Apple is used to pushing the innovation and design of its devices to the limits of technology. However, the long-awaited iPhone 17 Air could be far from reaching the thinness that the company had initially planned. According to a new report, Apple is facing multiple challenges to achieve an ultra-thin device due to battery-related issues, which could thwart its plans to launch the thinnest iPhone ever.
Here we explain what this problem consists of, what it means for the iPhone 17 Air and how it could affect Apple’s strategy.
Apple has problems with the iPhone 17 Air battery
Since the first iPhone in 2007, Apple has been a pioneer in designing thin devices, but always balancing design and functionality. The iPhone 6, which holds the record as the brand’s thinnest iPhone so far, has a thickness of just 6.9 mm, a standard that has set the company in terms of aesthetics and ergonomics. However, the iPhone 17 Air intended to go even further, with an ultra-thin design that would leave its predecessors behind. The key to this thinness would be in a new battery with a thinner internal substrate, a technology that Apple hoped to implement without sacrificing battery life or performance.
However, the project appears to have run into issues in the supply chain and manufacturing process, raising concerns about the viability of this new design. Among the difficulties are the high manufacturing costs and consistency in the production of this thin battery, which puts at risk Apple’s ambition to further reduce the thickness of the device.
The new battery, which was initially going to be less than 6mm thick, has had to be adjusted, and the report indicates that this battery is now It will be around precisely those 6 mm. Even with this limitation, the iPhone 17 Air could still be thinner than the iPhone 16, but perhaps not as thin as Apple wanted.
How big would the iPhone 17 Air be?
For comparison, the iPhone 16 and its Plus, Pro and Pro Max versions have a thickness of between 7.8 mm and 8.25 mm. While the iPhone 17 Air could be thinner than these models, the hype around its ultra-thin profile could be reduced if the difference is not as pronounced as expected. Even so, the design of this iPhone 17 Air points to a premium aesthetic, in line with other ultra-thin Apple devices, such as the 11-inch iPad Pro, with 5.4 mm thickness, or the 13-inch model, with 5.1mm
The pressure is on Apple to maintain its reputation for premium thin looks, and while thickness is a crucial aspect in the design of an iPhone Air, user experience remains a priority for the company. In addition, there is still almost a year left for this terminal to see the light, which gives Apple time to adjust its specifications and solve the problems it faces. With the launch scheduled for next fall, the company’s engineers could still find solutions to overcome supply chain obstacles and reach the goal of a ultra-thin and functional device.
