Apple reportedly considered making the upcoming iPhone 17 Air the first completely port-free iPhone, eliminating physical charging and data transfer ports in favor of wireless technology.
However, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the company ultimately decided against this radical design—at least for now—partly due to concerns over regulatory challenges, particularly in Europe, where USB-C compatibility is now mandated.
Expected to launch this fall, the iPhone 17 Air is designed to be a thinner and lighter addition to Apple’s lineup, following the naming convention of the MacBook Air. Gurman reports that creating a slimmer phone without compromising battery life required a “herculean effort” from Apple engineers, who had to develop thinner batteries and optimize internal components.
The iPhone 17 Air is also expected to blend high-end and low-end features, making it a distinct option for consumers looking for a sleek device that balances performance and affordability.
Apple has long explored a wireless-first future for its devices, progressively reducing ports and physical connectors over the years. The removal of the headphone jack in 2016 and the recent shift to MagSafe wireless charging signaled a push toward a cable-free experience.
However, making the iPhone completely portless comes with significant challenges. One major factor in Apple’s decision to retain ports in the iPhone 17 Air was compliance with European Union regulations, which require smartphone manufacturers to adopt USB-C as a universal standard. Removing ports entirely could have triggered regulatory pushback, particularly in key markets where Apple faces increasing scrutiny over its design choices.
Although Apple abandoned the portless design for the iPhone 17 Air, this decision does not rule out a completely wireless iPhone in the future. The company has consistently moved toward a more seamless, cable-free ecosystem, and advancements in wireless charging and data transfer technologies could eventually make ports obsolete.
