According to rumors, the iPhone Slim could be Apple's thinnest smartphone ever
Although the iPhone 17 series is still more than a year away, rumors of an ultra-thin iPhone 17 Slim have already emerged. Accordingly, the "iPhone Slim" is a thinner version than its "brothers". This could even be the previously rumored iPhone Ultra model.
Below is a summary of rumors about this super thin iPhone according to Apple Insider.
iPhone Slim will be extremely thin
As the name suggests, the iPhone Slim will be the thinnest iPhone in the lineup when it launches.
Back in May, reports claimed that a slimmer iPhone would launch in 2025 as an addition to the iPhone 17 lineup. Codenamed D23, the iPhone would feature a complete redesign, similar to the iPhone X launch .
iPhone 17 Slim concept photo.
Even renowned analyst Ming-Chi Kuo gave a series of predicted specs for this iPhone back in July. However, the report did not specify how thick it would be.
Previously, the iPhone SE was the thinnest iPhone at 0.29 inches thick, the iPhone 15 is 0.31 inches thick.
In fact, Apple still has the ability to make the iPhone thinner. The iPad Pro with M4 chip is the thinnest mobile device of this technology "boss" with a thickness of 0.20 inches.
iPhone Slim will be extremely expensive
The iPhone Ultra was once proposed as an entirely new device, following the same convention as the Apple Watch. In theory, the Ultra would be a much more specced version of the standard versions.
iPhone 17 Slim concept photo.
In fact, the Pro models already offer this functionality to consumers, but the Ultra will be a completely separate tier.
Last July, according to source "Ice Universe", the iPhone Slim will start at $1,299 (about 32.76 million VND).
It is expected that the iPhone 17 will cost from 799 USD (about 20.15 million VND), the iPhone 17 Pro will cost from 1,099 USD (about 27.72 million VND) and the iPhone 17 Pro Max will cost from 1,199 USD (about 30.24 million VND).
For consumers, this will be a steep price increase. But for an "Ultra" product and a completely new version, this is acceptable.
iPhone Slim could replace iPhone 17 Plus
This has been confirmed by many rumors.
Adding the iPhone Slim to the iPhone 17 lineup means there will be five versions of the premium smartphone, which is too many for Apple to consider offering to consumers.
iPhone 17 Slim will only have a single rear camera.
To fix that, Apple is likely to completely eliminate the iPhone Plus model in the iPhone 17 lineup.
In July, Mr. Kuo also made this prediction due to the low sales of iPhone Plus models.
The larger iPhone has accounted for less than 10% of iPhone sales over the years. However, the analyst also emphasized that this decision is not to replace the iPhone 17 Plus but for Apple to respond to design trends and usage needs.
iPhone Slim screen is smaller than Plus
According to Kuo, the iPhone Slim will have a 6.6-inch display. In theory, this size falls between the standard iPhone size with a 6.1-inch display and the iPhone Plus models with a 6.7-inch display.
iPhone 17 Slim concept photo.
This was reiterated by DSCC's Ross Young in a report in April. The source also said that the iPhone 17 Plus will have a screen size that falls between the standard iPhone 16 and the iPhone 16 Plus. The iPhone 17 Plus in question could be the iPhone Slim based on the size claims.
Other rumors about the display include: The iPhone Slim will have a 120Hz ProMotion display with a resolution of 2,740 x 1,260 pixels, slightly smaller than the 2,796 x 1,290 resolution of the iPhone 15 Plus. This would help keep the pixel density close to the iPhone's 460 ppi. Additionally, the ultra-thin iPhone will still have the Dynamic Island area.
Other features of iPhone Slim
The rest of the iPhone Slim's specs will be pretty similar to the other iPhone 17s. It will have the same camera and processor as the iPhone Pro - most likely the A19 Pro chip.
As a thinner device, the iPhone 17 Slim will need to make some material compromises to avoid bending and breaking easily. According to rumors, Apple will use a “titanium-aluminum alloy frame,” which will make the case light and strong.
Size constraints could also affect the camera. According to Kuo's spec list, the iPhone 17 Slim could feature just a single wide-angle rear camera instead of two or even three.
iPhone 17 Slim concept photo.
Another factor that hasn’t been mentioned in the rumors is battery life. The ultra-thin iPhone will have a much thinner battery and therefore less capacity, which could shorten battery life.