New cooling in iPhone 17: with full steam ahead?

For the first time, at least one device in the upcoming iPhone-17 series is said to have liquid cooling in use. The presentation of the iPhone 17 is expected for September. With the Chinese Leaker Instant Digital, the third rumor source, which predicts the installation of a so-called Vapor Chamber, has now spoken. The technology is intended to help Apple be able to use even more powerful processors in the iPhone without overheating the device or restricting its power.

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So far passive cooling

Apple currently relies on passive cooling through metal and graphite cooling bodies that dissipate the heat of the processor. In the event of heavy stress, this means that the device becomes noticeably warm and, from a certain intensity, even reduces the performance to cool down again and avoid heat damage.

A vapor chamber, as the manufacturers of Android devices already use, works with a coolant inside. This evaporates in the event of exposure to heat and is spread inside the chamber. Arrived on the outer walls, the steam condenses and thus lowers the temperature.

Signs are increasing

The analyst Ming-Chi Kuo from Taiwan was the first to promote the use of a Vapor Chamber in the summer of 2023. At the time, he spoke of the iPhone 17 Pro Max, while all other models of the 17-series would continue to rely on graphite films. The Chinese website Mydrivers, on the other hand, reported in early 2024 that even all iPhone-17 models should be equipped with corresponding heat sinks. The leaker instant digitally claimsthat only the Pro models, the iPhone 17 Pro and the iPhone 17 Pro Max, convert to steam.

It is said that the liquid cooling would allow Apple to operate the devices more than before. Calculation-intensive tasks include, for example, gaming and augmented reality apps. Protection against overheating also helps to improve the duration of the device. In the past, Apple has already had problems with overheating, such as the iPhone 15 Pro.