- Leaker claims iPhone 17 will be ‘largely unchanged in appearance’
- They also said that the iPhone Air 2 will have minimal external tweaks
- That could mean the next generation is one to skip for iPhone fans
If you’ve been hoping for big changes to come to the iPhone 18 and iPhone Air 2, you might want to dial back your enthusiasm. That’s because a couple of new leaks suggest that Apple will offer only minimal changes to these upcoming devices when they arrive in 2027, with virtually nothing new in terms of their outward appearance.
That idea comes from the cool Fixed Focus Digital, who took to Chinese social media Weibo to explain what they expected from the upcoming devices. Starting with the iPhone 18, the leaker claimed that the product could see some slight changes in terms of size, but that the design itself would remain identical to 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 difference in size.” It doesn’t exactly sound like a comprehensive overhaul.
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As for the iPhone Air 2, Fixed Focus Digital said this will be a “normal iteration.” It seems to suggest that we shouldn’t expect anything out of the ordinary – including the addition of a second camera, which previous leaks have claimed is on the way.
All in all, then, it looks like Apple’s next non-Pro iPhones won’t get much in the way of external changes. While we expect them to come with new chips and maybe a few internal upgrades, you might be out of luck if you’re hoping for fresh designs.
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. And while the super-slim design of the iPhone Air was fascinating, I didn’t like the idea of having to give up two camera lenses to get it.
Earlier leaks claiming the iPhone Air 2 would come with dual rear cameras piqued my interest a bit, but since Fixed Focus Digital seemingly buried that idea, I see no reason to switch to the iPhone Air 2. And with even less reportedly happening with the iPhone 18, that one is right out the window for me.
Why would Apple choose to make so few changes to its devices? One culprit may be the company’s software. Apple’s approach to its upcoming operating systems — including iOS 27, macOS 27, watchOS 27 and more — is apparently one of stability, whereby it will focus on improving the user experience and squashing bugs rather than adding heaps of new features. By reducing the number of hardware changes, Apple will reduce the need to change its software to accommodate these updates.
Another possibility is simply that Apple is happy with how their phones look right now. Mobile innovation has slowed in recent years as designs have settled, and while the iPhone Air itself was a relatively radical change for Apple, it’s only a year old. That can make any change to its appearance difficult to justify.
Regardless, it’s worth noting that Fixed Focus Digital’s claims are at odds with those made by some other leakers. Ultimately, we won’t know Apple’s plans for sure until the new devices show up (something that’s slated for next year now), but based on recent grapevine news, I wouldn’t hold my breath for any significant changes.
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