The details that were pending regarding autonomy are beginning to fit together: the iPhone 17 that does away with the physical tray and They only work with eSIM, make better use of internal space, which translates into more battery capacity compared to models with a SIM slot.
This conclusion gains strength after a breakdown published by REWA Technology and the information from energy labels in the European Union, which point in the same direction: the eSIM-only configuration leaves extra space for a larger battery pack and official figures are reflected for several models.
Battery differences between eSIM and physical SIM
Removing the SIM tray not only saves an opening in the chassis: It also eliminates components and the volume of the card holder itself.In REWA's video, you can see an iPhone 17 Pro with a physical slot, and it's clear where the traditional SIM hardware is "eating up" space.
That freed-up space has been converted into useful capacity for the battery. On the eSIM-only iPhone 17s, Apple appears to have filled that area with additional cells, something that did not occur in previous generations in certain markets, where the space was covered with plastic.
Capabilities listed in the technical documents
EU documentation includes the total capacity of batteries in this family, with differences depending on whether or not a SIM tray is present. These are the figures that are handled for the range:
- iPhone 17 Pro: 3.988 mAh (with SIM) and 4.252 mAh (eSIM only).
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: 4.823 mAh and 5.8V batteries appear 5.088 mAh depending on the configuration; the largest would correspond to the eSIM-only model.
- iPhone Air: 3.149 mAh (no physical SIM version).
- iPhone 17: 3.692 mAh (data for the SIM model pending confirmation in equivalent documents).
Beyond the exact numbers, there are more milliampsThis difference is especially noticeable in the Pro and Pro Max models, which make the most of every internal millimeter.
Relevant internal changes in the new batch
The interior is also evolving on other fronts. Rear lenses grow in size, the dissipation system incorporates vapor chamber cooling and the N1 chip, responsible for short-range connectivity, appears next to the Pro A19 which improves energy efficiency.
That communications component enables recent standards such as Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread, aligning hardware with faster home networks, smart accessories, and an ecosystem ready for years to come.
Markets with eSIM-only iPhone sales
Apple sells eSIM-only versions in select countries. Among the confirmed markets These include the United States, Saudi Arabia, Canada, the United Arab Emirates, Japan, and Mexico. In other territories, SIM and eSIM tray variants coexist, depending on the channel.
This regional strategy explains why some capacities differ between seemingly identical units. Depending on the country, the same iPhone 17 you can mount a slightly different battery conditioned by the presence or absence of a SIM tray.
What changes compared to previous generations
In the timeline, there is a twist compared to what was seen in Series 14 in countries with mandatory eSIM: then the battery was not gained systematically and the gap was filled with non-functional parts. Now, with the iPhone 17, that space has been used to gain real capacity.
The direct comparison is also favorable within the Pro range: from iPhone 16 Pro (3.582 mAh) to iPhone 17 Pro with tray (3.988 mAh) There is already a jump, which is further amplified in the eSIM-only version thanks to the additional increase in milliamps.
All of the above reinforces the idea that, In this generation, autonomy not only improves due to chip efficiency, but by a physical increase in the battery where the eSIM leaves room.
With the information available, the picture is clear: the iPhone 17s that rely exclusively on eSIM gain advantage in battery capacity, internal changes and connectivity, while Apple calibrates by country which versions it offers and how it takes advantage of every inch of the interior to scratch out extra minutes away from the charger.
