The iPhone 17 Air's ultra-thin battery could be disappointing.

 

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The iPhone 17 Air's ultra-thin battery could be disappointing.

Recent reports indicate that concerns about the battery life of Apple's upcoming ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air may be justified.

According to a report by The Information, Apple is conducting internal tests that show only 60 to 70% of iPhone 17 Air devices will last a full day without needing to be recharged, compared to 80 to 90% for other iPhone models.

Part of this problem may undoubtedly be due to the phone's slim design, which is only 5.5mm thick, according to a report by Digital Trends quoting The Information.

The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be the thinnest iPhone ever—and one of the thinnest phones on the market overall—but this may come at the expense of battery capacity.

To partially address this issue, Apple is reportedly planning to launch an optional accessory, a battery case, that will give users extra power to help them get through the day without needing to recharge the phone.

Initial rumors suggested that Apple might replace lithium-ion batteries with silicon carbide batteries, but if the new report is accurate, this doesn't appear to be the case. Silicon carbide batteries offer higher energy density than traditional battery types, allowing for larger capacity and smaller size.

According to the report, Apple is allocating only 10% of its manufacturing capacity to the iPhone 17 Air. This number may increase after the phone's launch and a reassessment of overall demand, but for now, it appears to be a limited-edition product targeted at a specific user base.