June 23, 2025, 4:20 pm | Read time: 2 minutes
Leaked images reveal vapor chamber components for the iPhone 17, a technology already used in competitors’ smartphones and possibly coming to the iPhone.
Apple is increasingly positioning the iPhone as a mobile gaming companion. However, one issue the manufacturer has somewhat neglected is heat development. During extended gaming sessions, previous models tend to heat up significantly. According to a recent leak, Apple plans a major change in cooling with the iPhone 17.
Vapor Chamber for Better Heat Management
Currently, the iPhone 16 Pro uses graphite pads to help dissipate heat. According to leaker Majin Bu, this could fundamentally change with the iPhone 17. An internal source suggests that Apple is currently working on a vapor chamber solution to cool the iPhone more effectively.
A vapor chamber is a sealed copper container that transports heat without moving parts. Liquid inside evaporates at the device’s hot spots and carries the heat as vapor through small channels to another location. There, the liquid condenses and flows back to the heat hotspot.
The leak shows the thermal base part with a structured copper plate featuring fine microchannels—the typical interior of a vapor chamber. The size of the plate suggests it is intended to cool a larger area, potentially including the logic board and other modules. The leaked image indicates that the plate extends over the metal frame of the camera module. It is conceivable that Apple uses this larger area to dissipate heat more effectively.
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Higher Performance in iPhone 17 Pro Requires New Cooling
The new A19 Pro chip in the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max is likely to require an improved cooling system. High heat output is expected not only for gaming but also for AI task calculations.
According to leaker Majin Bu, the vapor chamber is not yet final. If it is implemented, it is likely to be exclusive to the Pro variants, where the thermal demands from the chip and display are higher. The standard iPhone 17 models are apparently expected to stick with traditional cooling methods using graphite pads, thermal paste, and aluminum plates.