Last-Minute iPhone 17 Pro Leak Lists Key Performance And Battery Features

The iPhone 17 series that Apple will unveil during its September 9 media event will deliver one of the biggest design changes in iPhone history. According to a variety of rumors and leaks, Apple will introduce the 5.5mm iPhone 17 Air next week, its thinnest iPhone ever, and a replacement for the iPhone Plus model. While the iPhone 17 Air will turn heads, it'll also reportedly feature several compromises that might be more difficult to stomach, including a single-lens camera on the back and a smaller battery. iPhone buyers looking for the absolute best iPhone 17 experience will want to buy the more expensive iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max.

The iPhone Pro line delivers Apple's best possible hardware and software features every year, with the Pro Max model sometimes getting exclusive capabilities. A last-minute leak from a reliable Chinese leaker, first spotted by MacRumors, lists some of the features coming to the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max this year.

According to Instant Digital, the iPhone 17 Pro models will support higher screen brightness for longer periods during the summer. The Pro phones will also maintain higher frame rates during gaming sessions for longer times. Shooting 4K/60fps video outdoors will also get improvements. Also, the iPhone 17 Pro models should offer the longest battery life in an iPhone. If the battery claim is real, then the iPhone 17 Pro Max should outlast its direct predecessor in battery life tests.

The iPhone 17 Pro models should feature the brand-new, faster, and more energy-efficient A19 Pro chip. The processor will play a key role in experiences like the ones Instant Digital mentions, while also running more efficiently. Slightly larger battery packs could also improve the battery life of the iPhone 17 Pro models. Some rumors said the iPhone 17 Pro Max would get a 5,000 mAh battery, a first for the iPhone.

The other features the leaker mentioned all have something in common: better heat management. Sustaining maximum display brightness for longer periods while under direct sunlight means the iPhone 17 Pro models will handle cooling better than their predecessors. The new Pro models might also feature new OLED panels that can support higher brightness than the previous generation. Sustaining high frame rates for longer gaming sessions might also be the result of using better thermals. Heat would not impact gaming performance like in previous models, as the chip is cooled faster. Finally, heat management is also important for creators shooting 4K/60fps video outdoors during hot summer days.

The leaker doesn't mention the iPhone 17 Pro's purported vapor chamber, a detail that appeared in previous leaks, but that's the key component that can help Apple manage iPhone heat better than ever. iPhones have never had vapor chambers. Apple had to fix iPhone 15 Pro overheating issues a couple of years ago with a software update. The iPhone 16 Pro did not experience overheating issues, but Apple did not employ vapor chambers last year. Comparatively, Android vendors have used these cooling solutions for years, continuously increasing the footprint of vapor chambers in recent flagship phones.