Kuo: iPhone 16 Pro Max Could Feature Longer Battery Life

Apple in the iPhone 16 Pro Max will use battery cells with increased energy density, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, which will offer either longer battery life using the same battery size as that found in existing models, or equivalent battery life using a smaller battery.

iphone 16 pro battery kosutami
In his latest supply chain survey, Kuo says the energy density (Wh/kg) of the battery cells in the iPhone 16 Pro Max will increase, which "has the benefit of longer battery life with the same battery size or lower battery size with the same battery life."

To avoid overheating the battery, Apple is using a stainless steel battery case for the first time as a thermal solution, according to Kuo.

Stainless steel is not as effective as aluminum in dissipating heat, but it is more robust and less susceptible to corrosion. The use of a stainless steel battery case also reduces the difficulty of removing the battery, which will help Apple comply with the European Union's requirements for mobile phone batteries' replaceability in the future.

Sunway will reportedly be a major supplier of the stainless steel battery cases. If the mass production of this new battery design goes well, Kuo believes the design will be adopted across all iPhone 17 models next year.

A rumor last June suggested that the iPhone 16 Pro models will use stacked batteries, which can result in higher capacity and a longer lifespan, but Kuo makes no mention of the technology in his survey. Apple is expected to release the upcoming iPhone 16 lineup in four months, likely around mid-September.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iOS 26

15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.2

Friday December 5, 2025 9:40 am PST by
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below. Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...
ios 18 to ios 26 upgrade

Apple Pushes iPhone Users Still on iOS 18 to Upgrade to iOS 26

Tuesday December 2, 2025 11:09 am PST by
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent. Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 Release Candidates to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Wednesday December 3, 2025 10:33 am PST by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 updates to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming two weeks after Apple seeded the third betas. The release candidates represent the final versions of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found during this final week of testing....
Intel Inside iPhone Feature

Apple's Return to Intel Rumored to Extend to iPhone

Friday December 5, 2025 10:08 am PST by
Intel is expected to begin supplying some Mac and iPad chips in a few years, and the latest rumor claims the partnership might extend to the iPhone. In a research note with investment firm GF Securities this week, obtained by MacRumors, analyst Jeff Pu said he and his colleagues "now expect" Intel to reach a supply deal with Apple for at least some non-pro iPhone chips starting in 2028....
Photos App Icon Liquid Glass

John Gruber Shares Scathing Commentary About Apple's Departing Software Design Chief

Thursday December 4, 2025 9:30 am PST by
In a statement shared with Bloomberg on Wednesday, Apple confirmed that its software design chief Alan Dye will be leaving. Apple said Dye will be succeeded by Stephen Lemay, who has been a software designer at the company since 1999. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Dye will lead a new creative studio within the company's AR/VR division Reality Labs. On his blog Daring Fireball,...
iOS 26

When Will Apple Release iOS 26.2?

Monday December 1, 2025 4:37 pm PST by
We're getting closer to the launch of the final major iOS update of the year, with Apple set to release iOS 26.2 in December. We've had three betas so far and are expecting a fourth beta or a release candidate this week, so a launch could follow as soon as next week. Past Launch Dates Apple's past iOS x.2 updates from the last few years have all happened right around the middle of the...
maxresdefault

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
ive and altman

Jony Ive's OpenAI Device Barred From Using 'io' Name

Friday December 5, 2025 6:22 am PST by
A U.S. appeals court has upheld a temporary restraining order that prevents OpenAI and Jony Ive's new hardware venture from using the name "io" for products similar to those planned by AI audio startup iyO, Bloomberg Law reports. iyO sued OpenAI earlier this year after the latter announced its partnership with Ive's new firm, arguing that OpenAI's planned "io" branding was too close to its...
iphone air camera

iPhone Air's Resale Value Has Dropped Dramatically, Data Shows

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:27 am PST by
The iPhone Air has recorded the steepest early resale value drop of any iPhone model in years, with new data showing that several configurations have lost almost 50% of their value within ten weeks of launch. According to a ten-week analysis published by SellCell, Apple's latest lineup is showing a pronounced split in resale performance between the iPhone 17 models and the iPhone Air....
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

iPhone 17 Pro Lost a Camera Feature Pro Models Have Had Since 2020

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:18 am PST by
iPhone 17 Pro models, it turns out, can't take photos in Night mode when Portrait mode is selected in the Camera app – a capability that's been available on Apple's Pro devices since the iPhone 12 Pro in 2020. If you're an iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max owner, try it for yourself: Open the Camera app with Photo selected in the carousel, then cover the rear lenses with your hand to...

Top Rated Comments

Living the Dream Avatar
20 months ago
Just make the phones thicker with a bigger battery and remove the dang camera bump.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Smittywerben Avatar
20 months ago

Just make the phones thicker with a bigger battery and remove the dang camera bump.
There are thinner phones than 15PM with 5600mAh battery. Apple just doesn't want users to have good battery life like 13 Pro Max anymore.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Love-hate ? relationship Avatar
20 months ago
Seriously, only for the max ??.

And the pro whose battery is limited and that would benefit from such a tech...won't get it ? F***
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MrGimper Avatar
20 months ago
"could"

Very informative.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HobeSoundDarryl Avatar
20 months ago
Hmmmmm, pay a few nickels more in materials cost to include extra battery or cut those nickels for "same great battery life" and "thinner" spin. What will modern Apple Inc choose? It's so, sooooo hard to imagine. ???

However, perhaps they should adopt the pictured shape of that part as the new phone shape:

* All those who relentlessly whine for a redesign would be able to show very clearly they own the newest phone.
* An L-shaped phone would still have the main portion slip into a normal pocket.
* Since screen size is measured diagonally, the new horizontally widened section could allow Apple to jump measurement specs from 6.XX" to maybe 9 or 10 inches while still being "pocketable": "the biggest screen we've ever had in an iPhone... and same great pocket-ability and battery life."
* Some of us could be upsold old west gun holster-like products as an accessory.
* Some of those phone holsters could offer wireless battery charging when this "gun" is holstered.
* We could practice our "quick draw" techniques for getting the phone out of the holster.
* Apple could spin the term "quick draw" in more than one way by adding a pencil slot in the "only Apple can..." holster "for only $349"
* The "The Good, the Bad & the Ugly" ringtone would probably hold the #1 spot for an extended period of time.
* Maybe make it a boomerang shape so that when you drop it- instead of hitting the ground- if curves right back to you again?
* Maybe move dynamic island thinking into the new section and call it dynamic [S]boat[/S] dock?
* Maybe bend the new section up ever so slightly and build the camera pack in there so that the overall device can lay flat on a table?

All ;)
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
scorpio vega Avatar
20 months ago

There are thinner phones than 15PM with 5600mAh battery. Apple just doesn't want users to have good battery life like 13 Pro Max anymore.
My battery life is fine on my 15 pm.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)