iPhone 17 line just tipped for major design upgrade

With the iPhone 16 finally out, that means the iPhone 17 rumor mill is chugging along steadily ahead of next fall's release. New details from noted leaker Majin Bu suggest Apple plans to use a new glue to hold the batteries in place for the entire iPhone 17 family, including the new iPhone 17 Slim or Air .

"The main function of these adhesives is to cause the battery to detach with very little force, once the correct tension is applied to the new adhesive used," Majin Bu wrote this week. "In fact, it will be enough to apply a small electrical voltage to the adhesive to make it release, allowing the battery to detach from the frame without any effort."

That should make it easier for users with the best iPhones to replace their batteries without risking damage to their devices. Some Apple fans will no doubt be disappointed that Apple's continuing to use glue to begin with over a more long-standing solution, as it has to be replaced with a fresh strip when a new battery is placed in the phone.

Apple debuted similar technology with the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus , though it was absent from the premium iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max models. Depending on the feedback Apple gets from Genius Bar repairs over the next few months as people put the newest iPhones through their paces, the company could opt to tweak its design plans for the iPhone 17 line before going ahead with the full rollout in 2025.

That includes the iPhone 17 Air/Slim, whichever Apple ends up calling it, which is rumored to replace the iPhone 17 Plus as a thinner, lighter version of the standard iPhone 17. Other rumors we've seen suggest the iPhone 17 Air/Slim will feature breakthrough OLED technology in its similarly large display at 6.6 inches and a smaller hole and pill-shaped cutout for the Dynamic Island.

Of course, this should all be taken with a grain of salt for now. We're still early in the iPhone 17 rumor cycle, and there's no telling what else could come to light between now and this time next fall. Be sure to check out our round-up of all the iPhone 17 rumors to stay in the know in the meantime.

More from Tom's Guide

• My iPhone 17 wish list — 5 things I want to see from next year's phones
• iPhone 17 rumors — everything we know so far
• iPhone 17 Pro just tipped for an exciting design upgrade