iPhone 17 Air rumored to shrink battery & lean on iOS 26 to keep up

AppleInsider

Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 Air may feature a significantly smaller battery than the rest of the iPhone 17 lineup, with leaks pointing to a capacity smaller than anything in the iPhone 16 line.

A render of what the iPhone 17 Air could look like, in light blue

Weibo account Instant Digital, a leaker with a mixed track record, claims the iPhone 17 Air will use a battery rated around 2,800 mAh. That's notably smaller than every iPhone 16 model.

• iPhone 16: 3,561 mAh


• iPhone 16 Plus: 4,674 mAh


• iPhone 16 Pro: 3,582 mAh


• iPhone 16 Pro Max: 4,685 mAh

The reduced size is likely due to the iPhone 17 Air's rumored ultrathin 5.5 mm frame, one of the slimmest designs Apple has ever attempted. That design limits internal space and makes it harder to fit a higher-capacity battery.

Software optimizations aim to close the gap

To compensate for the smaller battery, Apple plans to rely on iOS 26's Adaptive Power Mode, a new software feature designed to stretch battery life throughout the day. Instant Digital suggests the optimization will allow the iPhone 17 Air to deliver "full-day" usage despite the lower capacity.

That definition, however, is still vague, according to MacRumors. Apple's internal testing shows that only 60% to 70% of users will get through a full day without recharging. By comparison, current iPhone models reportedly reach 80% to 90% under the same conditions.

Apple may also reintroduce a battery case as an optional accessory. The last official battery cases were released for the iPhone 11 lineup, followed by the now-discontinued MagSafe Battery Pack for the iPhone 12 and later.

These cases provide extra power along with physical protection and may appeal to users who want the iPhone 17 Air's design without giving up battery longevity.

September launch alongside full lineup

The iPhone 17 Air is expected to debut in September 2025 alongside the standard and Pro models. Positioned between them in pricing and features, the iPhone 17 Air is rumored to share some internals with the iPhone 17 Pro line while delivering a new aesthetic focused on thinness and portability.

Battery life may be the main compromise. Users who spend long days away from a charger -- or those who rely on their phones for photography, navigation, or gaming -- may want to wait for real-world reviews or consider Apple's battery case accessory.

Rumor Score: Likely

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dijital

Who keeps asking Apple for an even thinner iPhone with worse battery life? I’ve never met anyone with those requirements.

stevedownunder

dijital said:

Who keeps asking Apple for an even thinner iPhone with worse battery life? I’ve never met anyone with those requirements.

Agreed, 50% increase in battery life for iPhones and Watch would be major selling points in their own right.
My iPhone 14 PM is thin enough, then I add a leather cover to protect it.

brianjo

dijital said:

Who keeps asking Apple for an even thinner iPhone with worse battery life? I’ve never met anyone with those requirements.

100%.  I want a SMALLER phone, aka the mini.  A little fatter so it lasts a couple of days would be perfectly fine.  Giant phones don't fit comfortably in my pocket and therefore would get left home instead.  Making the phone thinner makes it harder to hold as well, so people slap fat cases on it anyway.  What's the point in shaving a millimeter off of the width then??

retrogusto

dijital said:

Who keeps asking Apple for an even thinner iPhone with worse battery life? I’ve never met anyone with those requirements.

Even thinner? They’ve been getting thicker with basically every new release for the past 11 years, and this is what keeps me from upgrading until I absolutely have to. Nobody wishes for worse battery life, of course, but I would love it if they could make something with the same thickness (6.9mm), weight (129g) and battery life as the iPhone 6 from 2014 (or in that ballpark) but with more modern specs. And maybe they should devote more resources to developing really great battery cases for people who don’t mind the bulk but need more battery life.

nubus

Perhaps Air was designed before AI workloads? Reviews will show.

elijahg

retrogusto said:

dijital said:

Who keeps asking Apple for an even thinner iPhone with worse battery life? I’ve never met anyone with those requirements.

Even thinner? They’ve been getting thicker with basically every new release for the past 11 years, and this is what keeps me from upgrading until I absolutely have to. Nobody wishes for worse battery life, of course, but I would love it if they could make something with the same thickness (6.9mm), weight (129g) and battery life as the iPhone 6 from 2014 (or in that ballpark) but with more modern specs. And maybe they should devote more resources to developing really great battery cases for people who don’t mind the bulk but need more battery life.

On behalf of all of those who want a phone to be functional and useful for a longer period of time versus being 2mm thinner, how is 2mm thinner with 25% less battery life an acceptable tradeoff to you? 

dewme

The glass-half-full perspective is that any improvements Apple can make to their phones with smaller batteries will also be available on their big battery phones. Apple is forcing their own hand to push the envelope on battery efficiency using all of the hardware and software tricks at their disposal. Sounds like a win to me.

I have an iPhone 14 Pro Max. I think it may be the heaviest iPhone ever. As much as I'm amazed by its features and functionality, this thing is a pocket rock even before you dress it with a MagSafe case. If Apple can produce something that's a significant upgrade over the iPhone 14 Pro Max with comparable or better battery life and shave off some of the excess weight I will be seriously be considering an upgrade. 

I'm happy that Apple is continuing to challenge themselves with things that many of us do not think are possible. This is exactly how innovation works. 

charlesn

retrogusto said:

 I would love it if they could make something with the same thickness (6.9mm), weight (129g) and battery life as the iPhone 6 from 2014 (or in that ballpark) but with more modern specs. And maybe they should devote more resources to developing really great battery cases for people who don’t mind the bulk but need more battery life.

Apple already made the phone of your dreams: it was called the iPhone 12 Mini and iPhone 13 Mini. Same thickness as the 6, just a touch heavier (6 grams, about one-fifth of an ounce), significantly better battery life than the 6 and a significantly larger screen. Did you buy it? I'm guessing not, since it doesn't sound like you've upgraded in forever. See, that's the thing, people say they want this or that, but then Apple offers it and they don't buy it. That was the case, writ large, for the Mini, which died a quick death due to lack of sales. And when Apple kills a new product after just 2 cycles, you know sales had to be really dismal. 

Samsung's Galaxy Edge, the iPhone Air dupe but with a better camera system, is already a flop in sales, proving what many people have been saying right along: there isn't a real market for a phone that compromises features and battery life for thinness, while serving up that combination at a higher price point. I mean, maybe there's a burst of Air sales out of the gate because of the novelty and the desire for something new in an iPhone form factor, but it won't be sustainable. 

edited July 19