The iPhone 17 Battery Life Analysis

Battery life is one of the most important selling points for smartphone shoppers. Even if you have a fantastic camera, useful AI features and crystal-clear audio, it’s hard to enjoy these benefits if you’re always looking at your rapidly diminishing battery life. No one wants to take time out of their day at the beach, the markets or their favourite music festival to sit next to a power point and wait for their smartphone to reach full charge again. Along with price and storage, battery life is among the top three considerations that smartphone shoppers care about.

2025 was a big year for Apple’s iPhone. The iPhone 17 lineup has won praise for finally introducing smooth-scrolling 120Hz screens, a technology previously reserved only for Apple’s Pro models, to its standard model. Other perks include over 1,000 nits of sustained brightness, the powerful A19 chip and a camera system with two 48MP cameras: one main and one ultra-wide.

So how does the iPhone 17’s battery capacity measure up? Is it worth upgrading to the latest iPhone model to reap the benefits of a longer battery life? In this article, OzMobiles takes a closer analysis of the iPhone 17’s battery life, how it compares to other flagship smartphones and how you can get the most out of it.

The iPhone 17 Battery Specifications

The iPhone 17 comes in four variants: the standard iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max and iPhone 17 Air, which is the slimmest and lightest iPhone released so far. In terms of the iPhone 17’s battery mAh and longevity, here’s how all four models stack up:

Naturally, the iPhone 17 Pro Max is the longest-lasting of the bunch, boasting the largest iPhone 17 battery mAh. The iPhone Air is a good pick if you value things other than battery life, such as portability. The iPhone 17 Pro’s battery is a happy medium if you don’t want to pay the price of a Pro Max but still need something a little longer than the standard.

However, all four iPhone 17 models have the power to get you through a long day without running out of battery. The iPhone 17’s battery capacity is impressive by all metrics, but how does it compare to other smartphones, including its predecessor?

How the iPhone 17 Battery Compares to Other Flagship Phones

If battery life is top of mind for you when you’re smartphone shopping, here’s how the iPhone 17 battery capacity stacks up against your other options:

iPhone 16

While Apple has always been known for its long battery life, the iPhone 17 features a larger battery and a slightly longer life than its predecessor, which boasts a capacity of 3,561 mAh. This increase in size and power remains consistent across the entire lineup. The iPhone 16 Pro Max is the most powerful in the range at 4,685 mAh, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s 5,088 mAh battery still beats it out.

Samsung Galaxy S25

Samsung’s flagship smartphone of 2025 has a 4,000 mAh battery powering a 6.2-inch OLED display. While battery life varies considerably depending on your activities, the Samsung Galaxy S25 lasts about 13 hours, putting it pretty much on par with the iPhone 17.

Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro

If battery life is your main consideration, it’s hard to go past the Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro, the most powerful performer on the market right now. The Asus ROG lasts an average of 20+ hours on tests, beating the iPhone 17 lineup and everyone else in the smartphone world.

OnePlus 13

The OnePlus 13 was one of the first smartphones released in 2025 and came with one of the longest battery lives, nearing the 20-hour mark.

Google Pixel 10

With a battery life that lasts around 13 hours, the Google Pixel 10 slightly outperforms the iPhone 17. However, the iPhone 17 evens the score by charging faster.

How to Maintain iPhone 17 Battery Life

When it comes to smartphones, battery life specs are closer to general guidelines than to hard and fast rules. Everything from higher screen brightness to higher temperatures to longer scrolling periods can impact the iPhone 17 battery capacity. Here’s how to protect your iPhone 17’s battery life both for the short and long term:

Use Adaptive Power Mode

Apple has introduced a new feature in iOS 26 to manage your battery use for you. Called Adaptive Power mode, the iPhone 17 has this feature on by default, but you’ll need to enable it on older iPhones. It limits screen brightness by 3%, reduces background activity, and automatically enables Lower Power Mode when the battery level drops below 20%.

Turn on Low Power Mode

Low Power Mode remains one of the best weapons in your arsenal when it comes to preserving what’s left of your battery life. Once you enable it, your phone suspends background tasks, such as downloads and iCloud syncing, so that it can focus on the most essential tasks.

Turn down the brightness

Adjusting your screen’s brightness is an easy way to slow down battery drain. Turn off auto-brightness and manually adjust the brightness in your settings to the battery-saving level that suits you.

Turn off Location Services

Location Services are helpful for many important apps and features like Google Maps, but they also drain your battery when you don’t need them. Turn it off, along with other features like Background App Refresh, and you can save some more battery power for when you need it.

Practice good charging habits

As batteries age, they naturally degrade, and their lifespan shortens over time. To preserve your battery life over the long term, keep your battery charge between 20% and 80% instead of letting it drain to zero and then charging it fully to 100%. Avoid charging during high-demand activities, such as gaming.

Buy the Latest Refurbished iPhones at OzMobiles

Buy the latest iPhone refurbished from OzMobiles for a locally sourced device covered under a warranty. The OzMobiles iPhone range includes refurbished iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max models, plus older models like the iPhone 16, iPhone 15 Pro Max and more. New or old, all our iPhones are fully functional with a guaranteed battery life of at least 80%, offering you up to hundreds of dollars in savings.

OzMobiles is the best place in Australia to buy refurbished phones from not only Apple but leading Android brands like Samsung Galaxy, Oppo and Google Pixel. We take the stress out of second-hand smartphone shopping, ensuring quality with our 72-point testing process. With a 12-month warranty and a 30-day risk-free return policy, we make sure you’re happy with what you pay for. If you can’t afford it outright, our payment plans break your purchase into instalments, allowing you to buy now and pay later.

To learn more, please contact the OzMobiles team online.