This Apple leak with the iPhone 17 Pro Max allows me to conclude many things.
For years, we've witnessed a predictable dance from Apple : a faster processor, a marginally better camera, and a subtly refined design. But every once in a while, a leak emerges that isn't just a fact, but a statement of intent:
- iPhone 11 Pro Max: 3,969mAh
- iPhone 12 Pro Max: 3,687mAh
- iPhone 13 Pro Max: 4,352mAh
- iPhone 14 Pro Max: 4,323mAh
- iPhone 15 Pro Max: 4,422mAh
- iPhone 16 Pro Max: 4,676mAh
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: ~5,000mAh
And this recent information about the iPhone 17 Pro Max 's battery capacity is, from my perspective, one of the most significant in years. It's not just a new capacity, although according to rumors circulating on forums and that other sources have begun to spread, we're talking about a figure that, for the first time in iPhone history, is dangerously close to the 5,000 mAh barrier.
To put this into context, if you look at the capabilities of previous models, that would be a double-digit percentage jump over its predecessors—a typically aggressive move for a company that has historically relied more on the efficiency of its software and hardware than on the brute force of milliamp-hours, which is why it's pretty common for any iPhone user to always remember to not go out without their charger or go to sleep without remembering to charge their phone at night.
According to leaks, the rest of the iPhone 17 family would have these capabilities:
- iPhone 17: 3,600 mAh
- iPhone 17 Air: 2,800 mAh
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iPhone 17 Pro: 3,600 mAh
The question we should be asking ourselves isn't "How many more hours of video will we be able to watch?" but rather "What is Apple preparing that requires such an energy leap?" This is where simple news becomes a profound analysis of strategy.
The Energy Hunger of True Artificial Intelligence
Since the launch of the iPhone 16 in September 2024, we've been hearing about "Apple Intelligence" for a year. For now, it's a cautious implementation, perhaps even a first foray that relies heavily on the cloud for complex tasks. However, if we focus on the long-term vision, the only one that truly matters in Cupertino, this leap could prioritize persistent and proactive neural computing on the device that will be launched in early September 2025. An iPhone that not only reacts to our commands but anticipates our needs, processing complex language and image models in the background to offer us truly contextual assistance.
This future may not be possible with current batteries. A hypothetical A19 Bionic chip, with a drastically more powerful Neural Engine, will need a tank of fuel to match so as not to turn the device into a paperweight by mid-afternoon. With a battery close to 5,000 mAh, it may not be a luxury to achieve two days of autonomy with light use; rather, it is perhaps a fundamental necessity to fuel Apple's ambitions in the era of new Artificial Intelligence. This new battery, which will be the largest in its history for the moment, is the missing piece in the puzzle that will transform "Apple Intelligence" from a set of intelligent functions into a truly context-aware operating system.
The undeniable link with Augmented Reality and Gaming
Another resource hog on the horizon is the synergy with the Apple Vision Pro ecosystem. As Apple builds stronger bridges between its spatial computing headset and its handheld device, the iPhone will become a processing and rendering hub for richer, more persistent AR experiences. Imagine apps that anchor virtual objects in our environment and keep them there, processed by the phone, for hours. The energy demands of such a feature would be colossal.
And then there's gaming. With the arrival of AAA titles like "Resident Evil Village" and "Death Stranding" on the platform, Apple has made it clear that it wants the iPhone to be considered a fully-fledged portable gaming console, or at least to enter the world of a powerful phone that can be used for hours of gaming. We already know that hardware ray tracing is incredible and that the iPhone is capable of processing games efficiently, but it drains the battery at an astonishing rate. To ensure that a one-hour gaming session doesn't become a battery crisis, a much larger power reserve is needed. What makes much more sense to us is that with such a robust battery in the 17 Pro Max, it would send the ultimate message to developers and gamers: "You can play for real here."
The Problem: The Sacrifice of Design and Inescapable Physics
Of course, this decision wouldn't be without sacrifices and opportunity costs. Apple has built its empire on the foundation of exquisite industrial design, where thinness and lightness are dogmas. A substantially larger battery runs headlong into this principle.
This leads me to a dilemma that's surely being debated in Apple's design halls. Are they willing to release an iPhone 17 Pro Max that's noticeably thicker and heavier than its predecessors? It would be a tacit admission that, at the highest end, functionality and battery life have finally overtaken aesthetics as the main priority, a move that would run counter to their strongest values. Personally, I think it's a compromise the "Pro" market would not only accept, but applaud. Users who invest in a Pro Max are looking for maximum capacity, not the slimmest profile. It's no secret how large these devices can be.
More than Milliamps, perhaps this is a Change of Philosophy
If this leak materializes, the iPhone 17 Pro Max won't be remembered for having a "bigger battery." It will be remembered as the turning point where Apple recalibrated its priorities. It will mark the moment the company recognized that the future of mobile computing—a smart, immersive, and powerful future—requires a solid power foundation, even if it means sacrificing a millimeter of thickness.
It's not just a hardware update. It's laying the foundation for the next decade of iPhone innovation. And it's perhaps the most powerful answer Apple could give to the question we've all asked ourselves at one time or another: What's the point of having a supercomputer in your pocket if you're afraid to truly exploit its potential to satisfy the aesthetic expectations of its context?