The iPhone 17 Pro Max could feature a significantly larger battery, if two consistent leaks are anything to go by. A March report suggested that the phone’s body will be slightly thicker — 8.725mm compared to the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s 8.25mm — potentially to accommodate a larger battery. Now, a new leak from Instant Digital claims the upcoming Pro Max model will pack a 5,000mAh battery, about 324mAh more than its predecessor.
The overlap between these two leaks lends weight to their accuracy, but a bigger battery doesn’t guarantee better battery life. That ultimately depends on other changes coming to the device.
For one, the iPhone 17 Pro Max is expected to feature vapour chamber cooling, a first for iPhones. Now, this may not directly affect power drain but reflects a shift in thermal management that could support more power-hungry hardware.
iOS 26 will also introduce updated battery management features, including smarter charging optimisations — likely designed in part to compensate for smaller batteries in other models like the ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air.
That device is rumoured to feature next-gen silicon-anode battery tech developed by Japan’s TDK, delivering 15% more energy density. However, the tech is reportedly still ramping up to mass production, and will be exclusive to the Slim model this year. If successful, it could make its way to the Pro Max in 2026.
As Apple juggles new features, design constraints, and thermal considerations, the iPhone 17 lineup’s battery life will likely vary by model. The upcoming iPhone’s real-world endurance could depend as much on software and component efficiency as on raw battery capacity.
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