The future iPhone Air was originally planned to rely on wireless charging only.
Apple had originally planned to make the iPhone 17 Air the first completely wireless model, but has apparently changed its mind on that front.
A new report claims that Apple considered making one of its future iPhones completely port-free. The thinner model, for now called the iPhone 17 Air, could have gone without a USB-C port — but Apple has since backed off the idea.
Ultimately, Apple is said to have decided to include a USB-C port for charging after all. This is said to have been done to appease potential concerns from European Union regulators.
The weekly Power On newsletter from Bloomberg suggests on Sunday morning that Apple originally had bigger plans for the alleged iPhone Air, at one point testing a thinner model with a 6.9-inch screen. This was withdrawn for fears of the product being too easy to bend.
Apple has long sought to find a balance between a thinner and lighter iPhone while avoiding making the device too vulnerable to damage. Apple was criticized when it received reports in 2014 that the iPhone 6 Plus could be bent when stored in a tight pocket.
Apple has allegedly settled on a design for the iPhone Air that features a 6.6-inch screen. This would be roughly two millimeters thinner than the current iPhones — reducing its thickness by about a fifth.
Despite the reduced mass, and design compromises, the iPhone Air is likely to have few sacrifices. It should boast around the same battery life as similar iPhone models thanks to a new battery design.
The thinner and lighter iPhone Air is expected to make its debut as part of the iPhone 17 lineup in fall 2025.
