Leak reveals iPhone 17 battery capacity and the advantage of eSIM versions
By ForGeeks
It’s less than two days until Apple’s “Awe dropping” presentation, but the flow of insiders hasn’t stopped. A new rumor concerns the batteries of all four iPhone 17 models and promises a noticeable advantage for versions without a physical SIM card slot.
A new rumor has been circulating about the batteries in all four iPhone 17 models.
Battery capacity of iPhone 17
The information was shared by a reputable insider ShrimpApplePro. He published data about the “real” batteries of the entire iPhone 17 lineup:
- iPhone 17: 3,692 mAh (+3.6% over iPhone 16)
- iPhone 17 Air: 3149 mAh / 3036 mAh (-48% to iPhone 16 Plus)
- iPhone 17 Pro: 4252 mAh / 3988 mAh (+18.6 % to iPhone 16 Pro)
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: 5088 mAh / 4823 mAh (+8.6 % to iPhone 16 Pro Max)
For the three updated models – iPhone 17 Air, Pro, and Pro Max – Apple appears to have utilized the extra space inside the case for the first time. Owners of the eSIM versions will get about 5 percent more capacity than users of models with a physical SIM tray.
The base iPhone 17 is only introduced with a single capacity. It’s possible this model won’t get the eSIM benefit, as it looks almost identical to the iPhone 16.
Benefit of eSIM models
- iPhone 17 Air: +3.7%
- iPhone 17 Pro: +6.6%
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: +5.5%
Remember, three years ago Apple started releasing iPhones with eSIM only. Until now, the space was occupied by a rubber plug, but in 2025, the company seems to have decided to use the space for the battery.
And Apple also plans to expand the geographic reach of its eSIM devices, which may explain the design changes.
What to expect from the lineup
If the data is confirmed, iPhone 17 users can expect a noticeable increase in battery life, especially owners of the Pro model. The capacity of the iPhone 17 Air has been shown to be higher than previous leaks, while the Pro and Pro Max show significant gains over the last generation.
The iPhone 17 Air has been confirmed to have a higher battery life than previous leaks, while the Pro and Pro Max show significant gains over the last generation.
