There’s no iPhone 17 Plus this year, ditching the larger base-model option. Instead, we’ve got a new addition to the latest smartphones: the iPhone Air. It’s lighter, thinner, and more expensive, which probably tells you everything you need to know. Apple’s not just shuffling names for fun – this is a strategy shift, and the Plus has quietly been shown the door.
We’ve now seen a few years of the Plus-size iPhone. It gave buyers a bigger screen and bigger battery without needing to fork out for a Pro Max. But for 2025, Apple decided the middle child wasn’t pulling its weight anymore. So it’s out, and the Air is in. Here, I’ll dig in to why and lay out your options going forwards.
What was the iPhone Plus anyway?
The Plus model was Apple’s attempt to offer size without the sticker shock. Starting with the iPhone 14 Plus, it mirrored the standard iPhone in almost every way – same chip, same cameras – just stretched over a larger 6.7in screen. It didn’t have the high-refresh-rate display or the extra lens found in the Pro models, but it did have a bigger battery and a larger screen.
The idea was simple: take the entry iPhone, embiggen it, and charge a bit more. It filled the gap left by the Mini’s departure, for users who weren’t fussed about having pro-level features but still fancied a massive screen.
We got a 14 Plus, then a 15 Plus, and a 16 Plus too. But this year? No sign. The iPhone 17 series jumps straight from the regular model to the Air, then Pro and Pro Max.
Why isn’t there an iPhone 17 Plus?
The short version: sales. The longer version: not enough people were buying the Plus to justify its continued existence. While Apple doesn’t release official breakdowns by model, multiple reports (and common sense) suggest the Plus has always been the least popular iPhone in its generation. It was too close in price to the Pro – and yet didn’t feel Pro enough to justify the spend.
If you’re going to shell out nearly a grand, most people would rather stretch to a 17 Pro and get the better display, cameras, materials, and performance. Meanwhile, those who wanted to save cash were just buying the regular iPhone 17.
So the Plus was left stranded in no man’s land – too pricey for budget buyers, not fancy enough for the high-rollers. Cue the iPhone Air: thinner, sleeker, packed with Pro-level silicon, and expensive enough to feel like a premium buy. It replaces the Plus not in spirit, but in position: the mid-tier step-up from the base model, but with actual reasons to exist.
Apple’s leaning harder into design and performance as differentiators, and the Air fits that mould better than a jumbo-sized basic iPhone ever could.
How to get your hands on a larger non-Pro iPhone
Still got a soft spot for the Plus? You might still be able to snag an iPhone 16 Plus, though you’ll need to be quick. Apple will no longer sell it as of 19 September 2025, so you’ll be relying on leftover stock at third-party retailers. It’s not a bad device by any stretch, with the same A18 chip as the regular 16 and great battery life, but you’ll be buying into a format Apple’s now officially ditched.
If you want the biggest screen for the least cash and don’t mind going refurbished, last year’s 15 Plus is also an option. It doesn’t have ProMotion or the latest camera tricks, but it still gets you a 6.7in display and solid performance with the A16 chip.
And of course, there’s the new iPhone Air – not quite a Plus successor, but it sits in the same general price range. Just don’t expect the same brute-force battery life. It’s more about looks, speed, and not weighing down your pocket (or bag). The Plus may be gone, but Apple’s still giving you choices – just not as many as before.
