Every iPhone 16 version got a higher-capacity battery. Every one. Apple says its new models will go longer without needing a recharge, and clearly that’s not hype.
Also, the conspiracy theory that Apple would reduce the size of the iPhone 16 Plus battery turned out to be bunk.
iPhone 16 battery capacity: Up and up
The best phone is the world becomes a paperweight as soon as it’s battery runs out. Fortunately, Apple keeps improving the batteries built into iPhone.
For some reason, Cupertino doesn’t publish the specs of its batteries. But Anatel (Brazil’s National Telecommunications Agency) published the battery capacity for all four new iOS 18 handsets, according to Blog do iPhone:
- iPhone 16: 3,561 mAh
- iPhone 16 Plus: 4,674 mAh
- iPhone 16 Pro: 3,582 mAh
- iPhone 16 Pro Max: 4,685 mAh
Each of these improves on the capacity of last year’s models. For reference:
- iPhone 15: 3,349 mAh
- iPhone 15 Plus: 4,383 mAh
- iPhone 15 Pro: 3,274 mAh
- iPhone 15 Pro Max: 4,422 mAh
Battery life is a bit complicated
Rather than simply telling buyers this information, Apple talks about battery life instead. For example, it promises the iPhone 16 Pro Max offers up to 33 hours of video playback. That’s up from 29 hours promised by the iPhone 15 Pro Max. And Apple says the other three iPhone 16 models also offer improved battery lives when compared to their predecessors.
Apple goes this somewhat indirect route because more goes into stretching time between recharges than battery capacity. How efficient the 2024 handsets are also plays a part. And the new A18 chip supposedly helps lengthen battery lives.
“Built with second-generation 3-nanometer technology and featuring a new architecture with smaller, faster transistors, A18 Pro delivers unprecedented efficiency,” said Apple.
Ignore that nasty iPhone 16 Plus battery rumor
Last spring, a rumor went around that Apple would cut the size of the iPhone 16 Plus battery. The theory at the time was that Apple wanted to nerf the Plus so it wouldn’t compete with the more expensive — and more profitable — iPhone 16 Pro Max, as the two have screens almost the same size. Nope.
Turns out, the iPhone 16 Plus includes a battery almost as large as the one in the Pro Max, and considerably bigger than either of the other two in the series. And that translates into a very lengthy time between charges. As The Verge review noted, “If you opt for the 16 Plus, with its larger battery, you can stretch a single charge well into a second day.”
Still, Apple promised during the handsets’ launch event last week that “iPhone 16 Pro Max has the best iPhone battery life ever.”