One of the reasons why customers opt for Apple’s iPhone Pro Max is because of the larger battery. The current iPhone 15 Pro Max offers up to 29 hours of video playback and that might improve with the upcoming iPhone 16 Pro Max.
According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple’s top-end iPhone is getting a boost in battery life but not by making the battery bigger–it’ll stay the same size as the 15 Pro Max. Kuo reports that Apple has increased the energy density–essentially, how much charge it can hold–which results in the battery lasting longer. Kuo doesn’t offer any information as to how much the life will increase.
As a result of the increased energy density, the battery temperature will be higher when it’s running. Kuo states that Apple is going to use a “stainless steel battery case for the first time as a thermal solution.” The internal case will also provide “better protection for the battery and the iPhone system.” The new case also makes it a little easier to remove the battery, which in turn helps Apple comply with the requirements of the European Union for replaceable batteries.
Kuo states that if this new battery implementation works out well, Apple will use it in all its new iPhones in 2025.
Kuo’s report follows reports that involve mock-ups of the iPhone 16 Pro Max that show that the phone will be bigger than the current iPhone 15 Pro Max. If Kuo’s report is accurate (he often is, but has missed a few times), then implementing the new internal steel case for the battery could explain the size increase. Check out our iPhone 16 guide for the latest on Apple next iPhone.