What does Apple want to do with this? iPhone 17 Air battery will be smaller than all last year's models

The first leaked photos of batteries for the upcoming iPhone 17 models, which Apple will unveil this September, have appeared online. Undoubtedly, the most interesting is the extremely small battery for the new iPhone 17 Air model, which is set to replace the current Plus variant. At the same time, images of the L-shaped battery for the iPhone 17 Pro have emerged, which will have different versions for the American and Chinese markets.

iPhone 17 Air: Extremely Thin, But With a Tiny Battery

According to new leaks, the iPhone 17 Air will feature a battery with a capacity of only 2,900 mAh, which is very low even for iPhones, which are traditionally more efficient than the competition. For comparison, the current base iPhone 16 has a battery with a capacity of 3,561 mAh, which is more than 20% larger.

Even Samsung, which doesn’t particularly excel in battery density compared to its Chinese competitors, managed to fit a cell exactly 1,000 mAh larger into its thin S25 Edge, a similarly designed phone.

What does Apple want to do with this? iPhone 17 Air battery will be smaller than all last year's models Jakub Kárník News Jakub Kárník News

Apple has evidently sacrificed battery capacity in favor of an extremely thin design, which is intended to be the new model’s main selling point. In addition to the small battery, the iPhone 17 Air is also rumored to settle for a single rear camera, similar to the cheaper iPhone 16e model.

Different Versions for USA and China

From the leaked photos of the iPhone 17 Pro battery, it is evident that Apple will produce two different versions of this component. The American version will be wider and will not account for space for a physical SIM card, while the Chinese variant has a dedicated space for a SIM slot.

This solution allows Apple to maximize internal space in the American version of the phone, where only eSIMs have been used for several generations. A wider battery could theoretically offer slightly higher capacity, although specific values have not yet been released.

New Steel Casing Technology

Both batteries – for the iPhone 17 Air and Pro models – will utilize a steel casing, which Apple first introduced with last year’s iPhone 16 Pro models. This technology offers several advantages:

The steel casing significantly improves heat dissipation from the battery, which can lead to more efficient charging and longer lifespan. At the same time, due to higher structural durability, it allows for greater energy density. In the case of the iPhone 17 Air, the steel casing also integrates better with the L-shaped design of the phone’s interior and perfectly adapts to the reduced motherboard.

Furthermore, according to the source, all iPhone 17 series models are expected to receive new adhesive for easier battery replacement. This should significantly simplify servicing and extend the device’s lifespan. I can personally confirm that the current adhesive is the biggest enemy of all service technicians.

Unveiling in September 2025

The entire iPhone 17 series is expected to be unveiled, according to available information, in September 2025, most likely in the week of September 8th. Apple is anticipated to release a total of four models: the base iPhone 17, the thin iPhone 17 Air (as a replacement for the Plus), and the premium models iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max.

What do you think about Apple’s strategy to offer an extremely thin iPhone 17 Air with a small battery?

Source: Majin Bu, MacRumors