After the presentation of the Apple iPhone 17 line, additional information about the new smartphones began to appear that was not directly announced during the event. We have already talked about differences between A19 and A19 Pro processors and now we’ll talk about batteries, autonomy, and charging.
Battery capacity of the iPhone 17
Apple has confirmed the battery capacity of the iPhone 17, iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. According to EU requirements, Apple publishes energy labels on its product pages, so the official data looks like this:
- iPhone 17 — 3,692 mAh (+3.7% compared to iPhone 16)
- iPhone Air — 3,149 mAh
- iPhone 17 Pro — 4,252 mAh (+18.7% compared to iPhone 16 Pro)
- iPhone 17 Pro Max — 5,088 mAh (+8.6% compared to iPhone 16 Pro Max)
These figures are consistent with information from the regulatory database published a few days ago. However, it remains unclear whether these are models with a physical SIM tray or only eSIM versions.
Apple notes that the eSIM versions of the new iPhones have slightly larger batteries, as the free space after removing the physical SIM tray can be used for the battery.
In the EU, the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max retain a SIM card slot, so it is logical to assume that the values given apply to these models. But the regulatory framework indicated that these could be capacities for eSIM variants. Therefore, the question is still open.
As for the iPhone Air, it is offered only with eSIM worldwide, so its capacity will be the same for any country or region.
For comparison, the batteries in the iPhone 16 series had the following parameters:
- iPhone 16 — 3,561 mAh
- iPhone 16 Plus — 4,674 mAh
- iPhone 16 Pro — 3,582 mAh
- iPhone 16 Pro Max — 4,685 mAh
MagSafe Battery for iPhone Air
As expected, Apple has brought back its MagSafe Battery, but it only works with the new iPhone Air. At the same time, the company emphasizes that this accessory has another useful feature.
The new MagSafe Battery for iPhone Air is able to extend the smartphone’s battery life by 65%, which, according to Apple, provides longer battery life than any other iPhone model.
Earlier, Apple discontinued the original MagSafe Battery after the iPhone switched from Lightning to USB-C. The first generation of the battery was charged via Lightning, and then the company effectively gave the USB-C MagSafe battery market to third-party manufacturers.
Although the iPhone Air’s battery is on par with the iPhone 16 Pro, its extremely thin body doesn’t get too thick or heavy, even with the MagSafe Battery attached.
So why doesn’t the MagSafe Battery for iPhone Air work with other iPhones? The most obvious explanation is the shape. It only fits the iPhone Air case. The camera protrusions of the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro make the accessory physically incompatible.
But Apple emphasizes: MagSafe Battery for iPhone Air can charge not only this smartphone. The reason is that the accessory has a USB-C port and can work as an external battery for any USB-C device. Its capacity is sufficient primarily for small USB-C accessories, but technically it can power any device that supports charging via a USB-C cable.
The price of MagSafe Battery for iPhone Air is $99. This is not the most affordable option if you need a universal external battery. But if you’re buying an iPhone Air, this accessory will be a handy addition and can help charge other gadgets when needed.
iPhone Air charging speed
It also became known that the iPhone Air supports MagSafe charging with a capacity of up to 20 watts. This is evidenced by Apple’s technical specifications. This is 5 watts less than the rest of the iPhone 17 and iPhone 16 models, which work with the new 25W MagSafe adapters. Similarly, the iPhone Air is limited to 20W in the Qi2 standard, while other models support 25W with Qi2.2.
To get fast wireless charging, iPhone Air requires a MagSafe charger with an adapter with a minimum of 30W. And when charging via USB-C, 20 watts is enough to quickly replenish energy. In this mode, the smartphone receives 50% of the charge in 30 minutes.
With the MagSafe Battery for iPhone Air, wireless power is limited to 12 watts when the accessory is used independently. However, when connected to a power outlet, it can operate in pass-through charging mode and transfer power to the phone at the same time.
The iPhone Air has the smallest battery among the iPhone 17 lineup, which may explain the slower charging speed. Apple has also used high-density battery technology in it, and this is likely to have contributed to the limitations.
Source: 9to5mac, macrumors 1, 2
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