Apple is expected to launch an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air later this year, and while there have been plenty of rumors about the camera's overall design and thinness, we haven't heard any details about the device's weight and battery capacity until now.
According to the leaker going by the account name "yeux1122" on the Korean-langauge Naver blog, the 6.6-inch iPhone 17 Air has a weight of approximately 145 grams, while the battery capacity is 2,800mAh. The details allegedly originate from a "mass production confirmed sample." The blog has previously offered accurate insights into Apple's component strategy.
The claimed weight is similar to an iPhone SE 2 or iPhone 13 mini, which are 148 grams and 141 grams, respectively. As for the battery, the capacity figure is not unlike the iPhone 12, which has a 2,815mAh battery. However, the leaker's post does note that there remains a possibility that Apple will use a high-density battery in the iPhone 17 Air, which could increase its "actual capacity" by 15-20%.
Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in March that device will have a "high-density" battery. More recently, a report out of Asia has suggested that the iPhone 17 Air could become the first Apple smartphone to adopt advanced battery technology, with Apple supplier TDK preparing to ship its new generation of silicon-anode batteries by the end of June.
Having said that, reports have been mixed regarding the iPhone 17 Air's potential battery performance. The Information's Wayne Ma claimed the device will have "worse" battery life compared to previous iPhone models.
In internal testing, Apple apparently determined that the percentage of users who will be able to use the iPhone 17 Air for a full day without needing to recharge the device throughout the day will be between 60% and 70%, according to the report. For other iPhone models, the report said that metric is apparently between 80% and 90%.
To mitigate this problem, the report said that Apple is planning to release a battery case as an optional accessory for the iPhone 17 Air.
On the other hand, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has offered a more optimistic outlook, stating that battery life would be "on par with current iPhones" thanks to hardware and software optimizations.
The 5.5mm-thin device is also rumored to incorporate Apple's power-efficient C1 modem and lack an Ultra Wide camera, which could potentially provide more internal space for a larger battery. We'll know for sure when the device replaces the "Plus" model in Apple's iPhone 17 lineup, which is expected to launch around mid-September, per Apple's typical fall release schedule.
