Other iPhone 17 Air/Slim is clever marketing to nerf the base iPhones.

[Wanted797]

Here’s my tinfoil hat conspiracy theory behind the rumours iPhone 17 slim/air.

I think they’re trying to make the divide between base and Pro phones bigger. By nerfing the base iPhone.

As rumoured this year they will bring out the 17 slim along side both base and pro phones. With its slimmer design and single camera. So it will be slim and light at a small premium price that puts it in the middle, while not being “pro money”.

Being the “new” iPhone it will sell really well as all the kids and influencers flock to having the “new thing.”

Next year the base model iPhone will steal its design language with single camera. Not quite sure what they’ll do on the screen sizes. The pros may also follow suit but they won’t be as thin. Given they’re pro phones they’ll continue to promote big batteries and multi lens cameras.

Then over time we will end up with iPhone and iPhone pro but the base iPhone will have a single camera while the pros then have their killer features and massive battery life from being slightly thicker.

Most people will buy this new “slim marketing” but in the process Apple will have snuck in a nice price increase as well (remember they’re going to start middle of the range and I’m sure the pros will go up when they get a redesign).

This is essentially what they did with the iPhone XR and the 11.

The XS was the X successor. The XR was a cheaper model that was slightly bigger because it was LCD not OLED.

When the 11 came out. They named the OLED model as the 11 Pro and rebranded what was actually a new XR (LCD Display) as the iPhone 11.

It was a clever sleight of hand move that many unsuspecting consumers would never have noticed the new iPhone 11 actually had an inferior display to the X models.

 

[JPack]

Apple is likely removing the ultrawide on the slim iPhone 17 to make it thin, not to artificially separate it from the iPhone Pro. Base model will likely retain two lenses.

We saw this with M4 iPad Pro and the removal of the second lens. Ultrawide and telephoto lenses and sensors consume a lot on the z-axis.

The 48MP sensor already effectively offers two lenses: regular and 2x telephoto. Do many users prefer a thinner device in exchange for lack of ultrawide and macro? Apple is betting yes.

Most consumers have been conditioned to understand more lenses are better. The slim with a single lens will be seen as a compromise regardless of what it looks like. It won’t win the hearts of most consumers regardless of how Apple markets it.

Everybody knew XR and 11 had an LCD, it’s just nobody cared about it because it didn’t make much difference in the real world. Apple named it XR simply because R was before S in XS. The iPhone 11 was subordinate to 11 Pro.

 

[d5aqoëp]

At this juncture I would accept any excuse or marketing PR from Apple as long as base iPhones have the bladdy Pro-Motion 120hz screens. Nothing else matters for me.

 

[Cobalt Blizzard]

When the 11 came out. They named the OLED model as the 11 Pro and rebranded what was actually a new XR (LCD Display) as the iPhone 11.

It was a clever sleight of hand move that many unsuspecting consumers would never have noticed the new iPhone 11 actually had an inferior display to the X models.

X/XS started at $999, XR and 11 at $699 and 11 Pro at $999 as well.

Nothing really got “downgraded” on the expensive models, users just got optional cheaper variant with older display technology 🙄

 

[eyoungren]

Well…whatever.

We are probably upgrading this year. That'll be either to the 15 or 16 Pro Max, 1TB. I have been shouting into the storm since the launch of the iPhone 6 series that I want a phone with the camera flush to the housing, just like my old iPhone 5.

I'm not getting what I want and Apple won't be getting a sale with this 17 slim or whatever.

 

[Wanted797]

Apple is likely removing the ultrawide on the slim iPhone 17 to make it thin, not to artificially separate it from the iPhone Pro. Base model will likely retain two lenses.

I guess I’m saying “to make it thin” is just a cover. A cover to ultimately remove things from the base models.

Everybody knew XR and 11 had an LCD, it’s just nobody cared about it because it didn’t make much difference in the real world. Apple named it XR simply because R was before S in XS. The iPhone 11 was subordinate to 11 Pro.

Maybe every tech person on here did. But I explained to many non-tech normal people the 11 was not the successor to the X.

 

[Wanted797]

X/XS started at $999, XR and 11 at $699 and 11 Pro at $999 as well.

Nothing really got “downgraded” on the expensive models, users just got optional cheaper variant with older display technology 🙄

No the pros were not downgraded.

It was more that the cheaper models introduced were given the flag ship name (11). Which covered that they were cheaper/lesser models.

 

[Jackbequickly]

It is just Apple marketing. They do it quite well. Other than the car and goggles, they have been spot on.

 

[Wanted797]

Well…whatever.

We are probably upgrading this year. That'll be either to the 15 or 16 Pro Max, 1TB. I have been shouting into the storm since the launch of the iPhone 6 series that I want a phone with the camera flush to the housing, just like my old iPhone 5.

I'm not getting what I want and Apple won't be getting a sale with this 17 slim or whatever.

I agree there. Even the cases don’t fix it!

I love my 13 mini and will use it as long as I can. if Apple don’t make a phone with a width below 71mm or similar to the X or 15 pro I’ll just be buying a used 15 pro.

 

[CharlesShaw]

I recall everyone being convinced that an Apple Watch with flat sides was coming, so I'm adopting a wait and see approach to the rumored thinner iPhone.

 

[Sami13496]

If Apple indeed releases the rumoured Air model and also the rumoured SE model, it will be interesting to see how the four-tier lineup will differentiate from one another.

 

[nathansz]

Here’s my tinfoil hat conspiracy theory behind the rumours iPhone 17 slim/air.

I think they’re trying to make the divide between base and Pro phones bigger. By nerfing the base iPhone.

As rumoured this year they will bring out the 17 slim along side both base and pro phones. With its slimmer design and single camera. So it will be slim and light at a small premium price that puts it in the middle, while not being “pro money”.

Being the “new” iPhone it will sell really well as all the kids and influencers flock to having the “new thing.”

Next year the base model iPhone will steal its design language with single camera. Not quite sure what they’ll do on the screen sizes. The pros may also follow suit but they won’t be as thin. Given they’re pro phones they’ll continue to promote big batteries and multi lens cameras.

Then over time we will end up with iPhone and iPhone pro but the base iPhone will have a single camera while the pros then have their killer features and massive battery life from being slightly thicker.

Most people will buy this new “slim marketing” but in the process Apple will have snuck in a nice price increase as well (remember they’re going to start middle of the range and I’m sure the pros will go up when they get a redesign).

This is essentially what they did with the iPhone XR and the 11.

The XS was the X successor. The XR was a cheaper model that was slightly bigger because it was LCD not OLED.

When the 11 came out. They named the OLED model as the 11 Pro and rebranded what was actually a new XR (LCD Display) as the iPhone 11.

It was a clever sleight of hand move that many unsuspecting consumers would never have noticed the new iPhone 11 actually had an inferior display to the X models.

I'd be happy with a smaller phone and less camera, especially if it doesn't protrude from the housing which is such terrible design

if I wanted to play at being a photographer I'd buy a nice camera

that the camera has become the star feature of mobile phones drives me crazy!

I'd rather they focused on screen to housing ratio. I would love an iPhone the same size as the mini but thinner, no bezels and minimal cameras (just enough for Face ID, scanning docs and taking quick snaps to document things)

 

[klasma]

I guess I’m saying “to make it thin” is just a cover. A cover to ultimately remove things from the base models.

It wasn’t a cover with the M4 iPad Pro, which in the process also lost a lens and received worse speakers. In addition, the iPhone Air will allegedly be upgraded to a ProMotion display. Furthermore, it doesn't look like they'll be thinnifying the regular-sized iPhone (unfortunately).

 

[ProbablyDylan]

If the prices change accordingly, who cares? Would be a good time to kill the SE while they're at it.

Lineup should be $500-600 'Just' iPhone, $700-800 iPhone Air, $1k-1.2k iPhone Pro. Just like the tablets.

 

[TechnoMonk]

I have seen better and more interesting tin foil conspiracy theories here.

 

[_Mitchan1999]

X/XS started at $999, XR and 11 at $699 and 11 Pro at $999 as well.

Nothing really got “downgraded” on the expensive models, users just got optional cheaper variant with older display technology 🙄

iPhone prices in 2018. The iPhone XR was $749 in 2018 then the iPhone 11 came out in 2019 and was $699.

 

[Wanted797]

It wasn’t a cover with the M4 iPad Pro, which in the process also lost a lens and received worse speakers. In addition, the iPhone Air will allegedly be upgraded to a ProMotion display. Furthermore, it doesn't look like they'll be thinnifying the regular-sized iPhone (unfortunately).

Cameras on an iPad are completely different use case. As in most people don’t use them.

I’m not saying all this will happen this year. It will be gradually overtime.

“Oh the air sold better than our base iPhone? Guess we’ll ditch the base iPhone”.

 

[uczcret]

Apple loves the tiering/upsell ladder game, I doubt they'll stop making the base of that ladder any time soon.

 

[PBG4 Dude]

Cameras on an iPad are completely different use case. As in most people don’t use them.

I’m not saying all this will happen this year. It will be gradually overtime.

“Oh the air sold better than our base iPhone? Guess we’ll ditch the base iPhone”.

They did that with the iPhone mini. The iPhone and iPhone plus used to be $100 cheaper.

 

[TechnoMonk]

View attachment 2468635
iPhone prices in 2018. The iPhone XR was $749 in 2018 then the iPhone 11 came out in 2019 and was $699.

Facts don’t matter when it comes to conspiracies.

 

[TechnoMonk]

Well…whatever.

We are probably upgrading this year. That'll be either to the 15 or 16 Pro Max, 1TB. I have been shouting into the storm since the launch of the iPhone 6 series that I want a phone with the camera flush to the housing, just like my old iPhone 5.

I'm not getting what I want and Apple won't be getting a sale with this 17 slim or whatever.

I think that ship has sailed unless we see dramatic innovation with compact lenses.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

I don’t see what’s the problem?
I’ve been hearing this over and over from posters here, the lines are getting way too complicated between different models.
If anything, this simplifies things, and makes it much more like the MacBook and iPad line.

iPhone (SE): the absolute essentials.
iPhone Air: latest specifications in a super thin and light design, the standard model.
iPhone Pro: sacrifice thin and lightness for cameras, batteries and the most performance you can squeeze out of a phone.


I don’t think the camera really matters on the base, the two most popular iPhone models are the base and the Pro Max.
The base is obviously the most popular because it’s the one you can get the easiest, carriers basically give it for free with trade-ins. This will become the Air.
And then most people who want more battery or camera quality just jump right to the Pro Max.
So if anything, this just proves that the baseline iPhone doesn’t necessarily need a two lens camera, after all, they just ditched it on the iPad Pro and barely anyone complained. Anyone who cares a bit about the camera is going to Go Pro.
The people buying the base phone probably aren’t using that second camera anyway, so might as well focus on what they will notice, the design.
Plus the fact that with software they now do the digital 2X crop and the fact that the Ultra Wide lens was always lower resolution than the main camera, I don’t think most people are going to care.
On top of this, even with the removal of the camera, the iPhone air is also rumored to double the resolution of the front camera, so it’s not like it’s all downgrades.

 

[eyoungren]

I think that ship has sailed unless we see dramatic innovation with compact lenses.

Well, I hold out hope that at some point in my lifetime it will happen. But if it doesn't, I move on. I like iOS more than I hate the fugly camera boil. And there is only one product that will run iOS.

 

[iGüey]

Here’s my tinfoil hat conspiracy theory behind the rumours iPhone 17 slim/air.

Well, I have another “conspiracy theory” very different than yours….

I’m pretty sure that the so-called iPhone “Air” is just an euphemism to let the market know that something different is coming, but not necessarily an ultra-thin and lighter iPhone than the current ones as many people have literally understood it.

Also, remember that ultra-thin phones tend to bend, plus I don't think the market is expecting a much thinner iPhone these days. In the other hand, larger screens have been a trend in the industry year to year.

Nowadays, a lot of people (millions) would like to have large screens in a very pocketable phone. Thus, a innovative improvement would be an iPhone with a large screen and a small footprint. Both features could co-exist only with a flip iPhone.

So my bet is that “iPhone Air” is just a coded denomination to refer to a flip or foldable iPhone. I really hope I’m right.

Just time will tell….

 

[Sami13496]

I personally think that people are tired of thick and heavy phones with oversized camera bumps. So, an iPhone Air— a thinner and lighter model without a camera bump—would surely be a welcome option. I don’t believe Apple would jump on the gimmick train with a foldable model.