Apple’s purported intention to construct its iPhone 17 Air model without connectors will not be implemented as a result of European regulators’ mandates.

Apple opted not to pursue this path, at least for the time being, due to the requirement of European regulators that smartphone manufacturers support USB-C connectors.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has provided additional information regarding the forthcoming slimmer iPhone, following his January report that Apple is introducing a “Air” option to its iPhone lineup.

According to Gurman, the iPhone 17 Air will be released this autumn. It will be thinner than conventional models and will integrate both high-end and low-end features, similar to the MacBook Air.

Apple engineers presumably expended a “herculean effort” to develop a thinner phone with thinner batteries that did not compromise battery life.

Gurman also indicates that Apple contemplated the possibility of creating the first “completely port-free iPhone,” in which all data syncing and charges were conducted via the cloud.