5w, 22.5w, 15w. It makes zero difference when charging while you sleep, which is 90% of what people do.
Same. I've used my ultrawide lens just a handful of times.
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iPhone 17 Air Could Debut Advanced Silicon Battery Tech
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5w, 22.5w, 15w. It makes zero difference when charging while you sleep, which is 90% of what people do.
Same. I've used my ultrawide lens just a handful of times.
Same. I do use the zoom lens, but that's not as good of a camera as the regular wide lens, so there is still tradeoff in using it. I am thinking that doing a little digital zoom on a 48 MP image is going to be just fine on occasion.
And make it slimmer!
The new Air, now 0.1 cm thinner than the next best competitor.
You are right, batteries are expensive. Apple uses the word "thin" but that is code for "less stuff inside that we have to pay for".
Every time I see that render, I have to fight the urge to throw up a little.
The upcoming all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air could become the first Apple smartphone to adopt advanced battery technology, with Japanese supplier TDK preparing to ship its new generation of silicon-anode batteries by the end of June.
According to DigiTimes, TDK CEO Noboru Saito revealed in a recent interview that the Apple supplier has accelerated its production timeline, moving shipments forward from the originally planned September quarter. That may give smartphone makers enough time to use the cells in thinner models launching this year, he suggested.
"We've made good progress, and we're shipping them very soon," Saito said, adding that "some handset makers might be able to use the new battery in their product one generation early."
The timing could be soon enough for Apple's expected September launch of the iPhone 17 Air, which is rumored to measure just 5.5mm at its thinnest point, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
TDK's batteries use silicon for anodes instead of the traditional graphite, allowing them to pack 15% more energy into the same space compared to conventional rechargeable battery packs. This advancement could be key to maintaining adequate battery life in such a slim form factor.
Having said that, reports have been mixed regarding the iPhone 17 Air's potential battery performance. While The Information's Wayne Ma claimed the device will have "worse" battery life compared to previous iPhone models, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman offered a more optimistic outlook, stating that battery life would be "on par with current iPhones" thanks to hardware and software optimizations.
Further supporting the possibility of decent battery life, Kuo recently mentioned in a blog post that the iPhone 17 Air will feature a "high-density" battery, although he didn't elaborate.
The device is also rumored to incorporate Apple's power-efficient C1 modem and lack an Ultra Wide camera, potentially providing more internal space for a larger battery.
Looking further ahead, a recent report from ETNews has suggested that Apple could adopt advanced silicon battery technology for its 2027 iPhone, marking the 20th anniversary of the iconic device. The next-generation battery could theoretically use pure silicon anodes, which can store up to 10 times more lithium ions per gram than current materials.
TDK is already working on its fourth-generation silicon batteries, according to the company's CEO. "We plan to introduce fourth-generation silicon batteries sometime in the next fiscal year to widen our lead even further," said Saito, claiming that "mass-producing silicon batteries requires special know-how. It's not like you can do it by just putting the materials together."
The 6.6-inch iPhone 17 Air is expected to replace the Plus model in Apple's 2025 lineup, and is likely to be announced in September, per Apple's typical fall release schedule.
Article Link: iPhone 17 Air Could Debut Advanced Silicon Battery Tech
I wouldn't mind smaller batteries per se but I absolutely hate this stupid trend to make them thin. Who even asked for that? And pretty much every (consumer) electronics business is guilty of that with very few exceptions. Thin beyond a certain point is useless & counter productive, especially when it comes to structural integrity.
I did. I'm asking for that. I'd like a slimmer phone. You, on the other hand, are free to buy whatever phone you prefer. See how that works?
We’re gonna need more than a 15% more energy from the same amount of space if the 17 air has any hope of having a battery life. 😂 Interesting to see how much this and the AI battery optimisation help.
The upcoming all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air could become the first Apple smartphone to adopt advanced battery technology, with Japanese supplier TDK preparing to ship its new generation of silicon-anode batteries by the end of June.
According to DigiTimes, TDK CEO Noboru Saito revealed in a recent interview that the Apple supplier has accelerated its production timeline, moving shipments forward from the originally planned September quarter. That may give smartphone makers enough time to use the cells in thinner models launching this year, he suggested.
"We've made good progress, and we're shipping them very soon," Saito said, adding that "some handset makers might be able to use the new battery in their product one generation early."
The timing could be soon enough for Apple's expected September launch of the iPhone 17 Air, which is rumored to measure just 5.5mm at its thinnest point, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
TDK's batteries use silicon for anodes instead of the traditional graphite, allowing them to pack 15% more energy into the same space compared to conventional rechargeable battery packs. This advancement could be key to maintaining adequate battery life in such a slim form factor.
Having said that, reports have been mixed regarding the iPhone 17 Air's potential battery performance. While The Information's Wayne Ma claimed the device will have "worse" battery life compared to previous iPhone models, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman offered a more optimistic outlook, stating that battery life would be "on par with current iPhones" thanks to hardware and software optimizations.
Further supporting the possibility of decent battery life, Kuo recently mentioned in a blog post that the iPhone 17 Air will feature a "high-density" battery, although he didn't elaborate.
The device is also rumored to incorporate Apple's power-efficient C1 modem and lack an Ultra Wide camera, potentially providing more internal space for a larger battery.
Looking further ahead, a recent report from ETNews has suggested that Apple could adopt advanced silicon battery technology for its 2027 iPhone, marking the 20th anniversary of the iconic device. The next-generation battery could theoretically use pure silicon anodes, which can store up to 10 times more lithium ions per gram than current materials.
TDK is already working on its fourth-generation silicon batteries, according to the company's CEO. "We plan to introduce fourth-generation silicon batteries sometime in the next fiscal year to widen our lead even further," said Saito, claiming that "mass-producing silicon batteries requires special know-how. It's not like you can do it by just putting the materials together."
The 6.6-inch iPhone 17 Air is expected to replace the Plus model in Apple's 2025 lineup, and is likely to be announced in September, per Apple's typical fall release schedule.
Article Link: iPhone 17 Air Could Debut Advanced Silicon Battery Tech
Of course. Their whole business model relies on your battery diminishing below a day of battery life within 2 years so you’re forced to upgrade. Battery replacement costs continue to rise so it’s the less appealing option. This will never change.
I don’t think it’s a bold move Apple clearly knows that most users don’t care about hardware but the design, so by Apple logic with the new design of iPhone 17 Air people will buy it because it’s something brand new and not care about hardware and it will work, unfortunately not everyone is a tech savvy and that is how it is.
Doubtful but we need something. They’ve been using the same tech since 20 years ago. Like they got up to lithium polymer/ion and just said “well, that’ll take us all the way up to 2120!”
It’s so bad now that we are given the option to cut off 20% of the battery in hopes it’s life span doesn’t tank after 6 months of use!
It’s so bad now that we are given the option to cut off 20% of the battery in hopes it’s life span doesn’t tank after 6 months of use!
I'm all for thiner, if it makes it lighter, phone. Let's wait and see what the final version of the "iPhone 17 Air" is and then pass judgment with regards to structural integrity. Personally it's the "probable" high starting price that concerns me.
Well Samsung had there reasons and they may not have wanted to pay the expensive cost for a first generation type slim phone. They will probably do it later most likely. lithium ion is probably 5 to 10 times cheaper.
I did a double take. “The same TDK that made blank CDs 25 years ago?”
Interesting if true. Recent Apple device teardowns show Apple is using Chinese batteries (Chinese brand and manufactured in China) rather than Japanese (brand) batteries
I’ve never used the ultra wide lens since it doesn’t have auto focus (non-pro model).