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iPhone 17 Air Rumors: Battery Case Comeback, eSIM-Only, and a One-Speaker Setup

By / Tech / May 10, 2025

iPhone 17 Air may allow a battery case accessory, and its thin design may require compromises to speakers and SIM support.

iPhone 16 lineup to be succeeded by the iPhone 17 lineup (Image via Apple | Deltia's Gaming)
iPhone 16 lineup to be succeeded by the iPhone 17 lineup (Image via Apple | Deltia’s Gaming)

Apple’s iPhone 17 Air is expected to come out later this year, and has been extensively discussed by many notable leakers and tipsters. Recently, new news coming from TheInformation.com has emerged regarding the iPhone 17 Air’s design, revealing potential quirks related to its battery and structure, along with hints at a highly useful accessory that could be released alongside the device.

iPhone 17 Air Battery Case Accessory Detailed; Battery Life May Only Last a Day

An accessory that Apple has not officially released in a long time is reportedly making a return with this model. According to the report, the Smart Battery Case will be coming back, featuring a battery pack integrated into the cover. This would be the ultimate accessory for iPhone 17 Air users, offering flexibility to extend battery life whenever needed.

The upcoming super-light iPhone 17 Air is expected to feature an ultra-thin design. It will be significantly thinner than the modern iPhones released over the past few years. In fact, rumors suggest it may rival the iPhone 6 in terms of thickness, which measured 6.9 mm and was famously known to fail bend tests.

Even so, the iPhone 17 Air will likely look stunning if it launches in late 2025 alongside the expected iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and standard iPhone 17. Due to its thin design, the phone is expected to have reduced battery life. While modern iPhones can usually last a full day even for heavy users, the new Air model reportedly will not, according to insider testing referenced in the source.

iPhone 17 Air May Only Support eSIM and Feature Downgraded Speakers

Apple’s rumored iPhone 17 Air is apparently going to be extremely thin. In fact, it may be so thin that there will be no room left to support a physical SIM card. This would make it a phone that supports only eSIM for networking. There will also be a compromise in audio quality. Previous rumors, along with this latest report, suggest the iPhone 17 Air will feature a single speaker. This is a notable change compared to the full-sounding stereo speakers expected on other iPhones releasing in 2025.

These intriguing details make the iPhone 17 Air a highly specific choice. It will be interesting to see how many users choose this model. With the iPhone 13 Mini being the last truly portable phone that Apple released, this model could attract users who prefer compact and lightweight designs over traditional devices. This year’s iPhone 17 series is certainly shaping up to be one of the most interesting in recent memory.

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