iPhone 17 series to gain vapor chambers to help with cooling

Android OEMs have been implementing vapor chambers (VC) in their devices for years to help keep up with more demanding chipsets and thermal throttling. Apple, on the other hand, has continued to rely on heat sinks to cool its iPhones, but that’s rumored to change with this year’s iPhone 17 series. A new report from China suggests Cupertino will implement vapor chambers in all models of the iPhone 17 family (Pro and non-Pro).

Galaxy S24 Ultra vapor chamber (PBKreviews)

Vapor chambers are sealed metal components with a small amount of liquid (usually de-ionized water) that evaporates when exposed to heat from the chipset. The vapor is then transferred across the surface of the chamber to help spread the heat and effectively cool down the device.

iPhone 16 Pro teardown, no vapor chamber in sight

The new report contradicts a previous rumor from noted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo which suggests that only the iPhone 17 Pro Max would gain a VC cooling system. The non-Pro iPhone 17 variants are also rumored to finally get high-refresh-rate screens. It remains to be seen whether those panels will be 90Hz or 120Hz.

Source (in Chinese)