Battery leaks: Allegedly extremely thin battery for the iPhone 17 Air
Images have surfaced on Chinese social media that apparently show Apple's battery for the new flat iPhone. But how stable will it be?
Three iPhone boxes on one table: The 17 series can be expected in September.
(Image: KaterynaSypailova/Shutterstock)
Thin casing = thin battery: that seems to be the motto for the iPhone 17 Air. Apple's possibly thinnest smartphone ever is set to replace the iPhone 16 Plus and could be unveiled on September 9, 2026, along with the other new iPhone models. Images of the device's battery are now circulating in South Korea. Compared to an iPhone 17 Pro battery that has also been leaked, it is said to be only about half as thin.
Metal protection for the rolled-out battery
The unit is said to measure just 2.49 mm (apparently at its thickest point). To prevent damage, the cells are encased in a metal sheath. To still have sufficient capacity, the entire module is comparatively long and wide, so it appears to use almost the entire size of the housing. It is currently expected that the iPhone 17 Air (name subject to change) will have a screen diagonal of 6.6 inches.
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According to earlier leaks from Asia, the capacity should be between 2800 and 3000 mAh. This corresponds roughly to what was once in the iPhone 12 and 13. However, the values are not necessarily comparable because there are no volt specifications yet. The battery in the iPhone 17 Pro Max is said to have over 5000 mAh, but there are no volt specifications here either. However, Apple usually uses the same value across several iPhone generations.
A little less good through the day
Apple is also planning to optimize the battery consumption of the 17 Air using AI. Corresponding functions are included in iOS 26, but it is to be expected that the overall runtime will be lower than users are used to from other iPhones.
The manufacturer is said to have determined in internal tests that between 60 and 70 percent of users of the 17 Air can get through the day on a single charge. This would be below the benchmark of 80 to 90 percent for iPhones that are not as flat. Apple is following competitors such as Samsung in the trend towards thinner models. The South Koreans launched their thinnest model to date, the S25 Edge, in May. However, sales are reportedly slow, and prices could be reduced. One problem with the thin models remains their anticipated sensitivity, which is likely to make many users reach for a case, which in turn thickens the case again.
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