If Apple release an ultra-thin iPhone next year it won't come with these features

Apple has been rumored to be working on a new ultra-thin iPhone slated to release next year, and it's reduction in size means feature concessions.

If Apple release an ultra-thin iPhone next year it won't come with these features
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Junior Editor
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TL;DR: Apple is rumored to launch the ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air next year, measuring between 5mm and 6mm thick, making it the thinnest iPhone ever. Due to its slim design, it will feature only one speaker and a single rear camera. It will use Apple's in-house 5G modem, which lacks mmWave 5G technology.

Apple has been rumored to be working on a new ultra-thin iPhone that's pegged to be launched sometime next year as part of the new iPhone 17 line-up.

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It was only recently that an Apple analyst, Jeff Pu, agreed with the rumored thickness of the new device being 6mm, making this new iPhone the thinnest the company has ever released. For perspective, Apple's latest iPhone 16 and 16 Plus measure 7.80mm thick, and the thinnest iPhone ever made was the iPhone 6 at 6.9mm thick.

According to a new report from The Information, "iPhone 17 Air" prototypes are measuring between 5mm and 6mm thick. While this doesn't sound like a large reduction, it is pretty severe, which is why Apple engineers have had to make concessions as to what features are included in the rumored device.

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Previous reports sourcing supply chains indicated Apple engineers were struggling with the battery technology of the iPhone 17 Air, and now The Information has stated the upcoming device will only have one speaker as a result of its thin design. Comparatively, current iPhone models have two speakers.

Additionally, the report states the iPhone 17 Air will only have a single camera on the back of the device, and it will be located in the center. Moreover, the upcoming device is "among the first iPhones" to use Apple's in-house 5G modem, which falls short of Qualcomm's 5G chips in peak speeds and connection reliability, but they are more efficient.

Additionally, Apple's 5G chips don't come with mmWave 5G, which provides users with increased speeds in specific areas. The report also states Apple engineers still haven't been able to fit a SIM card tray into the iPhone 17 Air, which is required to be able to sell the device in China, as Chinese telecoms don't support eSIM for mobile phones.

Junior Editor

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Jak joined the TweakTown team in 2017 and has since reviewed 100s of new tech products and kept us informed daily on the latest science, space, and artificial intelligence news. Jak's love for science, space, and technology, and, more specifically, PC gaming, began at 10 years old. It was the day his dad showed him how to play Age of Empires on an old Compaq PC. Ever since that day, Jak fell in love with games and the progression of the technology industry in all its forms.

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