The expensive iPhone 17 Air may have a lot in common with Apple’s cheapest iPhone

The latest iPhone 17 Air report suggests that the expected ultra-slim model could be as thin as 6mm, which would make it the slimmest iPhone ever made.

While that would be a challenging metric to hit, and we’ll believe it when there’s supporting evidence, we do seem to have growing clarity on the market Apple is targeting with the device …

Ironically, what may turn out to be Apple’s most expensive model next year may have significant overlap in appeal with the cheapest model in the line-up.

The iPhone SE

The first ever iPhone SE held an interesting position in the iPhone line-up. Apple’s focus was on price, providing an affordable stepping stone into the iPhone world.

But some of those who bought it were attracted not by the price, but rather by the compact size and classic design. Indeed, I actually ‘downgraded’ from the iPhone 6S to the SE for those two reasons.

The SE has also held appeal for those who want an iPhone because they want to be part of the Apple ecosystem, but value simplicity over power. In particular, those who are not very focused on the camera capabilities.

Yes, they want to be able to take photos, but they want a point-and-shoot experience. They don’t want to have to choose a lens, decide macro or not, and so on. They just want to be able to press a button and take a photo.

Next year’s iPhone SE is expected to be a significant upgrade. The model will finally drop the Home button in favor of the mostly-screen design of other iPhones. It will switch from Lightning to USB-C. It will support Apple Intelligence.

But for all these upgrades, we’re still expecting it to have a single camera.

The iPhone 17 Air

The iPhone 17 Air may be the most expensive model in the line-up, priced above even the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

Yet despite this, it is expected to have one thing in common with the cheapest iPhone: just one camera.

It seems clear that Apple is in large part targeting the ‘style over substance’ market with the upcoming model. It is pitched to those who want the style and cachet of owning the sleekest iPhone on the market, and are willing to pay a premium for it.

From my perspective, gaining a little extra slimness at the expense of camera capabilities is a very poor deal. Photographic features are the main reason I typically upgrade every year.

But I think the target market for the iPhone 17 Air may actually consider a single camera to be a plus point. First they swap the visual clutter of that imposing camera module with its three lenses for a much more minimalist single lens (perhaps also centered rather than offset). Second, they get a simpler usage experience. No decisions, just point and shoot.

Apple’s cheapest and most expensive iPhone models next year may well end up appealing to some of the same people for some of the same reasons.

Render: Michael Bower/9to5Mac