Apple is reportedly planning significant changes to its smartphone lineup next year, including the discontinuation of the Plus model in favor of a new device called the iPhone 17 Air. According to GSM Arena, this new model is expected to feature an ultra-thin design with a single rear camera.
Citing supply chain sources, reports suggest that the iPhone 17 Air has now entered the New Product Introduction (NPI) stage. This is the first step in mass production, where Apple and its suppliers assess the feasibility of the device’s design and manufacturing process.
At this stage, Apple will ensure that the planned assembly methods are effective and may implement minor design adjustments to align with production capacity and cost efficiency. Following the NPI phase, small-scale trial production will begin to validate alignment between plans and execution.
Although the development of the iPhone 17 Air is still in its early stages, production appears to be making positive progress. It is evident that Apple is set to phase out the Plus model next year. The success of the iPhone 17 Air in terms of sales remains to be seen.
