iPhone 17 bigger battery rumors are creating excitement among Apple fans. Early leaks suggest that Apple might boost battery capacity by removing the SIM tray, giving users longer usage time and improved performance.
Usually, when Apple removes a feature from its iPhones without warning, there’s little justification for it. However, this time is different. The removal of the SIM card tray isn’t just a design choice it actually brings a tangible improvement: better battery life.
Why the iPhone 17 Bigger Battery Matters for Users
Data circulating online suggests that iPhones without a SIM card tray may receive a noticeable battery upgrade, even compared to other iPhone 17 models that still have the tray. According to MacRumors, the iPhone 17 Pro without a SIM tray comes with a 4,252 mAh battery, whereas the version with a SIM tray has a slightly smaller 3,988 mAh cell. The iPhone 17 Pro Max amplifies this difference: the eSIM-only model boasts a 5,088 mAh battery, while the SIM tray-equipped version comes with 4,823 mAh. For the regular iPhone 17, there’s no confirmed data for the SIM tray version, but the eSIM-only model carries a 3,692 mAh battery. For U.S. users, this means the model with the largest battery capacity is readily available.
It makes sense that removing the SIM card tray would free up internal space. In previous eSIM-only iPhones, the empty SIM slot was usually replaced with a plastic tab, so the battery size remained the same. But now, the absence of the tray creates just enough room for a modest 200 mAh increase. It’s not a massive leap, but those extra milliamp-hours could be the difference between reaching the end of the day with 5% battery or running out before dinner.
The iPhone Air, which doesn’t include a SIM tray in any region, comes with a 3,149 mAh battery worldwide. Not huge, but definitely better than some might expect. It’s important to note that in many European and Asian countries, iPhones will continue to be sold with a SIM tray for the time being. For U.S. buyers, this small upgrade is a nice bonus. It also hints at what could happen globally: when Apple eventually removes the SIM tray worldwide assuming no regulatory hurdles more phones could enjoy slightly bigger batteries.
Source: MacRumors
