Correction: iPhone XS and XS Max Smart Battery Cases Have Larger Capacity Than Previous Versions

While reports today suggested that Apple's new Smart Battery Cases for the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max have lower battery capacities than previous versions for iPhone 6 and ‌iPhone‌ 7 models, it turns out the new cases actually have larger capacities than the old ones when taking voltage into consideration.

smart battery case xs
The new ‌iPhone‌ XS and ‌iPhone‌ XS Max cases are rated at 1,369 mAh, lower than the ‌iPhone‌ 6/6s case at 1,877 mAh and iPhone 7 case at 2,365 mAh, but according to Rene Ritchie, there are actually two such cells in the case.

As a result, the new cases run at a higher voltage that yields a total of 10.1 Wh of energy compared to 7.13 Wh for the ‌iPhone‌ 6/6s case and 8.98 Wh for the ‌iPhone‌ 7 case.


Paired with Smart Battery Cases, Apple says the ‌iPhone‌ XS gets up to 33 hours of talk time, up to 21 hours of internet use, and up to 25 hours of video playback, while the ‌iPhone‌ XS Max gets up to 37 hours of talk time, up to 20 hours of internet use, and up to 25 hours of video playback.

Of course, real-world testing will prove more valuable than tech specs, so we'll see how the new cases truly stack up in the coming days.

Apple introduced Smart Battery Cases for the ‌iPhone‌ XS, ‌iPhone‌ XS Max, and ‌iPhone‌ XR yesterday. All three are priced at $129 in the United States, with deliveries and in-store availability slated to begin this week. Apple says the cases are not compatible with the iPhone X, but results have varied so far.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

Golden Apple Logo

Every Apple Secret That Leaked Wednesday

Thursday August 14, 2025 4:13 am PDT by
Apple made a major slip Wednesday when it accidentally included hardware identifiers in software code linking to numerous unannounced products. The leaked information provided MacRumors with concrete evidence of Apple's hardware development across multiple product categories. Here's everything that was confirmed through the code discoveries: New HomePod mini with updated chip – New...
iPhone 17 Pro 3 4ths Perspective Aluminum Camera Module 1

Alleged iPhone 17 Pro Chassis Offers First Look at All-Aluminum Body

Thursday August 14, 2025 3:40 am PDT by
An alleged iPhone 17 Pro production leak may provide a first look at the device's milled all-aluminum chassis, which this year includes the camera bump – in contrast to last year's iPhone 16 Pro model that features a glass camera module attached to an all-glass back panel. Originally shared by leaker Majin Bu, the image below could be of a moulding, but it still lines up with rumors that...
Home Hub Command Center with Dome Base Feature

Apple Working on All-New Operating System

Saturday August 16, 2025 6:45 am PDT by
Apple is developing an all-new operating system codenamed "Charismatic," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. This is likely Apple's long-rumored "homeOS" operating system. In a report this week, Gurman said both Apple's rumored smart home hub in 2026 and tabletop robot in 2027 will run the new operating system. He said the software platform will blend elements of tvOS and watchOS. For...
Apple TV 2025 Thumb 2

New Apple TV Coming Later This Year With A17 Pro Chip

Wednesday August 13, 2025 5:29 pm PDT by
Rumors suggest that Apple is working on an updated version of the Apple TV that's slated for launch later this year. Information about the upcoming device that was found in Apple code indicates that it will be equipped with the A17 Pro chip. There have been multiple rumors about a new Apple TV coming in 2025 with a new A-series processor, but it hasn't been clear which chip Apple would use...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Max's Internal Design With Metal Battery Allegedly Leaks

Friday August 15, 2025 9:13 am PDT by
Alleged images of the iPhone 17 Pro Max's internal design have surfaced, offering a potential look inside the device before it is announced by Apple next month. The images were shared by the account "yeux1122" this week, in a blog post on the Korean platform Naver. The account aggregates Apple rumors and leaks, so it is likely not the original source of the images, and it is unclear if they...
iPhone 17 Pro Dark Blue and Orange

iPhone 17 Pro to Start at $1,049 With Doubled Base Storage

Wednesday August 13, 2025 1:45 am PDT by
Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 Pro will have a starting price that is $50 more than the iPhone 16 Pro but it will come with a minimum 256GB of storage, doubling the base capacity compared to last year's model. The information comes from Chinese leaker Instant Digital, posting on Weibo. The account, which has 1.5 million followers, has now made the claim three separate times in recent weeks....
iPhone 17 Pro Feature Dual

When Will Apple Announce the iPhone 17 Event?

Tuesday August 12, 2025 12:46 pm PDT by
It is now mid-August, meaning that Apple's annual iPhone event is just around the corner. This year, Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17, the all-new iPhone 17 Air, the iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max. Here are some of the key rumors for those devices:iPhone 17: Same design as iPhone 16, but with an A19 chip, a larger 6.3-inch display, an upgraded 24-megapixel front camera, ...
Generic iOS 18

Apple Says iOS 18.6.1 is Coming Today

Thursday August 14, 2025 7:29 am PDT by
In case you missed it — this is the post for people who mainly only read headlines — Apple has announced that it will be releasing iOS 18.6.1 and watchOS 11.6.1 later today. Apple shared this information in a press release on its Newsroom website. The software updates will re-enable the Blood Oxygen feature on Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Ultra 2 models sold in the United States....
Apple Watch Ultra 2 Complications

Apple Watch Reportedly Set to Receive 'Significant Redesign' Next Year

Friday August 15, 2025 1:31 pm PDT by
At least one new Apple Watch model launching next year will feature a "significant redesign," according to Taiwanese supply chain publication DigiTimes. In a paywalled report this week, citing supply chain insiders, DigiTimes claimed that a high-end 2026 Apple Watch model will feature "exterior design" changes, including but not limited to "eight sensors arranged in a ring pattern visible...

Top Rated Comments

blufire95 Avatar
86 months ago
Another example why you should use Wh instead of mAh when you compare batteries. When you don't know the voltage, the electric charge means nothing.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Baymowe335 Avatar
86 months ago
See what happens when you jump the gun to get clicks?
[doublepost=1547671086][/doublepost]
Sad the article writers here lack basic technical knowledge.

The 13" MacBook Pro has a 5,086 mAh battery. The iPhone Xs has 2,6858 mAh. Did anyone think they were actually comparable without looking at Whr?
Yes, literally almost everyone posting in the other thread thought that, including the writers.

Sad.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
the future Avatar
86 months ago
Was that a claim or requirement?
No, just a desperate attempt to find a new reason to discredit the XS/XR smart battery case.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Bbqthis Avatar
86 months ago
Gotta hurt when Rene Ritchie corrects you...
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
drewcosten Avatar
86 months ago
So is Apple's better than the one Mophie is releasing soon or what?
Yes, I would think so. As I wrote in the original thread, because it's made by Apple, the iPhone is able to know when it's plugged into an Apple battery case and use the case's battery first before switching to its own internal battery (at least if it’s anything like Apple’s last Smart Battery Case), which means less wear and tear on the iPhone’s battery. This also means that this is the only case that doesn't cause the iPhone to act like it's plugged into the wall when it's in the case and start doing battery draining stuff like iCloud backups and syncing photos to the cloud and such.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JPack Avatar
86 months ago
Sad the article writers here lack basic technical knowledge.

The 13" MacBook Pro has a 5,086 mAh battery. The iPhone Xs has 2,6858 mAh. Did anyone think they were actually comparable without looking at Whr?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)