Will the iPhone 17 Pro Max be thicker to accommodate a larger battery?

According to leaked news from reputable source Ice Universe , in a post on X, the next generation iPhone Pro Max model - iPhone 17 Pro Max will be 8.725mm thick, instead of 8.25mm like iPhone 16 Pro Max.

The 0.5mm increase isn't huge, just enough to not be uncomfortable to hold, but thick enough to accommodate a larger battery, making for a significant upgrade.

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An iPhone 17 Pro Max concept. Photo: Antonio de Rosa

In addition, 9to5Mac also mentioned the possibility that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will have a narrower Dynamic Island, a feature that may be exclusive to this model.

Another hint is that the Pro Max version could feature a proprietary vapor chamber cooling system.

With these 3 features, 9to5Mac believes that Apple is preparing for the appearance of the Ultra line.

Aside from the thickness, the other measurements of the iPhone 17 Pro Max will be identical to the current Pro Max - which isn't too surprising since this design was only launched a few months ago and Apple rarely makes significant design changes every year.

However, it is possible that the camera module will be adjusted, according to some other reports, and the back of the iPhone 17 Pro Max will likely use some aluminum instead of the current almost entirely glass. If true, this would be a major design change.

In another Weibo post, Ice Universe said: "The iPhone 17 Pro Max looks very powerful, and the thicker body means the battery will definitely be larger as well."

While this is just speculation at this point, there are plenty of other reasons why Apple could tweak the size of the iPhone, but it's certainly a promising prospect.

iPhone 17 Air is the same size as iPhone Pro Max

Ice Universe is also the source who revealed the size of the iPhone 17 Air. Surprisingly, many people might think that the iPhone 17 Air will be a thinner version of the iPhone 16 Plus, but no, according to Ice Universe , this brand new iPhone model will have the same length, width, screen size and bezels as the iPhone 17 Pro Max, only different in thickness.

The iPhone 17 Air is 5.5mm thick, while the iPhone 17 Pro Max is 8.725mm, the report said.

This means the iPhone 17 Air will have a screen as large as the iPhone 16 Pro Max, or close to it, at around 6.9 inches. That’s an important factor for a new iPhone, especially if the screen size is actually on par with the most expensive iPhone in the lineup.

Aside from thickness, the iPhone 17 Air will apparently have a few other differences. Some reports say the iPhone 17 Air will use the Apple C1 modem, similar to the recently announced iPhone 16e. This means it won't support mmWave speeds, a feature that the iPhone 16 Pro Max (and possibly the iPhone 17 Pro Max) will have.

Perhaps this makes sense, as mmWave-enabled iPhone models require a panel on the side of the device, and with the iPhone 17 Air being just 5.5mm thick, there may not be enough space for that. This begs the question: Will future ultra-thin iPhone models have to abandon mmWave?

Will iPhone 17 Ultra appear?

Reporter Ryan Christoffel 9to5Mac 's Ryan questioned why Apple made the iPhone 17 Pro Max thicker while simultaneously launching an ultra-thin iPhone like the iPhone 17 Air. From there, Ryan theorized that Apple is trying to create clearer distinctions between the lines, including renaming the iPhone 17 Pro Max to the iPhone 17 Ultra .

This could result in a completely different lineup than before, with versions: iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Ultra.

If this happens, it would be a major change for the iPhone lineup and could be a move to gain traction after recent declines in iPhone sales.

It’s unclear how big a change Apple will make. Right now, the company maintains a fairly simple lineup: a standard iPhone in two sizes (iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus), a Pro iPhone in two sizes (iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max), and a lower-cost version called the iPhone 16e.

Apple has recently cut some iPhone models to simplify its product line. Introducing a more complex iPhone lineup would go against that strategy. However, Apple always has its own plans and could surprise everyone this fall.

Watch iPhone 17 Pro Max sample video (Source: Asher Dipprey):

(According to Forbes, 9to5Mac)

iPhone 17 Pro mockups revealed in video, 17 Air shows off its thinness Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 mockups, reportedly based on "internal documents," have just appeared in a video by YouTuber iDeviceHelp.