Going into the iPhone 16 preorder season, I knew I wouldn’t buy a Pro model. Also, I didn’t want one of the small ones. By that, I mean the 6.1-inch iPhone 16 and 6.3-inch iPhone 16 Pro seemed too small for me. I say that as someone who, up until now, has chosen the small iPhone Pro every year since Apple introduced it.
I don’t know when it happened, but I realized I need a larger display. It’s not just about seeing more content when browsing the web, reading, or video streaming. I also find it increasingly difficult to type on a 6.1-inch screen.
Another benefit of going a size larger is the bigger battery pack inside the iPhone. The Plus and Pro Max sizes easily get me well over a day of battery life. I loved that experience in the first year of using the iPhone 14 Pro, which had tremendous battery life, at least for me. I say that because I know plenty of other people were unhappy with it.
Fast-forward to mid-October, and I’ve been using the iPhone 16 Plus for about two weeks. I do everything with it that I used to do with the iPhone 14 Pro, but I actually dread certain things now. This made me realize how much I want that ultra-slim iPhone 17 Air that keeps popping up in rumors. I’m ready for a large phone, but I want a much thinner profile than the Plus and Pro Max.
I absolutely love the larger screen on the iPhone 16 Plus, even if it’s stuck at 60Hz. I’m one of those people who can’t really tell the difference between the refresh rates on iPhones. The display downgrade to 60Hz from 120Hz on my iPhone 14 Pro did not bother me one bit. iOS 18 is great for the most part, and everything runs smoothly.
I just love the extra screen real estate. It makes using the iPhone so much better. Add the longer battery life, and I get about 36 hours on a charge. It’s not quite two days, but it’s close.
But all that comes at a price.
The iPhone 16 Plus is incredibly bulky. It weighs 199g, just like the smaller iPhone 16 Pro, but the weight isn’t the problem here. The Plus is just two large overall. I put on a screen protector and a case that further adds to the bulk. I’ll note that the iPhone 16 Plus is actually thinner than the iPhone 16 Pro models. We’re looking at 7.80mm thickness for the Plus compared to 8.25 for the Pros.
That’s why I want an iPhone 17 Air. I’m dreaming of an even thinner iPhone, hopefully similar to the iPhone 6 through iPhone 8 models. The iPhone SE 3 currently retains that form factor.
I find it incredibly difficult to carry the Plus in my pants’ pockets. I have to take it out when tying my shoes, and I can’t wait to get home from wherever I might be to remove it from my pocket.
One more thing to consider is that I also run a lot for marathon training. I always bring the iPhone with me. I didn’t buy a cellular Apple Watch Series 10 for this reason. While running with a Plus in my pocket isn’t as difficult as I thought it would be, it’s still a problem.
I’m also very mindful of handling the iPhone 16 Plus with one hand. I haven’t dropped it yet, but that’s my fear. It’s why I’ve added extra bulk to it by putting it in a case.
I had these worries in mind last year when we first heard rumors about Apple increasing the display sizes of the iPhone 16 Pros to 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch. I dreaded using a large phone. It turns out Apple did it without increasing the size of the Pro and Pro Max too dramatically. Those ultra-thin bezels helped push the screen size.
Rumors say the iPhone 17 Air will replace the Plus size in Apple’s iPhone 17 lineup. But it will have a smaller display than the 6.7-inch screen on the current Plus. Add a thinner profile, and the handset would likely be easier to handle with one hand.
The iPhone 17 Air could also be much more comfortable in pockets than the Plus and Pro Max. For the moment, I refuse to consider carrying the iPhone in a bag or other piece of clothing.
I am willing to make other compromises to get an iPhone with a large display and an ultra-slim profile. I could forgo the ultrawide camera and use a single-lens camera system. Similarly, I would not mind if the battery lasted me for 24 hours instead of 36. Come to think of it, I could also let go of wireless and MagSafe charging in a scenario where the iPhone 17 Air came with a metal back instead of glass.
That said, there are no guarantees that Apple will make an iPhone Air size this year. The rumors say it’s happening, but Apple has time to cancel plans or postpone the introduction of the Air size.
