According to several leading leakers, a slimmer model of the iPhone 17 could appear next year. Such a combination of features would require careful branding by Apple, but Apple probably already has the best name for such an iPhone.

I noticed this while watching a new video by Jon Prosser of Front Page Tech. He also makes the trademark bet that if Apple decides to market this phone as the iPhone 17 Slim, he'll shave his own head.

While not providing any new evidence, Prosser certainly has great faith in Apple's use of an existing title for what is supposed to be an entirely new iPhone design. And if Apple is wise, it will use the Air suffix for its new, skinnier iPhone, saving Prosser from the clippers in the process.

Like the MacBook Air and iPad Air, the rumored iPhone 17 Slim seems to prioritize lightness and approachability over power. While the potential higher price of this iPhone does not quite fit this pattern, as Air models are usually priced lower than Pro models, Air remains the most appropriate brand Apple currently has for such an iPhone.

Having Slim as the official name represents an entirely new suffix for Apple products; the Max label first appeared on the iPhone XS Max in 2018, and the Ultra label first appeared on the original Apple Watch Ultra in 2022. However, these two labels have a more generic meaning, suggesting both power and price in a way that Slim does not.

Slim would allow for a more specific description of a particular feature of the new iPhone, but using this name would require a complete process to teach buyers what this name specifically means in Apple's world. And why do that instead of relying on a title that Apple customers have been familiar with for over 15 years?

We still have to wait more than a year for the iPhone 17 to debut. That means that Apple has ample time to change or abandon its plans for the iPhone 17 Slim, and that this whole discussion is a bit premature. But hopefully, Apple will take note of how much excitement the 2025 iPhone has already generated and therefore encourage them to continue development.

The exact name of the iPhone 17 Slim does not govern how good a phone it is. After all, a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet. But it could still affect the way potential buyers view the phone, and the way it may or may not fit into their existing technology loadout. And since the mini-iPhone and plus-size iPhone have proven to be mediocre successes at best, Apple would be wise to give its third attempt to extend the iPhone line every chance it can to do well.

So fingers crossed that Apple sticks with the tried and true name to dub an entirely new iPhone design in a year or so's time. If Slim doesn't work out, though, I'm not sure where Apple will go next. After trying large, small, and thin, the logical next step would be the iPhone Thicc, but I doubt it will be particularly popular.