iPhone 17 Air won't last an entire day without optional accessory, report says

Apple's rumored iPhone 17 Air may struggle to make it through an entire day without needing a top-up.

In a report that details Apple's upcoming plans, The Information says that Apple is pinning its hopes on the ultrathin iPhone 17 Air and the rumored foldable iPhone to revive sales. Despite the expansion of the portfolio, the iPhone remains Apple's most important product, bringing in more than half of its revenue.

However, dramatic changes to the iPhone lineup are not without their challenges. For starters, since this is a new model, it's difficult to predict demand, which is why Apple's manufacturing partners have only allocated 10 percent of the production capacity to it.

40 percent of the capacity will be dedicated to the iPhone 17 Pro Max, which is understandable as this model tends to be the most popular. 25 percent of the resources will go towards the iPhone 17 Pro, and whatever remains will be for the standard model.

Coming in at 5.5 mm, the iPhone 17 Air will be the thinnest iPhone to date. Its only main rival will be the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, which is rumored to be 5.8 mm thick.

With longer upgrade cycles — how long people hold on to existing phones — proving to be a challenge for smartphone makers who refresh their lineups every year, Apple presumably expects the iPhone 17 Air's design to compel people to upgrade.

A far bigger challenge than gauging the potential demand for the iPhone 17 Air is the biggest trade-off that comes with its svelte design. While previous rumors had hinted that the battery life would be on par with other iPhones because of the efficient in-house modem, the freed-up space due to the single-camera system, and a high-density battery, The Information has revealed that the battery life would be dismal.