IPhone 17 Pro Max Will Have Bigger Battery, But Don't Expect Longer Age
JAKARTA - A recent leak claims that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will be equipped with a larger capacity battery than its predecessor. However, this increase is not necessarily directly proportional to longer battery life.
In March 2025, a fairly trusted leaker reported that the iPhone 17 Pro Max body would be thicker, which is 8.725 mm compared to 8.25 mm on the iPhone 16 Pro Max. This gain in thickness is expected to allow for greater battery usage, and Apple Insider calculated that the difference could reach an additional 400 mAh.
Now, a new leak from another also trusted leak, Instant Digital, says that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will have a 5,000 mAh capacity battery about 324 mAh larger than the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
The overlap between these two leaks makes more sense and increases the possibility that the information is accurate. However, the greater battery capacity does not necessarily mean longer life, as it all depends on the efficiency of the overall design of the device.
The iPhone 17 Pro Max is rumored to be carrying new technologies such as a vapor chamber cooling system that does not have a direct impact on batteries, but other new features could actually increase power consumption.
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Meanwhile, Apple is also introducing a new charging system on iOS 26 which aims to optimize battery life with smarter power management. This feature is beneficial for all iPhones, but is most likely developed specifically for the Slim iPhone 17 which is rumored to be bringing smaller batteries.
Still on the same product line, Apple is reportedly re-developing the iPhone Fold screen design to save battery consumption due to its ramp-up form.
For the Japanese iPhone 17 Slim or iPhone 17 Air, Apple will reportedly use advanced silicon-anode battery technology made by TDK from Japan. This technology is believed to be able to store up to 15% more energy than the current design. Since it is only ready for mass production, this technology is likely only available for this year's Slim iPhone 17, and will only be implemented on the iPhone 18 Pro Max in 2026.