The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max will feature physically larger batteries, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, likely to compensate for the increased power consumption of an always-on display.
In his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says he expects the new iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max to feature larger batteries and the devices will, as a result, appear "slightly larger overall." While longer battery life is always a top wish for customers, the inclusion of a larger battery on this year's high-end iPhones is likely a direct result of the inclusion of an always-on display.
Like the Apple Watch Series 5 and later, the upcoming iPhone 14 Pro models are widely expected to feature an always-on display that will always showcase essential information and visual elements from the redesigned iOS 16 lock screen. The always-on display will display information such as the time, date, and widgets and include tinted and darkened versions of some wallpapers customized by the user, MacRumors reported this week.
Apple will be able to offer an always-on display on the upcoming iPhones thanks to new OLED display technology that features a lower refresh rate. While the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max support a variable refresh rate of up to 120Hz, the 2021 iPhones can only go as low as 10Hz.
On the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, the OLED panels are expected to go as low as 1Hz, saving battery life when static information is always on display. Due to the newer OLED display, the always-on display functionality is expected to remain an iPhone 14 Pro exclusive and not extend to the iPhone 13 Pro models through a potential software update, as some may have hoped.
In addition to the energy savings provided by the lower refresh rate, the larger batteries on the iPhone 14 Pro will likely compensate for any potential loss of battery life for users when using the always-on display feature. These two changes come alongside power efficiency improvements in the upcoming A16 Bionic chip expected to power the new "Pro" iPhones.
Apple is expected to announce the new iPhone 14 lineup during an event on Wednesday, September 7. The lineup will include a 6.1-inch iPhone 14, a 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Plus, a 6.1-inch iPhone 14 Pro, and a 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Pro Max. The new lineup will mark the end of the road for the 5.4-inch "mini" form factor, first introduced with the iPhone 12 series and improved upon with the iPhone 13 last year.
Apple is also expected to announce the Apple Watch Series 8, an updated Apple Watch SE with faster performance, and an all-new rugged Apple Watch "Pro." The second-generation AirPods Pro are also expected to be announced during the event, according to Gurman. For a full rundown of everything we expect from Apple next week, see our guide.
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