Tips & Guides

Is the iPhone 17 Air Cheaper Than Expected? Here’s What We Know!

by Adam on Mar 21, 2025

It goes beyond doubt that the iPhone 17 Air will hit the dance floor soon (at least before the year runs out). As usual, words on the street are that Apple is set to wow us with the iPhone 17 Air price. How true can this be? What should we expect of the iPhone 17 Air? And what are experts and trusted sources saying about the iPhone 17 Air?

What to Expect From iPhone 17 Air!

Just like it has always been with leaks and rumors, no one is 100 percent certain about what features and specs that iPhone 17 Air is going to come with. In addition to uncertainty about features and specs, Apple is still silent about the iPhone 17 Air price.

Nevertheless, as always, iPhone 17 Air leaks have surfaced and we now have clues to what we should expect from the upcoming iPhone 17 Air. Let's examine them below:

The Lightest Phone

Let’s set the ball rolling by first talking about the supposed size of the iPhone 17 Air. Well, we have seen from all indications (if the iPhone 17 Air leaks are to be believed) that the smartphone will probably become the slimmest/lightest iPhone ever made by Apple. It is reported that the iPad 17 Air is going to be super-slim with a very attractive design and good aesthetics. We can only imagine how thin the bezels are gonna be! Let's keep our hands crossed and see how things unfold.

The First Port-free iPhone

Talking about phones being port-free, a lot of Apple fans and phone enthusiasts have been looking forward to seeing phones without ports. Interestingly, while Gurman claimed that the iPhone 17 Air could be eSIM-only worldwide, he also went further to add that Apple’s original plan was to make the iPhone 17 Air completely port-free meaning it would not include any USB-C charging port.

However, it seems this plan was met by some restrictions particularly the avoidance issues in the EU. Recall how that Apple had to switch from lightning ports to USB-C not too long ago. So if we don't see port-free design on the iPhone 17 Air this year, it's not because of any technical issues. However, sooner in the future port-free design will become a mainstay.

iPhone 17 Air Specifications

Going further, let's talk about the specs of the iPhone 17 Air because specifications are one of the most important determinants of how well a smartphone will function. Featuring the in-house C1 modem (first seen in the iPhone 16e), the iPhone 17 Air will most likely run on an A19 chip and not A19 Pro which is a deviation from what most people actually envisage. It seems the A19 Pro is going to stick with the iPhone 17 Pro Models. Also, don’t expect to see a physical SIM in the forthcoming iPhone 17 Air as Apple is set to embrace the e-SIM approach.

Camera Features

Talking about camera, we've seen the iPhone 16 series grace the stage with a new camera control capture button, which was indeed a game changer! According to iPhone 17 Air leaks, the camera control button will likely be included in the iPhone 17 Air. In addition to the camera control capture button, the iPhone 17 Air will also feature a single-lens 48MP camera, while boasting a screen size of 6.6-inch, with 120Hz display and a Dynamic Island.

Battery Life

It is generally believed that the slimmer the smartphone, the higher the chances of having poor battery capacity. For this reason, many have expressed their concern on iPhone 17 Air battery life since sacrifices had to be made to achieve the slim form factor. Of course, everything comes at a price!

However, contrary to the general belief, the iPhone 17 Air will have an impressive battery life that at least compares directly to current iPhones. Although we don't exactly know how this feat will be achieved, however, recent iPhone 17 Air leaks suggests that Apple may employ the use of high-density battery cells. This technology will put the iPhone 17 Air battery life on par with current iPhones.

But the question now is: What impact will these factors have on the price tag?

iPhone 17 Air Price

Well, as far as we are concerned Apple is bringing you a shocker—the iPhone 17 Air may not be as extremely pricey as a lot of people think. Here’s why: When rumors first held rounds that Apple is making a move to launch an ultra-thin iPhone (iPhone 17 Air), words on the street was that the iPhone 17 Air will have a high asking price. But on the contrary, the iPhone 17 Air will come later this year at a much affordable price. Sources like Bloomberg, Mark Gurman, and others suggest that the upcoming phone may be priced at around $899 which is about the same price as the iPhone 16 Plus.

	iPhone 16	iPhone 16 Plus	iPhone 16 Pro	iPhone 16 Pro Max	iPhone 17 Air	iPad 2025
Price	$799	$899	$999	$1199	$999(checked)	$599 11” /$799 13”

Since the iPhone 17 Air starts at the same price as the Pro models, now that the new phone has been released, do you think it's as good as the Pro models? Share your thoughts!

The table above shows the pricing of the iPhone 16e, iPad 2025, and the much anticipated iPhone 17 Air. Let's keep our chins up as we expect Apple to unveil the iPhone 17 Air in September together with the rest of the iPhone 17 lineup.