Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is back with his predictions on the iPhone 17 lineup. Following previous rumors, the top Apple insider says Cupertino has canceled the iPhone 17 Plus due to low demand (around 5%-10% of total new iPhone shipments) while the company keeps working on a new ultra-slim model.
With that, Apple followed the trend of trying a new model for a few years until it realized no one actually wanted that. It started with the iPhone 12 mini and continued until the iPhone 13 mini. Then, Apple thought users actually wanted bigger displays, so it released the iPhone 14 Plus.
After trying again with the iPhone 15 Plus and rumors saying an iPhone 16 Plus is also in the works, it seems this will be the last time we see a variation of a regular iPhone, as Apple is now “exploring new design trends beyond the existing iPhone lineup.”
Apple bets on a premium iPhone 17 Slim to improve sales
Rumors about an iPhone 17 Slim have ramped up in the past few weeks. While they looked a bit sketchy since the device wouldn’t have all the premium iPhone Pro features and still cost more, it seems Kuo was able to better explain Apple’s plans.
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According to the analyst, this iPhone 17 would feature an ultra-slim innovative form factor design rather than competing on hardware specifications. So far, this device is rumored to feature a 6.6-inch display with a 2,740 x 1,260p resolution, the A19 chip (while the iPhone 17 Pro will come with the A19 Pro processor), and a Dynamic Island area similar to current models.
Interestingly enough, this device would have a titanium-aluminum alloy metal frame, with a lower percentage of titanium than the current Pro and Pro Max metal. Finally, Apple would adopt its long-rumored in-house 5G chip and a single rear camera.
Image source: Apple Inc.
While the picture painted by Ming-Chi Kuo still looks more like a concept than an actual product, pricing will determine whether this iPhone can succeed. Unless Apple really has a very innovative form factor, I don’t think it could lure people to spend money on this device instead of a regular iPhone 17 or the high-end options.
With the iPhone 17 Pro expected to feature a design change and three 48MP main cameras, I’m not sure users would be willing to move to this new device.
That said, another tidbit shared on X by the analyst reveals that the upcoming iPhone SE 4 might also feature Apple’s in-house 5G chip.