For years, Apple Inc. has been reported to be planning on making a thin iPhone Air model and this year, the reports are rife again that Apple is planning to do just that.

According to well-respected Apple analyst Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, Apple is planning to release a new model alongside the iPhone 17, Pro and Pro Max this year that could be called the iPhone 17 Air. The phone is expected to use Apple’s miniaturization skills to make the thinnest iPhone to date. The idea is that the form factor will fare better than failed Plus and mini-iPhone experiments in recent years.

The iPhone Air model is expected to be about 2 millimeters thinner than existing iPhones and could make use of Apple’s new in-house modems. The modems, referred to inside Apple as Sinope by Apple engineers, were reported in December to be coming to a new interaction of the iPhone SE. The iPhone Air is also expected to have a base-level A19 chip and a single-lens camera system.

Previous reports suggest that the iPhone Air will be 6 millimeters thick, feature a 48-megapixel rear camera and have a 6.6-inch OLED display with ProMotion technology offering a 120-hertz refresh rate. Should the phone support 120 hertz, it will be first for Apple’s lower iPhone models, as despite even midtier Android phones offering 120-hertz refresh rates for years, Apple still sells iPhones only capable of 60 hertz outside its very top models.

The iPhone Air is not expected to outsell Apple’s iPhone Pro and Pro Max models but may outsell the iPhone 16 Plus. Gurman also believes that the iPhone Air will serve as a testing ground for future technologies, including notably foldable devices. “To fold, iPhones and iPads will need to have bodies and displays that are as thin as possible — and the Air is a step toward that,” Gurman writes.

Less of a surprise, Apple is also expected to debut a new iPhone SE this year that will offer a modern design with Face ID and support for Apple Intelligence. The iPhone SE is also expected to use Apple’s new in-house modem and could make its debut as early as May alongside a new range of iPads.

Other product releases expected from Apple this year include a wall-mounted smart home hub designed for controlling devices and enabling FaceTime calls, alongside its first Apple-branded security cameras and smart doorbells.

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