High-end smartphones tend to be bulky. This is one of the reasons why the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro have titanium frames.
The iPhone 16 Pro Max is 8.3mm thick and packs a 4,685mAh battery. The iPhone 17 Pro Max will allegedly be equipped with a 4,823mAh battery, and the eSIM model may come with a 5,088mAh cell. This is probably why its thickness is going to increase to 8.725mm.
The Galaxy S25 Ultra is 8.2 mm thick, and its successor is going to be thinner, clocking in at 7.9mm. Despite being thinner, the Galaxy S26 Ultra will offer the same 5,000mAh capacity as the Galaxy S25 Ultra.
This will be the seventh Ultra handset in a row to have a 5,000mAh battery. This is bound to infuriate Ultra fans, but the same battery capacity doesn’t necessarily mean the Galaxy S26 Ultra will have the same battery life as the Galaxy S25 Ultra. It may rely on other measures, such as the use of more power-efficient components, to make the phone last longer on a single charge. The Galaxy S26 Ultra is also likely to support faster charging, which might somewhat make up for the unchanged battery capacity.
As for the iPhone 17 Pro Max, while it may last longer than the iPhone 16 Pro Max, the increase in thickness might put off some users. However, the shift to aluminum, which is lighter than titanium, may offset any discomfort.
Phone ergonomics matter, as proven by the emergence of handsets such as the Galaxy S25 Edge and the rumored iPhone 17 Air. That said, many power users are willing to tolerate thickness as long as they get top-tier specs.
The iPhone 17 Pro Max and Galaxy S26 Ultra are taking two distinct approaches here. Only time will tell which made the right choice.
