It's barely there

Upcoming iPhone 17 Air looks shockingly thin in videos.

Leander Kahney
April 23, 2025

You might have seen social media posts featuring dummy models of the iPhone 17 line, due to be unveiled in the fall.

Several images have been floating around, and new ones seem to appear every day.

Apple leaker Sonny Dickson, for example, published new images of iPhone 17 dummies in both black and white just this morning.

Notably, the iPhone 17 Air — a widely rumored model that may or may not go by that name — looks quite thin, especially when compared to others in the lineup.

But it really takes video to bring home just how shockingly thin it is.

One interesting note: In the wake of Bendgate, Apple has learned a lot about making thin devices sturdy. See this illuminating video of someone trying to bend several recent iPhones.

Also in today’s newsletter:

The EU just fined Apple a tidy 500 million euros for continuing to restrict third-party app developers.
As the AI race plays out, it’s all about distribution. Just as Google pays Apple billions of dollars every year to be the default search engine on Apple devices, OpenAI would love to snap up the Chrome browser from Google to make ChatGPT a default. It could happen if an antitrust judge orders Google to sell Chrome.
A new survey finds many Apple customers might be willing to pay extra for Apple Intelligence. But given its less-than-stellar performance, Cult of Mac managing editor Lewis Wallace says he’d almost be willing to pay not to have it!
We have a couple of charging deals today: Save 40% on this 140W GaN charger capable of juicing all your Apple devices, including power-hungry MacBooks. Plus, you can save 30% on these cool cables that actually light up as you charge.
And don’t miss out on the new deal that drops iPad 11 to its lowest price yet.

— Leander Kahney, EIC.

New videos show shocking thinness of iPhone 17 Air

New videos show how shockingly thin iPhone 17 Air dummy units appear. One reviewer thinks customers won't want any other model.

EU fines Apple and Meta hundreds of millions for DMA violations

The EU imposes a hefty fine on Apple for breaking antisteering restrictions on European developers. Meta gets hit with big EU fines, too.

3 simple tricks every Apple Watch wearer should know

Apple Watch does so much it’s possible for some handy tricks to get lost. Everyone should master these basic Apple Watch tips immediately.

^{A message from the}^{Cult of Mac Deals team}

Powerful new GaN charger pumps up MacBooks at 40% off

The new CukTech 15 140W GaN Charger looks like a powerful but compact way to charge up laptops and other devices.

Can a charging cable be sexy? Because this one comes close.

The Statik GloBright RGB USB-C cable lights up as it charges. It can handle 100W of power, so it can charge up your MacBook Pro.

Grab a huge 70% discount on Apple TV+ [Last chance -- ends Thursday]

It’s not too late to score a whopping discount on Apple TV+ subscriptions.

ChatGPT-maker OpenAI ready to buy Chrome from Google

OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, would be willing to buy Chrome from Google if a U.S. federal court orders its sale.

^{A message from the Cult of Mac Deals team}

Price drop: Score a lifetime license to Microsoft Office 2021 for Mac (just $70)

Get lifetime access to Microsoft Office 2021 for Mac (Home and Business edition), with essential productivity apps Word, Excel and more.

iPad 11 drops to lowest price yet

A new iPad deal offers big discounts on multiple models of Apple's tablet, including the entry-level iPad 11 with 128GB storage.

More iPhone users say yes to paying for Apple Intelligence

A new survey shows a growing number of iPhone owners might be willing to pay for Apple Intelligence, with $10 to $14.99 being the sweet spot.

Share a link with quoted text in Messages [Pro Tip]

If you want to share a link with highlighted text in Messages, there’s an easy but hidden way to do it in Safari on your iPhone.

Today in Apple history: App Store hits 1 billion downloads

On April 23, 2009, the App Store reached a remarkable milestone less than a year after opening its virtual doors: 1 billion downloads.

Sublime KEF speakers rock Mac mini rig [Setups]

If you can afford them, you can't really go wrong with KEF speakers. Today's Mac mini setup adds a subwoofer and great headphones, too.

Tweets of the day

It’s #NationalParkWeek—Apple Watch and Apple Maps are great companions for your next adventure!
Discover hiking routes for our national parks in Maps, choose the route you want to try, and then save it to your Apple Watch to help you navigate. Can’t wait to use on my next trip!
— Greg Joswiak (@gregjoz)
11:20 PM • Apr 21, 2025

netflix rebuilt amsterdam's apple store from scratch for their new movie iHostage
the behind the scenes tech they used is absolutely wild 🤯
— juan (@juanbuis)
8:35 AM • Apr 22, 2025

This hotel TV is so tiny. Impossible to watch my shows or movies on it. Apple Vision Pro turns my room into a cinematic paradise. Always grateful to @Apple for inventing #AppleVisionPro. It changes everything. @MoonVRPlayer
— FSK Shots and Tech  ᯅ (@faythebest)
7:13 PM • Apr 23, 2025

Wallpaper of the day

iOS wallpaper iPhone
Retro vibes in 4k
— Dr. iPhone 𝕏 🥷 (@calebNwadioha)
9:52 PM • Apr 22, 2025

One more thing ...

❝

At Apple, people are putting in 18-hour days. We attract a different type of person — a person who doesn't want to wait five or 10 years to have someone take a giant risk on him or her. Someone who really wants to get in a little over his head and make a little dent in the universe. We are aware that we are doing something significant. We're here at the beginning of it and we're able to shape how it goes. Everyone here has the sense that right now is one of those moments when we are influencing the future.

— Steve Jobs, 1985.

Today’s poll

If the iPhone 17 Air looks like the renders, would you buy it?

Results from yesterday’s poll: What do you use AirTags to track?

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