iPhone 17 Air Almost Didn’t Have The Charging Port In Apple’s Bold Fully Wireless Move: Report

Apple is gearing up for its September launch for the iPhone 17 series. The new series will include models like the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and the heavily rumoured iPhone 17 Air. The iPhone 17 Air is reported to be the thinnest iPhone yet, with several iterations made to the battery and other components to make it slim. A new report suggests that Apple even considered ditching the USB Type-C charging port on the iPhone 17 Air to maintain its slim form factor.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that the iPhone 17 Air reportedly was going to ditch the USB Type-C port and only come with support for wireless charging.  Apple envisions a cable-free tech world and this move was well intended as a step in that direction. However, Apple had to ditch this plan due to European Union regulatory concerns. 

The report suggests that at one point Apple was also testing an even thinner phone with a 6.9-inch screen, but it scrapped that idea as well, due to the risk of it bending too easily in pockets. To recall, Apple was heavily criticised  in 2014 for its iPhone 16 Plus, when several users reported that it bent too easily in the pocket.

To retain its slim form factor, the iPhone 17 Air may have a small battery but Apple is likely to use a modern battery technology that offers higher energy density that the traditional ones. The phone is tipped to pack a 2,800mAh silicon carbon battery. The iPhone 17 Air is likely to weigh only 146 grams.

Rumoured specifications include Face ID support, 7000 series aluminiium alloy frame, 120Hz OLED display, 48-megapixel rear camera, and a 24-megapixel selfie camera.

Published on: Tuesday, July 01, 2025, 11:02 AM IST