iPhone 17 Pro: Why Battery Life Varies by Country
Apple has always adapted its iPhones to regional markets. Sometimes this is done for technical reasons, and sometimes for regulatory reasons. In the USA, for instance, there are special mmWave 5G antennas, while in Japan, you get a FeliCa chip for contactless payment, which was installed exclusively for a long time. Over in China, there are dual SIM slots. There are also restrictions, such as how the camera sound cannot be turned off in Japan, or how FaceTime audio and video calling is deactivated in the United Arab Emirates. However, these differences have never affected battery life, until now.
First Redesign since the iPhone 12 Pro
With the iPhone 17 Pro, Apple has completely redesigned the internal structure. The larger camera element not only houses the cameras themselves, but also other components to create space for a larger battery in the lower area. At the same time, Apple apparently plans to do away with the SIM slot worldwide. In countries where the iPhone 17 Pro is already sold exclusively with an eSIM, Apple will use the freed-up space for a larger battery. In markets with a physical SIM slot, the battery will have to be smaller.
Only the Pro Model is Affected
This change only affects the iPhone 17 Pro. The iPhone Air will be delivered worldwide without a SIM slot, while the regular iPhone 17 will retain the previous internal structure and, as has been the case in the USA since the iPhone 14, will once again have a plastic placeholder instead of the SIM slot.
| iPhone 17 Pro (Nano-SIM + eSIM) |
iPhone 17 Pro (eSIM only) |
iPhone 16 Pro | iPhone 17 Pro Max (Nano-SIM + eSIM) |
iPhone 17 Pro Max (eSIM only) |
iPhone 16 Pro Max | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery life during video playback (local) | 31 hours | 33 hours | 27 hours | 37 hours | 39 hours | 33 hours |
| Battery life during video playback (streaming) | 28 hours | 30 hours | 22 hours | 33 hours | 35 hours | 30 hours |
| battery capacity | 3988 mAh | 4252 mAh | 3577 mAh | 4823 mAh | 5088 mAh | 4676 mAh |
The Longest Battery Life Belongs to these Countries
Apple currently sells the eSIM-only versions of the iPhone 17 Pro here: USA, Canada, Mexico, Japan, Guam, US Virgin Islands, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates. According to Apple, the battery lasts around two hours longer when streaming video in these countries — an increase of around five percent.
In all the other markets, including Europe, there is still a nano-SIM slot. The battery life is slightly shorter here, but still benefits from the new chassis design, which generally allows for larger batteries. Compared to the iPhone 16 Pro, battery life has increased across all regions.
Is it Worth Buying your iPhone Abroad?
If you are mulling the idea of importing an iPhone 17 Pro from an eSIM-only country, you should first check whether the model supports all mobile frequencies used in your home country. Regional peculiarities, such as deactivated functions, should also be taken into account. In addition, Apple may not recognize the warranty in your home country, and you may have to contact the retailer in the country of purchase in the event of a problem.
