Apple’s MagSafe Battery Pack Now Works Only With iPhone 17 Air

Apple has unveiled a new MagSafe Battery Pack, but the move is leaving many iPhone 17 and 17 Pro owners frustrated. The accessory, priced at $99, has been engineered specifically for the iPhone 17 Air – Apple’s slim, ultra-thin variant – and will not function properly with the standard iPhone 17 or the more premium iPhone 17 Pro.

The design of the new MagSafe Battery is noticeably different from earlier generations.

Taller and narrower, it has been shaped to align seamlessly with the lightweight Air model, offering a flush, elegant look that complements the phone’s slim chassis. Yet this tailored approach comes with a compromise: incompatibility with the broader iPhone 17 lineup. Unlike past versions of MagSafe batteries, which were designed to clip onto multiple iPhones across different model years, Apple’s new strategy has turned the Air into the exclusive home for this accessory.

For longtime iPhone users, this is a notable shift. In previous years, MagSafe packs acted as universal backup solutions, extending battery life without users needing to worry about model-specific quirks. Now, the calculus is different. Anyone upgrading to the iPhone 17 or 17 Pro will either need to look toward third-party MagSafe-compatible packs or carry bulky power banks that lack Apple’s signature integration. While alternatives exist, they rarely deliver the seamless charging animations, precise magnet alignment, and smart power management that Apple accessories are known for.

Some industry watchers suggest this move is a reflection of Apple’s renewed focus on pushing distinct design identities within its iPhone family. The iPhone Air is marketed as the thinnest, most portable model, and the accessory strategy reinforces that positioning. But for consumers, the outcome feels less like innovation and more like segmentation. Without universal compatibility, households with multiple iPhone models will find themselves buying separate accessories for each device – a costly and inconvenient reality.

One frustrated user pointed out that Apple no longer profits from selling its once-essential proprietary cables, since most iPhones have now transitioned to USB-C. Accessories, therefore, may have become the company’s new way of ensuring that each upgrade forces buyers to invest further in Apple’s ecosystem. Critics argue that while the MagSafe Battery Pack for the iPhone 17 Air looks sleek, the decision undercuts the flexibility that Apple once offered.

For iPhone 17 Air users, this pack is arguably the perfect travel companion. But for owners of the iPhone 17 and 17 Pro, the message is clear: unless Apple revisits its approach, you’ll be relying on third-party solutions. And this entire episode serves as a reminder of just how much even minor design tweaks can ripple across Apple’s ecosystem, forcing users to adapt – or spend more.