- Leaker claims iPhone 17 will be ‘largely unchanged in appearance’
- They also said that the iPhone Air 2 will have minimal external adjustments.
- This could mean the next generation is the one to avoid for iPhone fans
If you were hoping for major changes to the iPhone 18 and iPhone Air 2, you might want to tone down your enthusiasm. Indeed, a few new leaks suggest that Apple will only offer minimal changes to these upcoming devices when they arrive in 2027, with virtually nothing new in terms of external appearance.
This idea comes from leaker Fixed Focus Digital, who took to Chinese social media site Weibo to explain what he expects from the upcoming devices. Starting with the iPhone 18, the leaker claimed that the product might see slight changes in terms of size, but the design itself would remain the same as the iPhone 17.
Specifically, according to Google Translate, Fixed Focus Digital wrote: “Industry sources indicate that the standard iPhone 18 will remain largely unchanged in appearance, except for a possible slight size difference. » This doesn’t really sound like a major overhaul.
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Regarding the iPhone Air 2, Fixed Focus Digital said it would be a “normal iteration.” This seems to imply that we shouldn’t expect anything out of the ordinary, including the addition of a second camera, which previous leaks have suggested is on the way.
Overall, then, it seems that Apple’s upcoming non-Pro iPhones won’t see many external changes. While we expect them to come with new chips and perhaps some internal upgrades, if you’re hoping for new designs, you might be out of luck.
Don’t hold your breath
I watched the introduction of the original iPhone Air with great interest, but decided not to pull the trigger. At the time, my iPhone 16 Pro was only a year old and did everything I needed it to do. And while the iPhone Air’s ultra-thin design was fascinating, I didn’t like the idea of having to give up two camera lenses to get it.
Previous leaks alleging that the iPhone Air 2 would come with dual rear cameras have reignited my interest a bit, but with digital fixed focus seemingly burying that idea, I don’t see a reason to upgrade to the iPhone Air 2. And with even less supposedly happening with the iPhone 18, that one is just out the window for me.
Why would Apple choose to make so few changes to its devices? One culprit could be the company’s software. Apple’s approach to its upcoming operating systems – including iOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27 and more – is apparently focused on stability, in which it will focus on improving the user experience and squashing bugs rather than adding lots of new features. By reducing the number of hardware changes, Apple will reduce the need to modify its software to accommodate these updates.
Another possibility is simply that Apple is happy with the way its phones currently look. Mobile innovation has slowed in recent years as designs have fallen into place, and while the iPhone Air itself was a relatively radical departure for Apple, it’s only a year old. This could make any changes to its appearance difficult to justify.
Regardless, it’s worth noting that Fixed Focus Digital’s claims run counter to those made by other leakers. Ultimately, we won’t know for sure what Apple’s plans are until the new devices appear (something that’s being mooted for next year now), but based on the latest news from the grapevine, I won’t be holding my breath for any significant changes.
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