It’s something that most iPhone owners will never see, but the battery of the iPhone 16 Pro is apparently going to look markedly different to that found on the current model.
That’s according to the leaker Kosutami, who shared pictures of an “early stage” prototype battery reportedly destined for the iPhone 16 Pro. While it maintains the L-shape traditionally found in the handsets, it comes with a metal shell rather than foil as in past years.
Battery of early stage iPhone 16 Pro ProtoFeatures glossy metal shell, 3355mAh Capacity(13.02Wh), LCV 4.48V(Limited Charge Voltage)Current stage prototype has changed some design: from glossy surface to frosted metal shell, and with a redesigned connector#Apple #appleinternal pic.twitter.com/QvguZ7CrtLNovember 20, 2023
Assuming the prototype is real, the purpose seems to be for improved thermals, as metal would help distribute heat rather than concentrating it. Given the early reports of iPhone 15 Pro units getting very hot, that would certainly be welcome (even if complaints largely seem to have dried up following a software update).
Instinctively, you might assume that a move to metal would make the phone heavier, but you needn’t worry. As MacRumors points out, Apple has already made the battery switch on its wearables back with the 41mm Apple Watch 7.
The picture above, from iFixIt, shows the difference between the foil version on the 45mm Watch (right) and the metal one from the 41mm version (left). Suffice it to say, both feel light on the wrist, and the 41mm aluminium Apple Watch 7 is just 1.5 grams heavier than its 40mm predecessor, despite also packing a slightly bigger screen.
Kosutami, who previously shared the prototype HomePod with a screen, also reveals the specs of the iPhone 16 Pro’s battery, and it’s a slightly higher capacity than this year’s version. It reportedly holds 3,355mAh — around a 2.5% increase on the current 3,274mAh capacity.
That may not sound like much, but working in tandem with a less power-hungry screen and the more efficient upcoming A18 Pro chipset, it might yet prove significant.
It’s early days for iPhone 16 rumors, with the handsets not expected until September 2024. Most of the early talk concerns the premium models, with both the Pro and Pro Max handsets reportedly to have larger displays and more powerful camera magnification thanks to a new kind of lens. There’s also talk of Apple introducing another capacitive button for all iPhone 16 handsets, apparently dedicated to photography.
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