Kuo: iPhone 16 Pro Max to increase battery density by 5-10% thanks to new stainless steel battery casing
We're still months away from the official release of the iPhone 16 series, but as usual, rumors and leaks are getting us all hyped. Now, reputable industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has a new leak to get us super excited for the iPhone 16 Pro Max. Reportedly, Apple is planning to use a stainless steel battery case for the battery. And that's very cool.
The Pro Max phones are already stellar in battery performance, and we can hardly wish for more. But maybe, Apple will be able to take advantage of the new material and allow us to enjoy the 16 Pro Max even longer before needing to recharge it.
This doesn't mean a 5-10% battery life increase though. How much better the battery life will be is still unclear. Kuo speculates that the 16 Pro Max will be the first iPhone to benefit from the new battery casing.
Regulations from the EU mandate that smartphone batteries become user-replaceable by 2027. This pretty much means all phones will have to offer a new, easier way to get their batteries replaced.
Apple is also rumored to replace the adhesive pull tabs that hold the battery in place with a metal cradle that opens up with electricity. The tech is called "electrically induced adhesive debonding", and rumors say it may make it to an iPhone 16 model. Maybe, the Pro Max.
Personally, I'm not the type of person to start repairing my own iPhone and would rather take it to a service center. So I'm not as excited about the improvements for repairability... but I am very hyped at the prospect of having better battery life. Even a little change can go a long way, and I can never have enough battery...
Okay, you may be wondering what's up with the stainless steel case and why it matters. It's simple - Apple is reportedly going to try to make iPhone batteries easier to replace in order to comply with EU regulations. And according to Kuo, Apple will use a stainless steel battery case to facilitate battery removal.
While that's cool on its own, there's another thing that makes it even cooler in my opinion. And that's that reportedly, the new casing for the battery will allow for a reported 5-10% increase in battery cell density. And this simply means - better battery life.
The EU regulates that by 2027, all smartphones must be equipped with replaceable batteries. The new iPhone’s adoption of a stainless steel battery case not only reduces the difficulty of removing the battery to meet EU regulations but also allows Apple to increase the battery… https://t.co/jLhEbw04po
— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) June 30, 2024
This doesn't mean a 5-10% battery life increase though. How much better the battery life will be is still unclear. Kuo speculates that the 16 Pro Max will be the first iPhone to benefit from the new battery casing.
Regulations from the EU mandate that smartphone batteries become user-replaceable by 2027. This pretty much means all phones will have to offer a new, easier way to get their batteries replaced.
Personally, I'm not the type of person to start repairing my own iPhone and would rather take it to a service center. So I'm not as excited about the improvements for repairability... but I am very hyped at the prospect of having better battery life. Even a little change can go a long way, and I can never have enough battery...
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