iPhone 17: The leak of the new ultra-thin model leaves a key clue about Apple's next big bet.

As September approaches, rumors are growing about what Apple will present at its traditional annual keynote , when it confirms the new iPhone 17 series. While it is taken for granted that the star will be the iPhone 17 Air , its first ultra-thin model , the presentation would also be the prelude to something much more ambitious: the first foldable iPhone .

More and more competitors in the Android universe are launching thinner and lighter phones, such as the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, Oppo Find N5, and Tecno Spark Slim , among others. Apple's cell phone brand doesn't want to be left out of this trend and is preparing its entry into the "ultra-thin" segment with a model just 5.5 millimeters thick and a 6.6-inch display.

But unlike these manufacturers, Apple's goal isn't just aesthetic. The strategy, according to analysts, would be to pave the way for the introduction of its own foldable (book-sized) device in 2026, like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 .

Although the market isn't currently demanding slim phones—users prioritize cameras and battery life—the slim design is a marketing argument Apple can leverage. It's a visible differential and would allow the device's price to increase without relying on artificial intelligence features that aren't yet prominent within the Apple ecosystem.

To achieve a slim design, Samsung had to sacrifice battery and camera. The Galaxy S25 Edge comes with a 3,900 mAh battery, a disadvantage compared to the competition, which offers high-density, higher-capacity silicon-carbon batteries. While they managed to integrate a high-performance lens into an ultra-thin frame, it lacks a telephoto sensor.

Not to be outdone by its global rival, the iPhone 17 Air's battery is said to have a capacity of between 2,800 and 3,000 mAh , figures that are reminiscent of models like the iPhone 12 or 13. However, as it has a larger screen, doubts about its battery life are inevitable.

To compensate for this limitation, Apple will include the C1 chip in the iPhone 17 Air , the same modem used in the iPhone 16e, achieving surprising battery life without requiring high-capacity batteries. Additionally, iOS 26 will bring a new Smart Battery Saver mode, which dynamically optimizes performance based on device usage.

According to these rumors, the iPhone 17 Air isn't aiming to be the phone with the best battery life, nor the most powerful. It's clearly a bet for a specific niche: users who prioritize design and extreme portability .

Therefore, the background of this initiative would be more strategic: to show advances in engineering and design and then apply them to a future foldable iPhone , which would arrive in 2026, following the same roadmap that Samsung used this year with its Galaxy S25 Edge and the subsequent Galaxy Z Fold 7.

In a context where competition is advancing strongly in AI and disruptive hardware, the technology company led by Tim Cook faces the pressure to demonstrate that it continues to lead in innovation . Although the iPhone Flip (like the Galaxy Z Flip or Moto Razr) seems to have been forgotten, the focus now is on a premium, larger and more expensive foldable that aims to redefine the category.

While Apple has a reputation for being late to new categories, it quickly establishes itself when it does. This is what happened with the iPhone against BlackBerry, with the iPad in the world of tablets, and with the Apple Watch among smartwatches.

Today, while Samsung, Google and several Chinese brands already have their fold -type folding screen phones on the market, Apple is fulfilling one of the main foundations of its business model: waiting for the right moment .

The iPhone 17 Air's slim design could be a "free preview" of what's to come : a foldable iPhone, but without compromising battery life, cameras, or durability, something that remains a challenge in the industry.

On the other hand, Apple is reportedly working with Samsung Display to minimize the much-criticized "mark" in the screen crease, one of the major weaknesses of flexible phones.