It’s not the first mention: https://www.macrumors.com/2025/05/03/iphone-17-air-battery-case-report/
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Testing Samsung's Super Thin Galaxy S25 Edge
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We will find out if that rumor is true next Monday.You mean iOS 26
No iOS 19: Apple Going Straight to iOS 26
With the design overhaul that's coming this year, Apple plans to rename all of its operating systems, reports Bloomberg. Going forward, iOS,...www.macrumors.com
I'm sure both phones will be really good but they are just too big for me.
The 19th or the 26th?
It reminds me of people who buy a pickup truck for a one time a year dump run. For your use case and I think for many others, there will be plenty of battery life on this thing. And like you said, in the odd time you need to then just a powerbank.
Not going to be an issue if the iPhone 17 Air has a 12V battery.
I really wish the industry would move away from using "Mh" (mAh) as a unit of battery capacity....
I'm interested in why that's a dealbreaker for you. Do you consume video on your phone? I always airplay to a TV. Even when traveling, I've learned how to hack those blue & white remote controls to switch inputs (details on Youtube), so i travel with an Apple TV box so I can airplay when not at home.
But then, I'm invested in the Apple Universe. We have smart LED lights & switches, doorbell camera, garage door opener, 2 Apple TVs, Nest Thermostat (matter enabled), and a HomePod Mini, all controlled via HomeKit. Also 2 iphones, 2 macbook pros, 2 ipad Airs, 3 Apple Watches, two Mac Minis and a partridge in a pear tree. I worked for Apple, too, so I may be biased. LOL!
Absolute nonsense. The thickness and weight on the phone is it itself directly proportional to the thickness and weight once placed inside a case. Cases are only as thick as they need to be, minus some excessive military cases. They will add x amount of thickness to whatever phone they are designed to fit. And they weigh very little.
These super thin smartphones need to be used without a case to get the full effect, since a case is just going to increase the weight and thickness. A slim case might not be too bad, but it seems silly to shell out money for a super thin smartphone just to stick it inside a thick case.
The Air will still be easily appreciated inside a case.
The iPhone 17 Air is expected to have a 2800 high density battery, which increases efficiency by 15%. Add in another 10-15% from the new SoC, and you have something roughly equivalent to today's iPhone 16 battery capacity.
I haven’t used a case in years. Cases ruin the user experience. So much nicer to use the iPhone without a case. And my titanium iPhone has been dropped countless times and never broken. Can’t say that about any of my prior phones from aluminum or steel. Really sad they’re moving away from premium materials to profit more.
Review by ‘Captain Obvious’ 🙄
Samsung recently launched the Galaxy S25 Edge, a super thin smartphone that will compete with Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 Air. To see what it's like using such a thin phone, MacRumors video editor Dan Barbera used it as his main device for two weeks to see what it might be like to use Apple's equivalent later this year.
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The Galaxy S25 Edge has a 6.7-inch display, so it's a larger smartphone, but because it's so thin and light, it's easy to hold. It's just 5.8mm thick and it weighs 163 grams, and it's so light that it almost feels like a plastic dummy phone. Apple's iPhone 17 Air could be even thinner at 5.5mm, and it will have a similar display size at 6.6 inches, so it should be a lot like the S25 Edge.
These super thin smartphones need to be used without a case to get the full effect, since a case is just going to increase the weight and thickness. A slim case might not be too bad, but it seems silly to shell out money for a super thin smartphone just to stick it inside a thick case.
With such a thin body, the Galaxy S25 Edge doesn't have as much room for a battery as other Samsung smartphones, so battery life is lacking. It's still possible to get through the day without a charge, but if you're a heavy user, you're probably going to need to top up your battery every so often during the day. Samsung has battery optimization settings that prioritize battery life, but those options affect game performance.
Apple will likely have some of the same issues with battery life, though optimizations are being implemented through AI battery settings in iOS 19. The efficiency of the C1 modem that the iPhone 17 Air will use will also help, plus Apple is going to sell an add-on battery pack alongside it.
Camera functionality is a tradeoff on the Galaxy S25 Edge, because it only has the 200-megapixel main lens and a 12-megapixel ultra wide lens with no telephoto lens. Other Samsung devices have triple-lens camera setups. The iPhone 17 Air will suffer from the same issue, and it's only going to get a single-lens main camera due to space constraints.
Samsung is selling the Galaxy S25 Edge for $1,100, which is not too far off from the higher-end and more feature rich Galaxy smartphones. Apple's iPhone 17 Air could come in cheaper at around $899, but that pricing plan was before any potential increases due to tariffs.
Do you plan to get the iPhone 17 Air this year? How do you think it will measure up to the S25 Edge? Let us know in the comments below.
Article Link: Testing Samsung's Super Thin Galaxy S25 Edge
I completely agree! I have the 15 Pro Max and having a chunk of machined titanium in my pocket was such a huge motivator. It feels so premium and special. I’m so disappointed we’re going back to soda can phones.
Not sure I understand the case comment -- a thin phone in a case is still going to be thinner overall than a thick phone in the same case. I use very thin cases (Caudabe Sheath), and would do so with the Air.
For me the main issue is the screen size being too big for my taste. I like small phones, and would ideally prefer an Air with a sub-6" screen, or at least, a standard iPhone screen. As it is, being in between the normal and the Pro in screen size, I'll have to check it out in person before deciding between a base iPhone (or just sticking with my 15) and the Air.
For me the main issue is the screen size being too big for my taste. I like small phones, and would ideally prefer an Air with a sub-6" screen, or at least, a standard iPhone screen. As it is, being in between the normal and the Pro in screen size, I'll have to check it out in person before deciding between a base iPhone (or just sticking with my 15) and the Air.
back in 2017, good old Moto Z2 Play was only 6mm thick & managed to squeeze in a 3000mAh battery: https://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_moto_z2_play-8674.php
JerryRigEverything tried to break it and failed.
So let me get this straight here…
Apple will likely have some of the same issues with battery life, though optimizations are being implemented through AI battery settings in iOS 19. The efficiency of the C1 modem that the iPhone 17 Air will use will also help, plus Apple is going to sell an add-on battery pack alongside it.
Plan A is the battery-draining AI feature which will help manage battery drain.
Plan B is reliance on the C1 inhouse modem currently being beta-tested in the 16e “budget” iPhone that barely anyone has bought.
Plan C is just whack a MagSafe thick battery pack on to the thin form factor.
I mean, this is almost parody.
You left out plan D where certain potential buyers don't care much about battery life because they rarely drop below 50% and have many charging opportunities. That doesn't quite describe me but I've sure heard plenty of others who fit that.
Actually, Apple's phone will be competing with this since this was first to market.
what about don't worry about the battery?
my mini 12 battery lasts me all day, how much worse could this one be?
Their morals and ethics are certainly quite thin these days!