Pictures show new iPhone 17 Air metal battery
A Chinese tipster named Majin Bu has published images of an alleged battery for Apple’s upcoming iPhone 17 Air, which is expected to launch in September. The battery appears to feature a metal cover, just like the battery in the iPhone 16 Pro. This cover is intended to help dissipate the heat generated by the smartphone’s battery, which is said to be only 5.5 mm thick at its thinnest point.
Apple iPhone 17 Air with 2,900 mAh battery
A source told Majin Bu that the L-shaped battery will have a capacity of approximately 2,900 mAh. This is consistent with previous rumors that the iPhone 17 Air’s battery capacity will be between 2,800 mAh and 3,000 mAh.
The batteries of the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus use an adhesive that can be removed using low-voltage current from a 9V battery or other power source. Majin Bu assumes that you can remove the Air’s battery in the same way.
If the 2,900 mAh rating is correct, the Apple iPhone 17 Air could have the shortest battery life of any iPhone model since the iPhone 13 series. The lower capacity could be partially offset by the improved energy efficiency of the A19 chip. In addition, the new adaptive energy-saving mode of iOS 26 would help the Air achieve at least a slightly longer battery life.
Earlier this year, Wayne Ma of The Information reported that the iPhone 17 Air would have “worse” battery life compared to previous iPhone models, as the device’s supposedly ultra-thin design limits internal battery space.
Does the iPhone 17 Air last a whole day?
In internal tests, Apple determined that the percentage of users who can use the iPhone 17 Air for a full day without needing to charge the device during the day is between 60 and 70 percent. For other iPhone models, this figure appears to be between 80 and 90 percent, according to the report.
To mitigate this problem, Apple is reportedly planning to release a battery case as an optional accessory. Apple recently released battery cases for the iPhone 11 series, followed by the now-discontinued MagSafe battery pack for the iPhone 12 models and newer iPhones.
Majin Bu has a mixed record when it comes to Apple rumors. Most recently, he was right when he predicted a Mac-like menu bar for iPads with iPadOS 26.
