New details about Apple’s rumored iPhone 17 Air have emerged today. Unsurprisingly, the thinner model will have “worse battery life” than the rest of the iPhone 17 line, but Apple will bring back a discontinued accessory to help with the issue.
Wayne Ma reports for The Information that tests show the iPhone 17 Air will reduced battery life compared to other models due to its thinner design. As a solution for customers who want the thinner iPhone but struggle with battery life, it sounds like Apple will bring back the discontinued Smart Battery Case with a version made for the iPhone 17 Air.
Apple previously made a Smart Battery Case for older iPhone models. However, Apple shifted to selling a one-size-fits-all MagSafe battery pack in recent years. Apple discontinued its MagSafe battery after switching the iPhone from Lightning to USB-C.
According to the report, the iPhone 17 Air battery life drop is around 20%, based on tests that determine if a user needs to recharge the iPhone to last a full day.
The percentage of users who can go a single day without recharging the thin phone will be between 60% and 70%. For other models, that metric is between 80% and 90%, one of the people said.
To solve this, Apple is developing an optional accessory—a phone case meant for the thin model that also contains a battery pack, according to three people familiar with the matter.
Perhaps because of this tradeoff, Apple reportedly has conservative estimates for iPhone 17 Air demand. The report says that just 10% of iPhone manufacturing capacity is being reserved for the thinner model due to demand uncertainty. The report claims that iPhone 17 Pro Max will account for 40% of production, iPhone 17 Pro will take 25% of capacity, and the standard iPhone 17 will take the other 25%.
9to5Mac’s Take
It’s hardly a surprise that a thinner iPhone will have less battery life than a thicker version. This would be a major problem if the standard and Pro models didn’t exist. However, having so many iPhone model options in the lineup gives way for an iPhone that trades battery life for aesthetics to exist.
As for the return of a Smart Battery Case, that’s something that all iPhone users could appreciate, not just iPhone 17 Air users. My guess is that iPhone 17 Air customers will value the thin look and feel of the device over using a thicker case. Otherwise, just buy a standard iPhone. But we’re fans of the MagSafe battery that Apple discontinued and would love to see it come back.
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