Apple's plans for a significantly thinner iPhone 17 Air have reportedly encountered a manufacturing challenge. According to a leak from "yeux1122" on Naver, issues with producing a thinner battery substrate are forcing Apple to reconsider the device's slim profile.
The initial design aimed for a battery thickness between 6mm and 6.9mm, comparable to the 2014 iPhone 6 (6.9mm). However, the new manufacturing process is proving costly and complex, potentially leading Apple to revert to existing battery technology. This would likely result in a thicker iPhone 17 Air than originally envisioned, possibly even thicker than the iPhone 6, considering the need to accommodate other components.
Currently, Apple's thinnest device is the 13-inch OLED iPad Pro at 5.1mm. The iPhone 16 Plus, which the iPhone 17 Air is expected to replace, measures 7.6mm. It remains to be seen if Apple can overcome these manufacturing hurdles to achieve its desired thinness for the iPhone 17 Air. Stay tuned for further updates.
