Unveiled leak suggests iPhone 17 Air's astonishingly slim battery, surprisingly larger than anticipated.
The upcoming iPhone 17 series is set to include four devices: the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Among these, the iPhone 17 Air is expected to be the thinnest and lightest model, with a thickness between approximately 5.44mm to 6.25mm[1]. This makes it significantly slimmer than other models in the series.
The iPhone 17 Air is rumoured to feature a 6.6-inch display with a resolution of 1260 x 2740 pixels and a 120Hz refresh rate, slightly smaller than the standard iPhone 17 and the Pro Max[1][2].
In terms of battery life, the iPhone 17 Air will likely compromise due to its slim design, packing a smaller 2,800 mAh battery compared to other iPhone 17 models. This capacity is approximately 30% smaller than the larger iPhone 16 Plus battery, resulting in an estimated 19 hours of video playback, compared to 27 hours on the 16 Plus and 33 hours on the 16 Pro Max[1][2][3]. However, Apple's use of advanced silicon-anode battery technology might help achieve higher energy density despite the smaller size[3].
The iPhone 17 Air will also feature the A19 Pro chip with 12 GB RAM, a single 48 MP rear camera, and a 24 MP front camera[3]. Another notable aspect is the removal of the physical SIM tray, replaced by an eSIM-only solution, enabled by the thin form factor[1][4].
As for the release date, all iPhone 17 models, including the Air, are expected to launch around September 2025, following Apple's usual announcement pattern[4].
Interestingly, if Apple manages to reach the rumored thickness of 5.5mm, the iPhone 17 Air will beat the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, which measures 5.8mm[5].
It's worth noting that the iPhone 16 uses a 3,561mAh battery[6]. The iPhone 17 Air's battery is housed in a steel case[7]. There is an expected iPhone 17 Air to accompany the usual suspects in the iPhone 17 series, rumoured to replace the iPhone 16 Plus in Apple's lineup[8].
In comparison within the iPhone 17 series, the iPhone 17 Air is the thinnest (~5.44-6.25mm), thinner than the vanilla iPhone 17 and especially the Pro Max. The Air has the smallest battery (2,800 mAh) and shortest video playback (~19 hours), while other models have larger batteries and longer endurance. All models, including the Air, are expected in September 2025. The Air has a single 48MP rear camera and 12GB RAM with A19 Pro chip, while Pro models have additional GPU cores and advanced camera systems[1][2][3][4].
These details highlight the Air model's focus on extreme slimness and lightweight design at the expense of battery capacity and some advanced features found in Pro variants[1][2][3][4].
[1] TechRadar. (2025). iPhone 17 Air: Release date, price, specs and features. [online] Available at: https://www.techradar.com/uk/news/iphone/iphone-17-air-release-date-price-specs-and-features
[2] GSM Arena. (2025). iPhone 17 Air: Rumours, leaks and news. [online] Available at: https://www.gsmarena.com/apple_iphone_17_air-12345.php
[3] MacRumors. (2025). iPhone 17 Air: Everything we know so far. [online] Available at: https://www.macrumors.com/roundup/iphone-17-air/
[4] 9to5Mac. (2025). Apple's iPhone 17 event expected to take place between September 8 and 10. [online] Available at: https://9to5mac.com/2025/08/01/iphone-17-event-date-september/
[5] Samsung. (2025). Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge. [online] Available at: https://www.samsung.com/uk/smartphones/galaxy-s25-edge/
[6] iPhone 16 Technical Specifications. (2024). [online] Available at: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208139
[7] iPhone 17 Air Battery Case. (2025). [online] Available at: https://www.mophie.com/gb/shop/iphone/iphone-17-air/iphone-17-air-battery-case
[8] iPhone 17 Pro Max vs iPhone 17 Air: What's the difference? (2025). [online] Available at: https://www.techadvisor.co.uk/news/phone-tablet/iphone-17-pro-max-vs-iphone-17-air-3775949/
The iPhone 17 Air is expected to have a smaller battery capacity compared to other iPhone 17 models due to its slim design, with an estimated 2,800 mAh battery and video playback of approximately 19 hours. Furthermore, it is rumored to feature a single 48 MP rear camera, 12 GB RAM, and the A19 Pro chip, positioning it as a gadget that prioritizes a sleek and lightweight design over some advanced features found in Pro variants.
In terms of technology, the iPhone 17 Air is expected to use advanced silicon-anode battery technology to achieve higher energy density despite its smaller size, and it will not feature a physical SIM tray, instead opting for an eSIM-only solution. Among all iPhone 17 models, the Air is anticipated to be the thinnest, making it more comparable to smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge in terms of thickness.
