Apple Will Remove IPhone 17 Plus, Replace With IPhone 17 Slim

Apple will remove the iPhone 17 Plus and replace it with a new model iPhone 17 Slim. (photo: x @RjeyTech)

Apple is rumored to be removing the iPhone 17 Plus and replacing it with a new model called the Slim iPhone 17. This information was conveyed by Ming-Chi Kuo, a well-known analyst who often gives leaks related to Apple products. Kuo explained that the Slim 17 iPhone will have a 6.6-inch screen, bigger than the regular iPhone, but smaller than the Plus model.

The Slim iPhone 17 will have a screen resolution of 2740x1260 and retain the Dynamic Island feature. The device will also be equipped with the latest chip, A19, and wrapped in a frame made of titanium-aluminum alloys with a lower titanium percentage than the current metal Pro and Pro Max frames.

This step was taken because sales of the iPhone Plus model account for only about 5-10% of total annual sales. Apple seeks to customize the design and features of their devices according to the growing trend of consumer use and preferences.

It is estimated that the iPhone 17 Slim will be priced at 1299 US dollars (Rp 21.1 million) and equipped with a ProMotion screen. The code name for this device is "D23". In addition, the Slim iPhone 17 will have a thinner chassis and a smaller hole on the screen.

One significant change is that the Slim iPhone 17 will only have one rear camera, in contrast to the iPhone 17 which is expected to have two cameras, and the iPhone 17 Pro model which will have three rear cameras. The camera on the iPhone 17 Slim is a "wide" camera, which is the main camera in Apple's terminology. While there are no details about the specifications of this camera, the rest of the product line is expected to have a 48MP main camera.

In addition, the Slim iPhone 17 will use Apple's own 5G chip, replacing the Qualcomm chip used in the previous model.

However, this thinner device raises concerns about battery capacity. The smaller battery size usually means shorter life. To date, there are no further details regarding Apple's plans for batteries for this device.

In comparison, the thinst iPhone currently on the market is the third generation iPhone SE with a thickness of 0.29 inches, while the iPhone 15 has a thickness of 0.31 inches. Apple is expected to be able to overcome this challenge with their latest innovations.

But it's still at least 14 months from the announcement and launch of the iPhone 17 line. Much can change between now and then, and Kuo is not as good as it used to be. In addition, this ultra-slim model is not meant to replace the Plus model, but to explore new design trends outside the existing iPhone lineup.