Apple has long chased the holy grail of thinness. “Thinner than any phones we’ve ever made—that took an incredible amount of engineering,” proclaimed Apple’s Phil Schiller while unveiling the 6.9mm-thick iPhone 6 back in 2014. Fast forward to today: Apple is rumored to repeat that feat with an upcoming iPhone 17 “Air” that’s about 2mm slimmer than current models. But with smartphones already wafer-thin, one has to ask – is shaving off a couple more millimeters truly magical, or have we reached the point of diminishing returns? Recent polling and industry voices suggest that ultra-slim phones might not be the straightforward upgrade Apple’s marketing would have us believe.
The Poll Results: Does 2mm Make a Difference?
To gauge consumer sentiment, HackerNoon ran a poll asking iPhone users if a hypothetical 2mm thinner “iPhone 17 Air” would be enough to convince them to upgrade. The responses were revealing (above). Only 17% were ready to jump on a super-thin iPhone immediately. Many said they might care about thinness if it came with other compelling improvements, and some are more excited for entirely different form factors like foldables.
This echoes other surveys — YouGov found the top feature people want is longer battery life, not a slimmer profile.
The Trade-offs of the Thinness Obsession
Making a device thinner often means sacrificing battery capacity, structural rigidity, or camera prowess. The iPhone 6’s super-slim design led to the infamous bendgate — Apple responded with a slightly thicker 6S and stronger aluminum alloy.
And let’s be real: “If you eyeball a ruler, [you] barely see the difference between 6 and 7 millimeters,” one columnist noted. But you’ll feel the difference if your phone dies mid-day because the battery had to shrink. As one top-voted commenter put it:
“I’d happily make the phone thicker to add battery life. I’m not sure where the purported demand for thinner and thinner phones is coming from. They’re just more fragile with smaller batteries.”
Even Jony Ive downplayed battery complaints in favor of slimness, arguing a bigger battery would make the iPhone heavier and less “compelling.”
The “Thinnest Phone Ever” Arms Race – Industry Trends
Samsung has already entered the 2025 thinness wars with its Galaxy S25 Edge, a 5.8mm device — thinner than any iPhone ever made. It’s gorgeous, but it comes with a smaller battery and no telephoto zoom lens.
Chinese brands like Oppo are experimenting with silicon-carbon batteries to pack more energy into smaller spaces. Oppo’s foldables have managed sub-5mm halves while still holding large batteries — something Apple could eventually adopt.
But as one influencer joked:
“Nobody is asking for super thin phones, but here we are.”
This is where Apple’s rumored iPhone 17 Air comes in — it’s expected to measure around 6.2–6.3mm thick, potentially making it the thinnest iPhone ever.
Looking Ahead: How Thin (or Thick) Will Future iPhones Be?
Predictions for 0–5 years:
- 2025 (iPhone 17 Air): ~6.2–6.3mm
- 2026–2027 (Possible iPhone 18 Air): ~5.8–6.0mm (portless design possible)
- 2028–2030 (Long shot): ~5.0–5.5mm if battery density improves dramatically
- Pro/Pro Max models: Trending thicker (8.5–9mm) to fit bigger batteries and cameras
Apple seems ready to split the lineup: a razor-thin “Air” line for design lovers, and a thicker, maxed-out “Pro” line for power users.
Are thinner smartphones actually better? The sarcastic-yet-true answer: only up to a point
The ideal iPhone thickness balances sleekness with all-day battery, durability, and camera capability. The iPhone 17 Air might nail that balance — or it might be another beautiful compromise. Either way, the poll makes one thing clear: thinness alone isn’t enough to make most people upgrade.
