Apple confirmed that the space freed up by removing the physical SIM on the iPhone Air is now used for battery, which is how the thinnest iPhone ever can still promise solid endurance.
Apple ditched the SIM slot on iPhone Air, so your battery could actually survive the day
Apple introduced the iPhone 17 series last week, and for the first time, we saw the iPhone Air – an incredibly thin device that aims to deliver Pro-level performance. But at just 5.6mm thick, one big question immediately popped up: how good could its battery life really be?
Tim Cook addressed the concern head-on in an interview after the launch, promising (once again) impressive endurance. The key, he said, is the complete removal of the physical SIM card slot on the Air model.
The battery life is great. You're going to love the battery life. (…) Because we engineered it from the inside out. It's eSIM-only. And so we were able to take the battery and extend the battery to areas that previously had the physical SIM. And so, it's an incredible innovation.
– Tim Cook, Apple's CEO, September 2025
The iPhone Air is the first iPhone ever to drop physical SIM support worldwide. While iPhones in the US have been eSIM-only for a couple of years, models sold elsewhere still offered a SIM slot. Not the Air – Apple needed every bit of extra space to fit the battery into its super-slim frame.
Video credit – CNBC
Do you trust Apple’s claim that the iPhone 17 Air has great battery life?
Yes – Apple usually delivers.
24.39%
Maybe – need to see reviews.
31.71%
No – too thin for real endurance.
34.15%
Not sure – curious but skeptical.
9.76%
Apple went all-in on eSIM for the iPhone Air
The iPhone Air fits neatly into the industry's current obsession with thinner designs. Samsung, for example, launched the Galaxy S25 Edge earlier this year, also an ultra-thin phone but with a noticeably smaller battery compared to its siblings.
Unlike Apple, Samsung managed to keep a SIM slot, but the result was a thicker device (although the difference is barely noticeable).
Apple clearly prioritized thinness above all, deciding to drop the SIM tray entirely to push the Air's design limits. The result? At just 5.6mm, it's about 2mm thinner than Samsung's Edge.
Apple's bold thinness play
We still need to test the iPhone Air ourselves before confirming Cook's claims about battery life. On paper, it should comfortably last a full day, but real-world performance always depends on usage.
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Personally, I'm curious to see if the extreme thinness ends up being a meaningful tradeoff – or if Apple really pulled off the balance it's promising. Stay tuned for our battery tests, because we're just as eager to see if thinner could really mean better.
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Tsveta, a passionate technology enthusiast and accomplished playwright, combines her love for mobile technologies and writing to explore and reveal the transformative power of tech. From being an early follower of PhoneArena to relying exclusively on her smartphone for photography, she embraces the immense capabilities of compact devices in our daily lives. With a Journalism degree and an explorative spirit, Tsveta not only provides expert insights into the world of gadgets and smartphones but also shares a unique perspective shaped by her diverse interests in travel, culture, and visual storytelling.
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