Is the iPhone 17 Air “thinner than its specs”?
It has been reported that major suppliers will upgrade their production facilities as the next iPhone 17 Pro model will have a higher-performance camera.
According to Korean media The Elec, LG Innotech announced an investment of 375.9 billion won (approximately 41.4 billion yen) to secure new equipment for camera modules. The purpose of the investment is to “respond to new models and improve competitiveness in the optical solution business.”
The report states that the investment in the new facility is aimed at supporting the iPhone 17, which is scheduled to be released next year. LG Innotek holds the largest market share for iPhone camera modules, and was also named as the supplier of the rumored camera for the iPhone SE 4.
In other words, the company does not need to significantly increase its production capacity. Therefore, the purpose of the investment is seen to be to replace equipment and equipment to match the high performance of the camera module for the iPhone 17 series.
We don’t know much about the cameras for the iPhone 17 series, but one thing seems to remain the same. In other words, the folding zoom (tetra prism telephoto lens) that achieves 5x optical zoom is exclusive to the Pro model, just like the iPhone 16 generation.
On the other hand, the standard model “iPhone 17” and the ultra-thin model “iPhone 17 Air” will not be equipped with a 5x zoom. In particular, the iPhone 17 Air is rumored to be the most expensive of all four models, and it won’t have the best camera.
The iPhone 17 Air is expected to have a non-Pro A19 chip and only one rear camera. On the other hand, with a thickness of 6mm (iPhone 6 is 6.9mm), which is the “thinnest iPhone in history,” it is expected to place more emphasis on premium feel than specs.
The iPhone SE series up to the third generation also gained some popularity due to its compact size, which was smaller than the flagship model, but this was also supported by its “low price.” It will be interesting to see what kind of impact “thin and expensive” will have.
