I think we can all see where the iPhone 17 Air is headed

iPhone 17 Air: cool, but limited

The biggest problem with both of these phones is the fact that they are limited by today’s technology. Apple and Samsung, in particular, are quite slow to adopt emerging innovations and often trail behind their competitors.

According to all of the reports that have come out on the iPhone 17 Air, it will be an expensive phone with less powerful hardware and a tiny battery: 2,800 mAh. If that sounds ridiculous to you, don’t worry, you’re not alone.

Apple is aware that such a small battery is grounds for an awful user experience. As such, the company has introduced AI-powered battery saving in the hopes that the iPhone 17 Air will at least have passable battery life.

However, if the Galaxy S25 Edge is any indication, then the iPhone 17 Air will cost around the same as the iPhone 17 Pro. And the only people who’d choose the Air are either users that desperately want something new, or people with very small pockets.

All in all, this was not the time for Samsung and Apple to try out super slim phones. Especially when both companies have still not begun using newer, denser batteries.

Apple’s third failed flagship model?

Funnily enough, the iPhone 17 Air is actually supposed to replace the iPhone Plus models. The Plus remains the worst-selling iPhone model, and Apple was hoping that the Air would be more successful.

However, the Plus models themselves were a replacement for the iPhone mini. The mini models also had the same problem: they sold poorly. If the iPhone 17 Air also flops, then we might be allowed to say that Apple’s “extra” model each year is cursed, kind of like the Defense Against the Dark Arts position in Harry Potter.

Furthermore, if this phone doesn’t sell well either, it might be the shortest-lived iPhone model ever. Apple may return to the drawing board for the iPhone 18 series next year, because it would want a successful lineup for the 20th anniversary of the iPhone in 2027.

Just wait until next year

Now, I’m not normally one to advocate waiting for the next iteration of a product line, because then you just keep waiting, and waiting, and waiting forever. But 2026 may actually be a much more interesting year for the iPhone.

For starters, it’s seeming very likely now that the mythical foldable iPhone will come out next year. In addition, Apple Intelligence — the company’s incomplete suite of AI tools — may finally be complete by the time the iPhone 18 rolls around. There’s also multiple reports that the iPhone 18 will have a punch hole instead of the Dynamic Island.

I, personally, don’t like that, and think that Apple is losing its identity with the iPhone 18. But the iPhone 17 this year will also feature a redesigned exterior, so pick your poison. I just really think that the iPhone 17 Air is destined for failure, even if I actually quite like its design.

If it were up to me, I’d just wait till 2027. That’s the year when everything changes. Apple will unveil a new iPhone Pro model, one with no cutouts or holes on the display. But if you absolutely need a new iPhone soon, then 2026 should suffice.

Or, you could just go for the base model iPhone 17 this year, which is going to look like the base model iPhone 16.