Jeff Pu and Display Supply Chain Consultants co-founder and CEO Ross Young ( as reported by 9to5Mac). Kuo, Bloomberg and The Information reported similar findings.
While Apple may drop the iPhone Plus from its lineup, don’t expect the iPhone 17 Slim to be a direct replacement, says Kuo. Instead, it’s meant to be an entirely new variant, not another flavor of the base iPhone. The information reports that it could even be more expensive than the iPhone Pro Max by $1,200.
iPhone 17 Slim to get a slightly smaller display
The iPhone 17 Slim could have a 6.6-inch screen, which would make it slightly smaller than the iPhone Plus and iPhone Pro Max, according to analyst Pu and Kuo. Both analysts also predict changes to the iPhone 17 Slim’s materials, with Pu saying that the iPhone 17 Slim (along with the base and Pro models) will be made of a “more complex” aluminum material, and Kuo reporting that the iPhone 17 Slim will have a “titanium-aluminum alloy metal frame.” The cut for Dynamic Island is expected to remain the same size, both analysts said.
iPhone 17 Slim may have only one main camera
Apple can make a bold choice with the camera on the iPhone 17 Slim. The company’s super-slim iPhone may have just one main wide-angle camera, Kuo reports, meaning it won’t be missing the ultra-wide and telephoto lenses that have been staples of Apple’s premium iPhone lineup for years.
The only device in Apple’s current iPhone lineup that comes with a single rear camera is the $429 iPhone SE. If true, the move would further highlight that Apple is really focusing on design first and foremost with the iPhone 17 Slim, hoping to attract consumers who want an iPhone that feelings new and different, not one with an improved camera.
Opting to only include a single rear camera is also likely to help Apple maintain a clean build without driving the price too high. After all, camera modules, with their sensors and lens elements, can take up quite a bit of space.
All iPhone 17 models, including the Slim, will get an improved 24-megapixel selfie camera, Pu reports.
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iPhone 17 Slim processor and other specifications
The iPhone 17 Slim will likely get other upgrades you’d expect with a new phone, such as a new version of Apple’s mobile processor. Pu’s report suggests that Apple could put an A18 or A19-branded chip in the iPhone 17 Slim, which will reportedly match the chip in the regular iPhone 17.
Other internal components for the iPhone 17 Slim could include 8GB of RAM and an Apple-developed 5G modem, which has been the subject of speculation since Apple acquired most of Intel’s smartphone modem business in 2019.
What I’m most curious about, though, is the iPhone 17 Slim’s battery. Sleeker designs mean less room for internal components, so I hope the battery life isn’t a consequence of a significantly thinner design.
Either way, this is all speculation until Apple announces the iPhone 17 Slim — if it ever does.
But if the reports prove true, the iPhone 17 Slim could signal a turning point for the iPhone, indicating that camera improvements may no longer be the most exciting or significant change of the year.
