In terms of upcoming Apple devices, few are more anticipated than the iPhone 17 Air, the tech giant's rumored ultra-thin flagship variant. However, a new leak suggests that Apple may have had to sacrifice some specs to make the slimline design possible, and if true, we've got some concerns surrounding the handset's battery life and whether it can make it through a full day.
According to a supposed leak from yeux1122, via 9to5Mac, the iPhone 17 Air has a battery capacity of 2,800mAh. For context, all the options from our guide to the best iPhones for gaming, outside of the iPhone SE, have cells bigger than 3,500mAh. Even the new mid-range iPhone 16e has a 4,005mAh battery, so with all this in mind, we think there's reason to be concerned about the slimline flagship.
Apple's cell phones already aren't the best on the market in terms of retaining juice, which leads us to believe that this could be a step back in terms of hardware for the sake of the ultra-thin design. After all, the last iPhone to have a battery this small was 2020's iPhone 12. In reality, a 2,800mAh battery might not be enough to last you all day, especially if you're spending some of your screen time playing the best iPhone games, but Apple might have a couple of things up its sleeve to try and work around the small battery.
As we reported last week, Apple is apparently working on an AI-powered battery life feature for iOS 19, which we expect to launch alongside the iPhone 17 series later this year. Not only that, but other reports indicate that Apple could reintroduce the battery case for the iPhone 17, so you can juice the device while on the move. If, like me, you spend your traveling time playing your favorite Apple Arcade games, a battery case could be a real lifesaver.
It's worth noting that while the new iPhone 17 Air leak comes from a pretty reliable source, the details are worth taking with a pinch of salt until we get confirmation from Apple later this year. If you can't wait around for a new phone, be sure to check out our guides to the best gaming phones and the best Android phones while you're here. Or, if you're looking to pick up more Apple tech, see our list of the best iPads.