iPhone 17 Pro Max Said to Be Thicker to Accommodate Larger Battery

[MacRumors]

Apple has increased the thickness of the upcoming iPhone 17 Pro Max compared to the current generation iPhone 16 Pro Max, claims the Chinese leaker known as Ice Universe.

Apple is said to have increased the depth of the iPhone 17 Pro Max to 8.725mm, up from 8.25mm on the iPhone 16 Pro Max, which would be a 0.475mm difference in thickness. The increase "surely means a larger battery," according to the leaker. Apart from depth, the iPhone 17 Pro Max's frame reportedly remains unchanged, and is otherwise identical to the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Up until now, we have not heard any rumors about a battery life increase for the iPhone 17 Pro Max or a change in dimensions, so if Ice Universe's information is accurate, this would be a new development.

iPhone 17 Pro‌ models are expected to have a large rectangular camera bump with rounded corners, though Apple apparently plans to stick with a triangular arrangement for the rear camera lenses.

Apple's premium devices are also rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame. The back of the devices will supposedly also have a new "part-aluminum, part-glass" design.

Ice Universe also claimed today that the iPhone 17 Pro Max and Apple's all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air share identical dimensions apart from the differing thickness of the devices.

Article Link: iPhone 17 Pro Max Said to Be Thicker to Accommodate Larger Battery

 

[steve217]

That camera bulge looks so much like an iPhone mini riding on the back.

 

[BelgianChoklit]

Thicker isn't the end lf the world imo. The problem comes when they fill that added thickness with stuff making it even heavier and it's already too heavy.

 

[Rob__Mac]

Why can’t it be thicker to accommodate the lenses, so I could finally put my phone down flat on the table!

 

[Marty80]

At least i will know that my pockets full.

 

[tomscott1988]

Interesting... Apples design seems to be form over function which is good compared to the issues of the past.

Still a really fugly phone. Lets hope this render isnt realistic.

 

[kiranmk2]

And the reason they don't use that high energy density battery that the iPad Air is getting to prevent an increase in Pro Max thickness is?...

 

[sunapple]

That camera bulge looks so much like an iPhone mini riding on the back.

They can keep the rest, camera bump itself would be a perfectly sized phone.

 

[TechWhisperer]

Oh Jony Ive, where art thou?

 

[Veinticinco]

So it’s a choice between the iPhone 17 Anorexic and the iPhone 17 Obese. Neither look good.

 

[geta]

Although it will be thicker, they'll keep the ugly camera bump. 🤮

 

[Veinticinco]

Alternatively, the 17 Pro Max design could be an homage to the beloved and ubiquitous Nokia “brick” phones from the late ‘90s. Except with <10% of the battery life.

 

[pinkkie]

And the reason they don't use that high energy density battery that the iPad Air is getting to prevent an increase in Pro Max thickness is?...

to sell you the iPhone Air duh

 

[Veinticinco]

Although it will be thicker, they'll keep the ugly camera bump. 🤮

Whoah. That’s not a camera bump, it’s a “characteristic design cue” remember. Just like its stable mate, the Notch.

 

[Mike82]

And the reason they don't use that high energy density battery that the iPad Air is getting to prevent an increase in Pro Max thickness is?...

This! It could be slightly thinner and still have a bigger battery than last year.

 

[attila]

Broken record here: please make the air smaller in more ways than thickness.

 

[Koni17]

And the reason they don't use that high energy density battery that the iPad Air is getting to prevent an increase in Pro Max thickness is?...

I think we can expect higher energy density silicon-carbon batteries in the iPhone Air this year, and I predict the design language of that phone (thinner, more futuristic) to trickle down to other models in the following year. Possibly in an iPhone Pro "Air" version of some sort.

 

[dominiongamma]

Oh Jony Ive, where art thou?

Gone thank god

 

[TracerAnalog]

Still don't 'get' that design. It doesn't seem to fit Apple's clean design ethos. I thought we'd be moving towards this elusive single piece of glass phone by now, but this looks like we're going backwards: more buttons, more seemingly decorative design elements. Let's see what the real thing will look like

 

[geta]

I think we can expect higher energy density silicon-carbon batteries in the iPhone Air this year, and I predict the design language of that phone (thinner, more futuristic) to trickle down to other models in the following year. Possibly in an iPhone Pro "Air" version of some sort.

There is nothing “futuristic” in a thin phone with ugly camera hump.

 

[contacos]

There's no reason to make a phone bigger in 2025. They could easily keep up with the times and switch to silicon-carbon batteries for their Pro models. They've clearly gotten too comfortable relying on the "people will buy it anyway" mindset.

And now, they're adding an unnecessarily larger camera frame just for the sake of change, yet they don’t even use this opportunity to make it flush with the camera lens? Where’s the logic in that? The phone will still wobble on one side.

 

[McScooby]

Chunky Monkey.

 

[Ramchi]

If no Titanium, I might have to move away from iPhones until it retains Titanium frames. There are lots of options like Fold or Flip ones from Samsung, Pixel, OnePlus, Oppo etc…..They all have similar or better specs and performance overall with bigger form factor. I can wait for iPhone Foldable if it has Titanium Frame second or third iteration, though!

 

[shadowboi]

Interesting... Apples design seems to be form over function which is good compared to the issues of the past.

Still a really fugly phone. Lets hope this render isnt realistic.

More like vice versa, function over form: they value big batteries, huge displays and uselessly large camera sensor over phone size and comfort. Would have much preferred a “form over function” type of iPhone, of a physical size of an iPhone 5 but with modern components

 

[shadowboi]

So it’s a choice between the iPhone 17 Anorexic and the iPhone 17 Obese. Neither look good.

Apple again showing so much body positivity