Gurman: iPhone 17 Lineup to Introduce New Design and Thinner “Air” Model

Apple could have a very busy year ahead with a redesigned iPhone 17 family, a new home hub device, and iterative updates for most of its other products. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman shared what to expect from Apple in 2025 in the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, and here’s what could happen in order of time.

The first products Apple could launch this year are new versions of the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air with Apple’s latest M4 chip. This is the same chip that Apple shipped in its latest entry-level MacBook Pro, Mac Mini, 24-inch iMac, and iPad Pros, and Gurman said that the new M4 MacBook Airs are already in production.

Later this spring, Apple may launch a new iPhone SE that uses the iPhone 14 design and an in-house cellular modem replacing Qualcomm parts. This redesigned iPhone SE will support Apple Intelligence, just like new entry-level iPads that should also launch in the Spring. The minimum specs for enabling Apple Intelligence features include an A17 Pro chip and 8GB of memory, so this is what these new iPhone SE and iPad models should ship with.

According to Gurman, the iPad Air lineup will also be upgraded this year with the M4 chips that the latest iPad Pros first received in May 2024. Apple may wait until late 2025 or early 2026 to upgrade the iPad Pro again with new M5 chips. Before that happens, however, Apple plans to make the iPad Air a bit more “pro” with a new Magic Keyboard accessory.

We may also see Apple’s new smart home hub accessory this spring, with a possible announcement in March. However, Gurman reports that the new smart home device may ship later this year as its software is “heavily tied to App Intents features coming in iOS 18.4 and iOS 19.” Anyway, this new home hub will mark Apple’s increased focus on the smart home market, with Gurman expecting the company to follow up with two new accessories, a new home security camera and a smart doorbell with Face ID.

In the first half of the year, Apple may also release new versions of its Mac Studio with M4 Mac and M4 Ultra chips. The Mac Studio hasn’t been updated in almost two years with the release of M2 Max and M2 Ultra models, and it’s overdue for an update as it’s now being challenged by the smaller Mac Mini with M4 Pro chip.

The fall season should once again see Apple release new iPhones and Apple Watches, iterative updates to the MacBook Pro line with M5 chips, and more. Gurman expects the iPhone 17, Pro, and Pro Max to come with a new design, but the main highlight should be a new “Air” version that’s 2mm thinner than existing iPhones.

The iPhone 17 Air may come with the same in-house modem from Apple that should launch first on the new iPhone SE this spring. It may also share a single-lens camera system with the latter. “The iPhone Air also serves as a testing ground for future technologies, including ones that could allow for foldable devices,” Gurman explained.

This year’s Apple Watch lineup should include new Series 11 and Ultra 3 models and a redesigned SE model. Gurman believes that the Ultra 3 will get the biggest updates with satellite connectivity, 5G RedCap network access. High blood pressure detection may also come to both the Ultra and Series 11 models.

This fall, Mac users can also expect new MacBook Pros with M5 ships and a new Mac Pro with a high-end “Hidra” chip. Just like the Mac Studio, the Mac Pro hasn’t been updated since June 2023.

Lastly, Apple could launch new AirTags with an improved range later this year and new HomePod mini and Apple TV models that will integrate with Apple’s new smart home hub. The HomePod Mini hasn’t been updated since 2020, while the latest Apple TV 4K was released back in October 2022.