Apple is ready to launch a new slimmer Air model with the iPhone 17 lineup by next month. This year, the iPhone 17 Air will launch alongside the iPhone 17, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max. Due to low sales, the iPhone 17 Air may replace the Plus variant in the iPhone 17 series. Rumours about the iPhone 17 Air have been circulating for some time. Multiple leaks pointing towards an ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air design and its battery.
Apple iPhone 17 Air Battery Leaks and Rumors
Due to its ultra-thin design, the latest rumour claims that the iPhone 17 Air’s battery capacity may not exceed 3000mAh. Earlier this year, a leaker named yeux1122 initially claimed the iPhone 17 Air’s battery would be 2800mAh. A figure which is lower than some expectations. If the leak holds true, the iPhone 17 Air would have the smallest battery seen in an iPhone since the iPhone 13 mini. Also Read: Samsung Galaxy F36 5G with Exynos 1380 Launched in India for Rs 17,499
Couple of months back, a tipster named Instant Digital took to Chinese social media site Weibo to claim that the battery of iPhone 17 Air may not exceed 3000mAh capacity. It’s important to note that even if it gets closer to 3000, that’s still significantly less than what the rest of the iPhone 17 lineup will offer. According to reports, there will be influence of apple’s ultra-thin iPhone 17 air design on future smartphone durability standards.
Most recently, alleged images of the iPhone 17 Air’s battery have surfaced online. These images were posted on the Korean blog Naver. In his blogpost, the images are said to be of the iPhone 17 Air’s battery. It further shows the comparison to the battery of the iPhone 17 Pro. It appears to be considerably thinner compared to the battery size of the iPhone 17 Pro. Furthermore, the slimness of the Air model also suggests a lowered capacity for the thin iPhone.
iPhone 17 Air Battery Image: Possible Appearance
A user Lanzuk in a Naver blogpost shared the image of a battery believed to belong to the iPhone 17 Air. The leaked photo shows an L-shaped battery encased in a steel shell. Such technology was first used for the iPhone 16 Pro last year. The steel case is supposed to improve heat dissipation and battery density thanks to its higher structural resistance. Also Read: HP Pavilion 15 laptop with 12th Gen Intel Core processor | HP Pavilion laptops with AMD 5000 series processor
Furthermore, the steel case can also very easily be integrated with the L-shaped design of the phone’s inner side. The entire iPhone 17 lineup is likely to come with new battery adhesives that will serve to make replacements easier. Compared to the leaked iPhone 17 Pro battery, the iPhone 17 Air battery case appears significantly thinner.
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The iPhone 17 Air battery measures just 2.49mm in thickness, according to the post. This battery differs from how batteries typically look. This information should be treated with caution, as the phones have not yet been launched or gone under a teardown for confirmation. Also Read: HP Chromebook x360 14a with Intel Celeron processor launched in India
Thickness under 6mm
Along with the battery details, this leak further suggests just how thin the iPhone 17 Air could be. Numerous reports have repeatedly suggested that the iPhone 17 Air will be Apple’s thinnest phone ever. Many reports claims that the iPhone 17 Air will surpass the iPhone 6 with a rumoured thickness of between 5.5mm and 5.8mm.Couple of tipsters even speculate that it could be less than 6mm.
iPhone 17 Air battery capacity leak
Apple insiders describe it as “significantly thinner” and even suggest it could be the thinnest smartphone ever. A slim battery indicates it will have a considerably lower capacity compared to the iPhone 16 Plus. With such ultra-thin design, the iPhone 17 Air battery capacity is likely to be around 2900mAh, which is not particularly large. If true, this will be a considerably smaller battery than the 4,674mAh battery in the iPhone 16 Plus.
iPhone 17 Air: How Apple will resolve the battery problem?
The challenge with the smaller battery is even bigger now. It is because the 17 Air could launch with a larger display, which generally requires more power. Fortunately, Apple has a couple different ways it’s seemingly planning to mitigate the battery issue on the iPhone 17 Air. To address potential battery concerns, Apple seems to have a couple of tricks up its sleeve for the iPhone 17 Air.
- Firstly, iOS 26 is introducing a new Adaptive Power mode, which is aimed at extending battery life.
- Secondly, Apple is working on a new battery case accessory for users who want extra backup.
However, battery life could still remain a major concern for many considering the iPhone 17 Air. Are you concerned about battery life on the iPhone 17 Air? Let us know in the comments. Also Read: Redmi Smart TV features teased on Amazon ahead of India launch
iPhone 17 Air Specs (Expected)
The iPhone 17 Air is likely to debut in four colours, including a light Lavender, a soft Desert Titanium, and a standout Space Black variant. According to rumors, the iPhone 17 Air could be powered by an A19 chipset. This A19 chip will be built on an enhanced 3-nanometer process (TSMC N3P). Analysts note the A19 might be beaten in benchmarks by Qualcomm’s upcoming Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Elite or MediaTek’s Dimensity 9500.
Display
In terms of display, The iPhone 17 Air will slot in between the Pro and Pro Max with a roughly 6.6-inch screen. It may sport a 6.6-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. It may be the first non-Pro iPhone to feature a 120Hz ProMotion display. However, to save battery the Air model might miss out on variable refresh rate. Despite the Air’s thin body, its display will still be sizable and likely gorgeous.
According to reports, the upcoming Air model could to use the same advanced OLED panel as the current 16 Pro. This OLED panel will offers 30% higher brightness and better longevity than earlier screens. The addition of 120Hz ProMotion display will allow buttery-smooth scrolling and animations. The Always-On Display feature is also possible on this variant. Also Read: Lava Blaze Dragon 5G with Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 launched for Rs 9999
Design
Apart from the battery, the iPhone 17 Air is also likely to get a design change with a single camera setup along with a horizontal bar. The iPhone 17 Air could feature a single rear camera and a unique internal layout. According to leaked images, the Air’s rear camera will be relocated to the center of the phone. It will sit inside a large, rectangular bump that spans across the back.
Overall, this new model would undergo a “major redesign” with a centered camera. This rectangular camera island with rounded corners could also come across the 17 Air and 17 Pro/Pro Max, giving the rear a fresh look. However, the base iPhone 17 will likely stick to the familiar dual cameras in the top-left, similar to the iPhone 16. Also Read: iPhone 17 Air with Titanium design, Aluminium for Pro models
To accommodate its ultra-thin profile, the iPhone 17 Air will make a few more tweaks. As per the leaked images, the USB-C port sits slightly off-center. The SIM card tray is reportedly eliminated entirely on the iPhone 17 Air model, meaning it will be eSIM-only. The bottom speaker grille will also simplified.
Camera
For optics, the handset may get a 48-megapixel single rear camera and a 24-megapixel selfie shooter. This is unusual in today’s multi-camera world. However, this could be mainly due to the Air’s design constraints, which led Apple to use only one very capable main camera. This rear camera with dual-pixel binning will be great for low-light shots.
The lack of ultra-wide or telephoto hardware on the Air is a trade-off for its slimness. Overall in terms of camera, the Air is almost like the spiritual successor to the iPhone mini models. Also Read: iPhone 17 Series Colour Options Tipped with 8x Optical Zoom, New Pro Camera App
Other Features
Besides these features, the iPhone Air model will also get the support for MagSafe wireless charging. It will even include the new “Action Button” plus a dedicated camera control button for quick snaps. Meanwhile, there’s no indication that Touch ID is returning. The Face ID will remain the sole biometric authentication. Also Read: Realme Narzo 50 Pro launched alongside Realme Narzo 50 in India; full review
All the next-generation models will come with Wi-Fi 7 support, courtesy of Apple’s first custom Wi-Fi/Bluetooth combo chip. Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) is cutting-edge, allowing multi-band connections (2.4 + 5 + 6 GHz simultaneously) for greater throughput and lower latency. It can offer peak speeds of up to 40 Gbps with a compatible router. Bluetooth version will be v5.3.
This purported iPhone 17 Air is likely to replace the iPhone 16 Plus variant. This is much like how the Plus lineup replaced the Mini lineup with the iPhone 14 series. As per reports, the iPhone 17 Air could weigh 145g and can cost around $1,299. The ultra-thin iPhone Air is the trending headline in the market these days.
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