The iPhone 17 Air's specs and design might be key advancements Apple needs before making iPhones without ports and foldables.

This fall’s much-anticipated iPhone 17 Air launch could be the start of something even bigger, if a new report is to be believed. Apple, it’s claimed, is using the 17 Air as a testbed for far more radical changes in its wider design strategy, and if that device is successful we could see portless and foldable iPhones from as early as next year.

A portless design has been rumored for older iPhones, with the first rumors appearing back in 2021. But with the iPhone 17 Air promising big changes to its look and feel compared to current iPhones, Apple seems closer than ever to ditching its phones' ports.