When the news first broke about Apple's foray into the realm of ultra-thin smartphones, with names like the "iPhone 17 Slim" or "iPhone 17 Air" doing the rounds, it brought with it a certain sense of anticipation. However, there was an underlying concern as one of the first sites to report, The Information, suggested that this could potentially be the most expensive iPhone ever, surpassing even the $1,199 price tag of the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Apple's Pricing Paradox

Given Apple's reputation for innovation and quality, such a claim didn't seem entirely far-fetched at first. But as more details about the handset started to emerge, doubts began to creep in. After all, this was a phone that was expected to take the place of the $899 iPhone 16 Plus in the lineup and boasted only a single rear camera compared to the Pro models' three. The question remained: how could it possibly command a higher price?

The Wall Street Journal's Revelation

Now, The Wall Street Journal seems to have shed some light on this mystery. In a piece primarily focused on Apple's slow progress towards building its first foldable smartphone, there are clear indications about the iPhone 17 Air. It is stated that starting next year, Apple plans to introduce an iPhone that will be thinner than the approximately 8-millimeter profile of current models. This model is designed to be more affordable than the Pro models, with a simplified camera system to cut costs. This makes perfect sense. Currently, the iPhone 16 Pro starts at $999. So, the iPhone 17 Air could potentially price-match the iPhone 16 Plus at $899. Alternatively, if all prices were to shift upwards in 2025, it still seems unlikely that the slim model would exceed the four-figure barrier, especially if you consider the additional cost of increased storage, which typically ranges from $100 to $500.

My Personal Experience and Switching Decision

As readers might be aware, in 2022, I made a significant decision and abandoned Android after 13 years to purchase an iPhone 14 Pro. This phone is still going strong and I have no immediate plans to upgrade. But if something were to happen to it between now and September, the iPhone 17 Air would definitely be in the running to replace it. Despite the fact that there will only be one camera, in reality, I don't use the extra lenses on my current phone very often. Moreover, recent non-Pro models have been performing exceptionally well in emulating a 2x zoom through pixel binning.Even if the iPhone 17 Air were to get a slower chipset, it wouldn't bother me. Not only would it still be faster than my then three-year-old A16 Bionic, but the apps I use on a daily basis like Reddit, WhatsApp, Instagram, Gmail, Safari, and Coffee Golf don't really demand the full power of the latest silicon.The one thing that might stop me from making the switch is the rumored elimination of a certain feature across all models next year. All four models are expected to get the ProMotion 120Hz screen. While it might sound silly, after years of using a high refresh rate panel, I don't think I could handle a 60Hz screen. Whenever I have to engage power-saving mode and see the lower refresh rate, it bothers me.Perhaps I'm not a typical consumer. After all, I spend a lot of time thinking about tech for a living. But if I am, then the iPhone 17 Air might just be the long-awaited fourth model that Apple has been searching for, following the relative failures of the mini and Plus handsets.