Ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air: Apple removes SIM tray to increase battery capacity?
The iPhone 17 Air's ultra-thin design could see Apple ditch the SIM tray to increase battery capacity, a controversial change ahead of the iPhone 17's launch.
iPhone 17 Pro battery leak reveals controversial decision on ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air version
The iPhone 17 series, expected to launch in about a month, will mark the biggest design change since the iPhone X. The iPhone 17 Air will have the same screen but will be significantly thinner. To achieve a thickness of only 5.5mm, Apple is said to make some important hardware adjustments.
According to leaked information, the iPhone 17 Air will only have one rear camera, instead of two lenses like current iPhone models. The device also uses a smaller battery capacity, about 2,800 mAh, and especially will not have a physical SIM tray in international markets that still maintain this format.
iPhone 17 Pro's stainless steel battery revealed
Recently, leaker Majin Bu posted an image of what is believed to be the battery design of the iPhone 17 Pro, using a stainless steel case similar to the iPhone 16 Pro series. This design makes disassembly safer, improves heat dissipation, and complies with the European Union's new battery regulations.
Bu said Apple may use two different battery designs for the iPhone 17 Pro: one for the US market (no SIM slot, larger battery) and one for the international market (with SIM slot, smaller battery). If true, this would be the first time Apple has used the space advantage of removing the SIM slot to expand battery capacity, something that has not happened in the iPhone 14 or 15 lines, which do not have physical SIMs in the US.
iPhone 17 Air: sacrifices SIM tray to increase battery capacity
This information has raised speculation that Apple will also apply a similar strategy for the iPhone 17 Air: sacrificing the SIM tray to make room for a larger battery, ensuring battery life in an ultra-thin body. However, this decision may be controversial in markets that still prefer physical SIMs like Europe.
Additionally, if Apple does develop two separate battery designs for the same product line, it may have to announce different battery specifications depending on the region. This would also impact the supply chain and manufacturing costs, as unifying component designs has been a top priority for Apple for many years.
The final answer will come when the first iPhone 17s are “dissected” after the expected launch in September. But for now, the decision to remove the physical SIM tray on the iPhone 17 Air is becoming a hot topic of discussion in the global technology community.