The iPhone 17 lineup shows significant improvements in video playback endurance compared to previous generations and offers strong competition to top Android models.
Starting with the iPhone 17 models, the base iPhone 17 can deliver up to 30 hours of video playback and about 27 hours of streaming video playback. The iPhone 17 Air offers slightly less endurance at 27 hours of video playback and 22 hours of streaming. The iPhone 17 Pro model steps up with 33 hours of video playback and 30 hours of streaming playback, while the iPhone 17 Pro Max leads the pack with a maximum of 39 hours of video playback and 35 hours of streaming video playback. This generation marks an 8-9 hour improvement over the iPhone 16 models in video playback time, with added support for fast charging that can reach 50% battery in around 20 to 30 minutes depending on the charger used. The iPhone 17 series uses the A19 chip for the base model and A19 Pro in the Pro models, supporting better efficiency and longer battery endurance for video tasks. Additionally, the phones feature an Adaptive Power Mode in iOS 26 that fine-tunes power use to extend battery life during typical usage scenarios, further enhancing endurance for media consumption.
The new iPhones also utilize an improved OLED display with up to 120Hz refresh rate, providing a more fluid video experience without significantly draining the battery. The iPhone 17 Pro models include additional hardware features like LiDAR scanners that can impact power consumption but do not greatly reduce video playback endurance thanks to better optimization.
Turning to top Android phones, models such as the Google Pixel 10 and Samsung Galaxy S25 series are considered to have comparable or slightly better video playback endurance. The Pixel 10 reportedly has a battery life during video playback similar to the iPhone 17 baseline model, with around 18-19 hours of continuous 4K video playback measured in some tests. Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra and similar flagship models tend to push endurance even further, with reported video playback times in the range of 28 to 30 hours in optimal conditions, making them some of the longest-lasting Android devices for media consumption.
Charge times and wireless charging speeds are also differentiated: Many high-end Android models typically support fast wired charging with speeds exceeding 40W and wireless charging ranges of around 15-25W, but Apple's MagSafe wireless charging on iPhone 17 models can reach up to 25W, which is competitive. However, battery capacity on Android giants like the Galaxy S25 Ultra tends to be larger, sometimes around 5000mAh, compared to Apple's typically smaller batteries compensated by software and hardware efficiency.
In video playback tests measuring real-world endurance, iPhone 17 models have shown the ability to last well beyond a full day in continuous video play scenarios. For example, the iPhone 17 lasted 19 hours and 10 minutes in a continuous 4K playback battery test. This endurance beats the iPhone Air and closely approaches the Pro Max models. Samsung's Galaxy S25 and Google's Pixel 10 series generally also perform excellently in streaming and local video playback endurance, with Samsung's Ultra model often cited as the leader in runtime length for video.
To summarize, the video playback endurance hierarchy across these major models shows the iPhone 17 Pro Max as the longest lasting within the iPhone 17 series, with the base iPhone 17 and iPhone Air models offering very capable endurance. When seen against the top Androids like the Pixel 10 and Galaxy S25 series, the iPhone 17 series is competitive, with Android flagships sometimes offering marginally longer video playback times due to larger battery capacities, though often with catch-up charging speeds on Apple's side.
Overall, the iPhone 17 series' video playback endurance represents a meaningful step forward, making Apple very competitive with premium Android devices for users focused on long video consumption sessions. Both ecosystems now offer flagship phones that support more than a full day of continuous video playback in typical use cases, with subtle differences in battery size, charging speed, and software optimization shaping the endurance and usability experience for video viewing.