iPhone 17 Leak Reveals Big Battery Gains and eSIM Advantage

With Apple’s September 10 launch event nearing, fresh details have surfaced about the iPhone 17 series, highlighting significant changes in battery capacities across all four models.

According to industry leaker ShrimpApplePro, the upcoming iPhone 17 devices will ship with the following battery sizes:

* iPhone 17 – 3,692mAh, a 3.6% rise over iPhone 16

* iPhone 17 Air – 3,149mAh or 3,036mAh, representing a 48% drop compared to iPhone 16 Plus

* iPhone 17 Pro – 4,252mAh or 3,988mAh, up to 18.6% higher than iPhone 16 Pro

* iPhone 17 Pro Max – 5,088mAh or 4,823mAh, up to 8.6% larger than iPhone 16 Pro Max

Apple appears to be leveraging the extra internal space freed up by removing physical SIM trays. For eSIM-only versions, capacities are slightly higher than their dual-SIM counterparts:

* iPhone 17 Air – 3.7% more capacity

* iPhone 17 Pro – 6.6% more capacity

* iPhone 17 Pro Max – 5.5% more capacity

The base iPhone 17 shows no listed difference, suggesting it will retain a design closer to last year’s iPhone 16.

For three years, iPhones sold without SIM slots have carried filler components in place of trays. This year, Apple is reportedly converting that space into battery capacity, providing measurable gains for eSIM-only buyers. The move also comes as Apple expands eSIM-exclusive availability into more global markets.

Battery improvements are particularly notable on the iPhone 17 Pro, where capacity gains exceed 18%. The iPhone 17 Air, despite a drop compared to its predecessor, still reflects higher values than previously reported leaks.

While the figures remain unofficial, ShrimpApplePro’s track record makes these numbers plausible. If accurate, Apple users may see the first real-world advantage of switching to eSIM-only models in terms of power retention.

Apple will confirm final specifications during its “Awe Dropping” event, which will also showcase AirPods Pro 3, new Apple Watch models, and other hardware updates.