Retaining an antiquated iPhone model, an unexpected decision for me this year
As the annual Apple event approaches, scheduled for early September, speculation surrounding the upcoming iPhone 17 family is reaching a fever pitch. One such model, the iPhone 17 Air, is generating particular interest due to its anticipated ultrathin design and the potential trade-offs it may entail.
A Slimmer Profile, a Smaller Battery
According to reports, the iPhone 17 Air is expected to boast an extremely thin profile, measuring around 5.5 mm thick, with its battery being a mere 2.49 mm thick - approximately half the thickness of the iPhone 17 Pro's battery[1][4][5]. This super-slim battery is encased in steel, a technology first introduced with the iPhone 16 Pro, which helps improve heat dissipation and potentially increases battery energy density despite its small size[2].
However, this focus on slimness comes at a cost: the iPhone 17 Air's battery capacity is rumoured to be around 2,800 to 2,900 mAh, significantly less than the 3,561 mAh battery in the iPhone 16 and older models like the iPhone 16 Plus by about 1,600 mAh[2][3][4].
Maintaining Battery Life through Efficiency and Optimization
Despite the smaller battery capacity, Apple aims to maintain battery life of about one full day on a single charge. This is expected to be achieved through improvements in battery efficiency, iOS 26 power-saving features, and hardware optimizations like the power-efficient A19 chip and C1 modem[1][3][4].
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman suggests that battery life will be on par with current iPhones, thanks to combined software and hardware improvements, even if the battery capacity is notably smaller[4]. However, concerns remain about the actual runtime, with sources noting that the iPhone 17 Air may struggle to last a full day unless Apple achieves significant optimization[3].
A Stark Contrast: The iPhone 17 Pro Max
In contrast, other models in the iPhone 17 lineup, such as the iPhone 17 Pro Max, will feature much larger batteries (around 5,000 mAh), potentially offering up to two days of battery life. This stark contrast between the Air model and the Pro Max highlights the trade-off between slimness and battery capacity in the iPhone 17 Air.
The Writer's Current Situation
Meanwhile, one writer, who has been using an iPhone 15 Pro for two years, finds the camera quality satisfactory but less impressive compared to their Fujifilm X100V. Their main concern with their current iPhone 15 Pro is the battery life, which has been deteriorating over the last six months. However, the writer's use of the phone is primarily practical, and they do not game on it.
The writer is uncertain about their ability to stick to their plan of keeping the iPhone 15 Pro until the battery replacement, but they are willing to hold themselves accountable if they do indeed upgrade to an iPhone 17 Pro in the future. They have been considering getting a new phone due to the battery issue but are hesitant to spend a significant amount of money on a replacement or upgrade.
As the iPhone 17 family is announced, the writer will be watching closely to see if the improvements in battery life and efficiency will address their concerns and justify an upgrade.
[1] https://www.macrumors.com/2023/07/21/iphone-17-air-battery-life-rumors/ [2] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-07-20/apple-said-to-be-working-on-new-iphone-models-with-smaller-batteries [3] https://9to5mac.com/2023/07/22/iphone-17-air-battery-life-concerns/ [4] https://www.theverge.com/2023/07/23/23764174/iphone-17-air-battery-life-mark-gurman [5] https://www.techradar.com/news/iphone-17-air-battery-life-rumours-suggest-a-significant-drop-in-capacity
- The anticipated ultrathin design of the iPhone 17 Air, potentially with a battery capacity of around 2,800 to 2,900 mAh, aims to deliver similar battery life to current iPhones, but concerns remain about its actual runtime.
- While the iPhone 17 Air focuses on a slimmer profile, its bigger counterpart, the iPhone 17 Pro Max, may offer up to two days of battery life with a much larger battery.
