Battery Life or Beauty: Will the ‘iPhone 17 Air’ be for You?
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The ‘iPhone 17 Air’ is likely going to be between 5.5 and 6.25mm thin. It’s looking more and more like our earlier reports on the ‘iPhone 17 Air’ are proving to be accurate. This iPhone “Air” or “Slim” won’t be a luxury iPhone packed with superior features. Instead, it’s likely more akin to the original MacBook Air – underpowered but still commanding a premium based on its design.
This form-over-function approach seemingly aims to target a specific segment of Apple’s customer base who value design over everything else. Owners of Apple’s slim new iPhone may need to adjust their usage habits if they want this iPhone to work for them.
Reports indicate that, according to Apple’s internal testing, only 60–70% of “iPhone 17 Air” users will be able to use the device for a full day without needing to recharge. For other newer iPhone models, 80–90% of users are expected to be able to survive a full day on a single charge. The battery capacity of the new slim iPhone could be as little as 2,800 mAh, according to a post from Instant Digital on the Chinese social media platform Weibo. Apple hasn’t used batteries this small since the iPhone 13 mini.
To account for this underwhelming battery capacity, Apple is reportedly reviving and reinventing an old accessory: the battery case. Apple last released the Smart Battery Case for the iPhone 11 lineup. This was discontinued after the release of the MagSafe Battery Pack in July 2021. However, Apple nixed the MagSafe Battery Pack in September 2023 with the release of the iPhone 15. That was the year Apple switched to USB-C, but instead of updating the MagSafe Battery Pack, it simply discontinued it. Presumably, Apple felt its advancements in battery technology and corresponding longevity no longer required such accessories. That’s not the case with the “Air.”
The report suggests that Apple may reintroduce a battery case for the “iPhone 17 Air.” This certainly seems counterintuitive. If the primary purpose of the device is its slim and utilitarian design, isn’t this defeated by adding a bulky charging case? Yes, but perhaps only briefly. Will this be a tradeoff that many customers are willing to make? Maybe. The price of the “Air” is rumored to start around $899. There’s no indication of how much Apple’s accessory charging case may cost.
Are you willing to sacrifice battery life for a more stylish design? Our guess is that users won’t fully understand the dramatic difference until they’re actually using the device regularly. If you heavily rely on your iPhone for activities like navigation and streaming media (especially video), this might not be the iPhone for you. If you do want Apple’s newest iPhone, be prepared to adjust your charging habits. This may also include spending a pretty penny on a charging case from Apple. It’s either form over function, or function over form. I’ll pick the ladder. How about you?
[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]
