What do users expect from the next iPhone model?

A new, significantly thinner iPhone rumored to be called the "iPhone Slim" or "iPhone Air" could launch later this year as part of the iPhone 17 lineup.

According to reports from Bloomberg, the Wall Street Journal, and The Information, this could be the most significant iPhone design overhaul since Apple removed the Home button on the iPhone X in 2017.

But is a slimmer design enough to make users open their wallets?

Pressure mounts on iPhone sales

Apple's iPhone business remained stable, with fiscal first-quarter revenue nearly flat year-over-year, helping the company's total revenue increase 4%.

However, Apple is facing many challenges such as users holding on to iPhones longer, recent iPhone sales falling short of Wall Street expectations, and market share in China shrinking under pressure from domestic brands.

The pressure to innovate is nothing new to Apple. For years, the company has struggled to maintain its leadership position in an increasingly saturated smartphone market.

But this time, Apple’s trump card bet on artificial intelligence (AI) has yet to yield clear results. The AI ​​features expected to be the highlight of the iPhone 16 are still in the final stages of completion, forcing Apple to rely on hardware to create new appeal.

"Apple is under more pressure than ever since Samsung gained market share with large-screen phones," said Patrick Moorhead, CEO and analyst at technology research firm Moor Insights & Strategy (USA).

Thinner iPhone – Is it enough to make a difference?

According to Bloomberg, the thinner iPhone 17 is expected to be about 2mm thinner than current models. This could mean that Apple will eliminate the iPhone Plus version and replace it with a new iPhone with an ultra-thin design.

Aside from the change in thickness, the device is likely to retain features like a dedicated camera button and an interface design that replaces the traditional notch with a dynamic interactive area at the top of the screen, also known as Dynamic Island.

The move could be particularly appealing in China, where consumers place a high value on design.

“Hardware innovation is important to Chinese customers. And looking at how thin Android models have been successful, Apple could benefit from this trend,” said Nabila Popal, senior director at the International Data Corporation (IDC).

This is all the more important as Apple is losing market share in China, where revenue from the market fell to $18.5 billion in the first fiscal quarter of the year, down from $21 billion in the same period last year.

According to UK-based technology market research firm Canalys, iPhone sales in China fell 25% in the fourth quarter of last year, while domestic smartphone maker Xiaomi surpassed Apple to become the world's second-largest smartphone brand.

Apple isn’t the only brand pursuing a slimmer design. Samsung previously launched the Galaxy S25 Edge, which is significantly thinner, while Oppo launched the ultra-thin Find N5 in February. This shows that ultra-thin design is becoming an important competitive strategy.

But do users need a new iPhone?

While a thinner iPhone may make a good first impression, that may not be enough to convince users to upgrade.

The smartphone market has matured, with no major breakthroughs every year like in the early 2010s, when new iPhone models first introduced fingerprint sensors or significantly larger screens.

A survey by Swiss-based multinational banking and financial group UBS found that iPhone users now keep their phones for an average of 37 months before upgrading, longer than 34 months last year.

Apple Intelligence, Apple’s AI platform, is expected to change this. But current AI features like notification summaries, custom emoji creation, and enhanced Siri support aren’t compelling enough to motivate users to upgrade their devices.

Even Apple's biggest intelligence feature, a more powerful version of Siri, has been delayed until next year.

Apple is expected to give its first look at Apple Intelligence at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) event on June 9. But the big question remains: will smarter AI software or a thinner iPhone design convince consumers to upgrade?

“With the iPhone 14 or even the iPhone 15, there’s no real compelling economic reason to upgrade right now,” said David Vogt, an analyst at UBS. “And that’s the pressure Apple is facing.”

One thing is for sure, Apple needs a big enough reason to make users crave a new iPhone. And perhaps, this time, "thinness" is their answer.