Following the modest battery capacity of Samsung’s recent ultra-thin Galaxy S25 Edge, all eyes are on what Apple will deliver with the even slimmer iPhone 17 Air. However, this reduction in thickness appears to come at the cost of battery size, likely making an additional battery pack necessary.
Based on current leaks, the iPhone 17 Air will be just 5.5mm thick, 0.3mm slimmer than Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Edge. As a result, the 17 Air is expected to have a battery capacity of around 2,800 mAh, according to Naver.
However, thanks to a high-density cell, the actual capacity could be 15 to 20% higher than the reported figure. Still, if we go by the suggested battery size alone, it’s nearly 1,000 mAh less than Samsung’s offering, which is already below today’s standards. For context, this capacity is roughly the same as the iPhone X, which was released seven years ago in 2017.
I’m sure Apple will implement optimizations to help the iPhone 17 Air last longer, especially with its work on an AI-powered battery saver feature. However, I remain skeptical that the device will comfortably last a full day on its own, likely making an additional battery pack necessary for extended use.
Apple will probably launch a dedicated battery pack for the iPhone 17 Air right at launch, but it does raise a question: what’s the point of having a slim phone if you need to carry a bulky power bank to go with it? That’s just my take—what do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
