Apple’s Ambitious iPhone 17 Plans Face Difficult Design Challenges

Apple’s upcoming iPhone 17 family may feature a new iPhone design, with the recently reported iPhone Slim replacing the large-screened iPhone Plus. By offering the thinnest iPhone ever, Tim Cook and his team will hope the presumptively-named iPhone 17 Slim will stand out against bulkier and larger flagships.

Yet a recent report suggests that a critical component that would facilitate a slimmer iPhone will not be ready in time, forcing Apple to compromise on the specifications or the physical dimensions of the new iOS-powered smartphone.

The Key To An iPhone 17 Slim

Noted smartphone commentator Jukanlosreve highlights various leaks across the supply chain around Apple’s endeavour to use a new substrate material inside the battery. The assumption is that a new substrate material would allow for more efficient thermal control and a smaller battery that could deliver a similar amount of power and endurance compared to an iPhone with a standard battery.

It now looks unlikely that this technology will be ready for an iPhone 17 Slim to launch in 2025. Apple will be forced into a delayed launch or to make hardware sacrifices to reduce the internal volume required.

The iPhone design language has remained relatively stable over the last few years. While not explicit, there has been a reduction in size where possible, although each step smaller has required Apple’s engineering to work hard on issues such as battery life, durability and cooling to keep them at acceptable levels. Moving to a design where being slim is the primary consideration will compound these issues beyond the usual yearly upgrade.

Does The Market Want An iPhone 17 Slim?

There’s also the question of the demand for a thinner phone. Apple’s “fourth” iPhone model (alongside the standard iPhone, the iPhone Pro, and the iPhone Pro Max) has yet to find a form factor that is truly beloved rather than offering niche appeal. The iPhone 12 Mini and iPhone 13 Mini suffered from poor sales, as have the iPhone 14 Plus and iPhone 15 Plus. Will the iPhone 17 Slim follow this trend, or is it third time lucky in finding a new form factor?

Apple isn’t alone in this space. Samsung has already released a slimmer version of its latest foldable with the Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition, and Honor’s Magic V3 is one of the slimmest foldables on the market. Neither of these are regarded as flagships; Honor’s foldable is more akin to a supercar, which knows it is available only in limited numbers, while Samsung’s is only available in a limited number of territories.

Early reviews of the Galaxy Z Fold SE have critiqued the choices made by Samsung to reach the slim profile, including removing support for the S-Pen stylus, increasing the size of the camera system and the relatively low battery capacity of 4400 mAh.

Apple’s Choices Around The iPhone 17 Slim

Given that the battery will have to remain in its bulky form factor, there are several options open to Apple, but each comes with its own issues. The straightforward approach would be to reduce battery capacity, impacting both short-term endurance and long-term battery health. The increased use of exotic materials to build up a thinner chassis could lead to a more fragile iPhone. The display’s complexity could also be reduced, but that leads to a drop in quality and leaves Apple in an awkward place if it is pitching the Slim as the fashionable iPhone.

The iPhone 17 Slim could breathe life into a staid and predictable iPhone line-up, but Apple faces several trade-offs to make it happen, trade-offs that could be divisive in its community.

Apple is expected to launch 2025’s iPhone 17 family in the traditional early September slot. It remains to be seen if the iPhone 17 Slim will be launched simultaneously or is it is held back for a separate launch—a strategy Apple is currently following for the next-generation iPhone SE expected in March 2025.

Now read the latest MacBook, iPhone 17, and Apple Intelligence headlines in Forbes’ weekly Apple Loop news digest…