The leak that occurred this spring regarding the iPhone 17 Pro Max has given a clear picture: Apple is counting on battery life being its next big selling point. A Weibo tipster with a hit and miss record said that the Pro Max might have a cell with approximately 5,000mAh, up from the 4,676mAh in the current 16 Pro Max. That leap when it sticks will be tantamount to a nearly 7% increase in raw capacity.
With Pro Max, Apple has already foreshadowed its next model would be slightly thicker about 8.73mm as compared to the current 8.25mm. This incremental half-millimeter does not seem much yet in such a thin device essential space is liberated to accommodate a larger battery. The amount of juice tends to equate to the amount of time your gadget spends on the screen and even a slight bump may be enough to notice the difference on a daily basis.
However, it is important to note that battery capacity and real-world runtime are not 1:1 mapping. The larger cell will make you a little more reserved. However, efficiency improvement in the next processor and software optimizations can have equally significant contributions. Possible new aspects, such as the trailed vapor chamber cooling system may also consume more power.
The 300mAh battery increase should give the phone longer battery life. How much longer depends on what Apple includes in the final product this fall. For comparison, the iPhone 12 Pro Max had a 3,687mAh battery and lasted about 20 hours of video playback. The iPhone 16 Pro Max has a 4,676mAh battery and Apple says it lasts 33 hours. If they upgrade to 5,000mAh, it could last 35 hours or more, especially since the new chip uses less power.
To users, however, the lesson is obvious: battery life remains priority-number one on wish lists. The most beautiful camera and the swiftest chipset are no match if this phone dies by lunchtime. Provided Apple can combine a slightly fatter frame with an intelligent approach to energy, The iPhone 17 could be the all-day phone that many people have been wanting. In an age of increasingly crowded features the ability to never quit can be the best improvement of all.
Updated July 6 with further details and commentary on the thicker design and possible battery size increase for the iPhone 17 Pro Max.