Updated August 4 with further details of iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max battery capacities.
There have been plenty of reports already of big changes coming to the iPhone 16 series, and a new report details one of the most important of all: the battery. And another new report explains some of the different battery capacities we’ve been seeing. One report says that one member of the new brace of phones will benefit more than the others: the iPhone 16 Pro.
The other provides more details and warns not to make too many conclusions from what we know. David Nield at Tech Radar points out that it’s quite possible that capacities have changed as Apple has refined its designs for the new iPhones, “which might explain why some of the rumors we’ve been seeing so far are listing different numbers.”
And Nield adds that the larger displays on the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, if the predictions prove accurate, could affect just how much more battery life bigger cells could provide and that, even if the predictions are right, “it looks as though the new editions will still need charging overnight most of the time.”
These are strong points, and suggest that, as before, Apple will be aiming to keep battery life stable, even though the new iPhones will do much more.
Back to the first report, which says that the iPhone 16 Pro Max will see a battery that’s 5.74% bigger than on the 15 Pro Max, while the iPhone 16 Pro cell will see a much more significant increase of 9.25%, compared to the current model, according to Weibo leaker, Instant Digital.
The new leak chimes with earlier reports about the iPhones’ having different battery sizes, with the curious news that the iPhone 16 Plus battery will be smaller than the current one.
This new report makes no mention of the iPhone 16 Plus, nor indeed iPhone 16, focusing only on the two Pro models. The specs, if you like these numerical details, mean that the iPhone 16 Pro battery will be 3,577 mAh, against the current iPhone 15 Pro 3,274 mAh.
Meanwhile, the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s 4,422 mAh cell will be upgraded to one with 4,676 mAh capacity. Given how big and long-lasting the iPhone 15 Pro Max battery is, if there was no increase that would probably still be fine. So a nearly-6% increase is great.
But to improve the iPhone 16 Pro by over 9% could make a significant, noticeable difference—even assuming the upcoming Apple Intelligence features draw more power.
And remember, Apple often manages to eke out more battery life through better efficiencies in its software as well.
Tim Hardwick at MacRumors notes that other reports have also suggested better battery life, with the iPhone 16 Pro Max rumored to manage 30 hours on one charge, an hour longer than the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Since there are also reports of significantly faster charging, better Wi-Fi and new battery design, there’s plenty to look forward to with the iPhone 16 series—and here’s exactly when it’s going to launch.
