iPhone 17 Teardowns Confirm SIM and eSIM-Only Battery Capacities

YouTube channel REWA Technology today shared an iPhone 17 Pro teardown video, offering a closer look inside the model with a SIM card tray.

iphone 17 pro inside
We are still waiting for repair website iFixit to share a more comprehensive teardown of the latest iPhone models, but this video provides a good look in the meantime.

The device features various internal design changes, including larger rear camera lenses. There is a new vapor chamber cooling system for improved heat dissipation. There is also an Apple-designed N1 chip for Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread.


Based on a combination of teardown videos published online, and Apple's energy labels in the EU, we have now confirmed most of the SIM and eSIM-only battery capacities across the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air lineup.

Model SIM Card eSIM-Only YoY Increase (eSIM-Only)
iPhone 17 TBD 3,692 mAh +3.7%
iPhone Air 3,149 mAh
iPhone 17 Pro 3,988 mAh 4,252 mAh +18.7%
iPhone 17 Pro Max 4,823 mAh 5,088 mAh +8.6%

Here are the battery capacities for all iPhone 16 models:

Model SIM Card and eSIM-Only
iPhone 16 3,561 mAh
iPhone 16 Plus 4,674 mAh
iPhone 16 Pro 3,582 mAh
iPhone 16 Pro Max 4,685 mAh

All of the iPhone 14 through iPhone 16 models lack a SIM card tray in the U.S., but Apple had simply put a piece of plastic where the tray used to be inside those devices. Starting with the iPhone 17 series, eSIM-only models sold worldwide have a larger battery that fills the space formerly occupied by either the SIM card tray or the plastic piece.

All of the iPhone 17 models are eSIM-only in the U.S., Canada, Japan, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and select other countries.

Related Roundups: iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone Air
Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

Tim Cook Rainbow

Apple Event in October? Here's What to Expect

Monday September 29, 2025 9:31 am PDT by
Apple's annual iPhone event is in the rearview mirror, but rumors suggest the company plans to release a handful of additional products before the year ends. Will there be another Apple event this October? We discuss the possibility below. Apple in October Apple's most recent October events were in 2021 and 2023. In 2022 and 2024, Apple did not host an October event. Instead, it...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro teal 1

Apple's iPhone Driver's License Feature Now Available in 11 U.S. States

Tuesday September 30, 2025 6:40 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Apple recently revealed that the feature would soon be available in North Dakota, and starting today, the feature has officially gone...
space black mbp

Here's Every New Apple Product That Leaked Yesterday

Wednesday October 1, 2025 8:27 am PDT by
A handful of upcoming Apple products leaked yesterday, through a combination of YouTube videos out of Russia and U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) documents that were released, despite Apple's confidentiality requests. The leaked products include an iPad Pro with an M5 chip, as well as updated MacBook Pro and Apple Vision Pro models. All of these devices had already been rumored...
maxresdefault

New iPad Pro With M5 Chip Leaked in Unboxing Video

Tuesday September 30, 2025 8:39 am PDT by
An apparent unboxing video for an unannounced iPad Pro with the M5 chip was uploaded to YouTube today by Russian channel Wylsacom. The same YouTube account leaked the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M4 chip before it was announced by Apple last year, so this is likely a legitimate leak. Based on the box shown in the video, this appears to be a 13-inch iPad Pro with an M5 chip, 256GB of...
fcc vision pro leak

FCC Accidentally Leaks Apple's Next Vision Pro

Tuesday September 30, 2025 3:48 pm PDT by
The United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has seemingly confirmed Apple's work on an updated version of the Vision Pro headset. One of several documents the FCC shared today references an Apple-designed "Head Mounted Device" with a model number of A3416. An included image confirms the device is a Vision Pro. The FCC's uploads are transmission tests, SAR test reports, and...
macbook pro prime day 2025

FCC Leaks Upcoming MacBook Pro and More

Tuesday September 30, 2025 1:58 pm PDT by
The United States Federal Communications Commission has confirmed Apple's work on a new version of the MacBook Pro and several other products, leaking details on the devices ahead of launch. The FCC published documents that reference model numbers that do not correspond with existing devices. A3434, for example, references an unreleased MacBook Pro, while other numbers are likely for...
iOS 26

Apple Releases iOS 26.0.1 With Fixes for Wi-Fi, Cellular, and Camera Issues on iPhone 17 Models

Monday September 29, 2025 10:12 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 26.0.1 and iPadOS 26.0.1, the first updates to the iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 operating systems that came out earlier this week. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. According to Apple's release notes for the update, iOS 26.0.1 addresses a bug that could cause aberrations in...
Apple MacBook Pro M4 hero

New MacBook Pro Nears Mass Production, But Four Bigger Upgrades Expected Next Year

Sunday September 28, 2025 2:08 pm PDT by
Apple's next MacBook Pro models will enter mass production soon, according to the latest information shared by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said he continues to believe the new MacBook Pro models will be released at some point between late 2025 and the first quarter of 2026, meaning they should be available to order by March at the latest. Apple often...
iOS 26

Apple Continues to Prepare iOS 26.0.1 With Multiple Bug Fixes Expected

Sunday September 28, 2025 1:30 pm PDT by
Apple is preparing to release iOS 26.0.1, according to a private account on X with a proven track record of sharing information about future iOS versions. The account initially said iOS 26.0.1 would have a build number of 23A350, but they now expect the update to have a build number of 23A355. This suggests that the software update will include more bug fixes or changes than initially...
iOS 26 Feature

iOS 26.1 to iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Wednesday October 1, 2025 1:26 pm PDT by
iOS 26 was released last month, but the software train never stops, and iOS 26.1 beta testing is already underway. So far, iOS 26.1 makes both Apple Intelligence and Live Translation on compatible AirPods available in additional languages, and it includes some other minor changes across Apple Music, Calendar, Photos, and Safari. More features and changes will follow in future versions,...

Top Rated Comments

Radeon85 Avatar
2 weeks ago
Being a UK citizen I've only used an eSIM since it was first available on the iPhone, so around 7 years, not to mention every carrier here now supports eSIM so it really pisses me off that I'm forced to by a SIM tray version with 5% less battery life when I haven't used that slot in years. I want the extra battery life, not a waste of space SIM slot, really frustrating.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nateo200 Avatar
2 weeks ago

Right here dude!

I'm an American who occasionally goes off to places with no eSIM support. Less than 2 years ago I went to the Cook Islands in the South Pacific and my iPhone 14 Pro Max absolutely would not work with their Vodafone eSIM.

If I hadn't brought my iPhone SE 2020 for backup (with a physical SIM tray) I would've been without Internet for 2 ½ weeks. The problem is that the iPhone SE is tiny and it has absolutely dreadful battery life - drains in less than a day. I can put it into Airplane Mode and lower the brightness all the way and it still drains out. I should have the right to buy a regular-size iPhone with a physical SIM tray.
People think this never happens but it does. I would 100% give up a tiny bit of battery life for a physical SIM slot and an eSIM. The eSIM only model is just missing a feature in my view.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
makeitrainnaren Avatar
2 weeks ago

Where are the eSIM haters now?
they had a reason to be mad though, there was literally a plastic block where the sim slot should have been. I still regret trading in my 13P cause I should have held on to it.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
platinumaqua Avatar
2 weeks ago
Small battery increase not enough to cover the loss in flexibility in losing the SIM slot for me
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ZipZilla Avatar
2 weeks ago
I have to be honest, I bought my iPhone 13 because I was an eSIM hater and wanted the physical slot.

I have done a 180, it is so easy to download and manage esims for multiple carriers without having to fuss with a physical SIM card. A bigger battery is even more of a plus
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Dark-Signature Avatar
2 weeks ago
Short question: Does anyone know if it is theoretically possible to purchase an eSIM-only iPhone 17 Pro within the EU? For example, through Vodafone?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)